Moroccan Grand Prix 1958 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Stirling Moss won the season-ending Moroccan Grand Prix, but Mike Hawthorn's second place secured Britain's first World Championship by a single point in the closest title battle of the decade. Moss' brilliant victory at the exotic Casablanca circuit wasn't enough to overcome Hawthorn's season-long consistency. Phil Hill finished third for Ferrari. The race was overshadowed by Stuart Lewis-Evans' horrific crash, which would claim his life days later from burn injuries.

Hawthorn's championship represented a bitter-sweet triumph, as the Ferrari driver had won only once compared to Moss' four victories, yet prevailed through tactical consistency. The quirk of the points system, which counted only drivers' best six results, favored Hawthorn's approach of steady point-scoring over Moss' pattern of brilliant wins interspersed with retirements. The margin of just one point made it the closest championship battle yet witnessed.

Tragedy struck when Lewis-Evans crashed his Vanwall and suffered severe burns. He would die from his injuries six days later, casting a pall over Hawthorn's championship celebration. The young Welsh driver's death contributed to Vanwall owner Tony Vandervell's decision to withdraw from racing despite winning the Constructors' Championship. Hawthorn announced his retirement immediately after securing the title, planning to focus on his garage business, making the championship his swansong. Three months later, Hawthorn would die in a road accident, robbing Britain of its first World Champion at just 29 years old.