Juan Manuel Fangio won the 1956 Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship after winning three Grands Prix for Ferrari.
Fangio entered the 1956 season as a four-time world champion and joined Ferrari after leaving Mercedes-Benz. He won the Argentine, British and German Grands Prix, contributing to Ferrari’s first drivers’ championship in the Formula 1 World Championship era.
The title battle was closely connected to Fangio’s teammate Peter Collins. At the final race in Italy, Collins voluntarily handed his Ferrari to Fangio when Fangio’s own car developed trouble. Under the points rules then in force, the shared result helped Fangio secure the championship.
Fangio finished ahead of Moss in the final standings. The 1956 title was his fourth, and he added a fifth championship in 1957. The season is also remembered for the sporting relationship between Fangio and Collins, whose decision placed team interests ahead of his own title chances.