The fourth round of the new World Championship took place just three weeks after the series began at Silverstone (with Monaco and Indianapolis having taken place on consecutive weekends). Once again the event proved to be a battle between the Alfa Romeo factory 158s of Giuseppe Farina, Juan Manuel Fangio and Luigi Fagioli and the Ferraris of Alberto Ascari, Luigi Villoresi, Raymond Sommer and Peter Whitehead. There were a number of uncompetitive Talbot Lagos and Maseratis as usual. José Froilán González was out of action as a result of burns he had received after the first lap accident at Monaco. Also out of action as a result of the crash was Maserati factory driver Franco Rol. In practice Fangio and Farina were well clear of Fagioli with Villoresi and Ascari sharing the second row of the 3-2-3 grid. On the first lap Ascari managed to get among the Alfa Romeos but he quickly slipped back and it was left to the Alfas to battle. Fangio led early on but then Farina went ahead. Fagioli was unable to keep up and after both Villoresi and Ascari retired it was left to Prince Bira to run fourth. He had to refuel and so Philippe Étançelin in a Talbot Lago was able to move into fourth place. Shortly afterwards factory Talbot Lago driver Eugène Martin crashed heavily and was seriously hurt when he was thrown from the car. Étançelin later went out with gearbox trouble and so Talbot Lago factory driver Louis Rosier moved into fourth. He was promoted to third when Fangio retired on lap 33 with an electrical problem.