French Grand Prix
Rouen-Les-Essarts
Grand Prix starting grid
Race starts
Grid positions from race-result records; not a separately verified pre-race grid.
| POS | DRIVER | TEAM |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari |
| 2 | Nino Farina | Ferrari |
| 3 | Piero Taruffi | Ferrari |
| 4 | Jean Behra | Gordini |
| 5 | Robert Manzon | Gordini |
| 6 | Maurice Trintignant | Simca |
| 7 | Prince Bira | Gordini |
| 8 | Peter Collins | HWM |
| 9 | Louis Rosier | Ferrari |
| 10 | Yves Cabantous | HWM |
| 11 | Harry Schell | Maserati |
| 12 | Toulo de Graffenried | Maserati |
| 12 | Harry Schell | Maserati |
| 13 | Peter Whitehead | Alta |
| 14 | Lance Macklin | HWM |
| 15 | Mike Hawthorn | Cooper |
| 16 | Franco Comotti | Ferrari |
| 17 | Peter Hirt | Ferrari |
| 17 | Rudi Fischer | Ferrari |
| 18 | Philippe Étancelin | Maserati |
| 19 | Piero Carini | Ferrari |
| 20 | Johnny Claes | Simca |