Argentine Grand Prix 1958 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Stirling Moss claimed a surprising victory at the Argentine Grand Prix, driving Rob Walker's privateer Cooper to defeat the works Ferrari team in what would prove a revolutionary moment for Formula 1. The British driver's triumph in the nimble rear-engine Cooper demonstrated that innovative design could overcome raw power, signaling the beginning of the end for traditional front-engine Grand Prix cars. Luigi Musso and Mike Hawthorn finished second and third for Ferrari, unable to catch the agile Cooper.

Moss' victory for the small privateer team against factory squads represented one of Formula 1's great giant-killing performances. The Cooper's revolutionary rear-engine layout, with the Climax engine mounted behind the driver, provided superior weight distribution and handling that allowed Moss to exploit his racecraft brilliance. Though underpowered compared to Ferrari's front-engine cars, the Cooper's nimbleness through corners more than compensated for any straight-line deficit.

The Argentine Grand Prix would be remembered as the race that announced the rear-engine revolution, though conservative observers initially dismissed Cooper's victory as a fluke. Within two years, every competitive Formula 1 car would adopt the rear-engine configuration that Cooper pioneered. For Moss, the win demonstrated once again his ability to extract maximum performance from any competitive machinery, though championship glory would again prove elusive.