STORY OF THE DAY: Frère Brings the Supersqualo Home at Spa
Paul Frère finished fourth in the 1955 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, driving the number 6 Ferrari 555 F1 Supersqualo. Mercedes-Benz dominated the World Championship round, with Juan Manuel Fangio winning ahead of Stirling Moss, while Giuseppe Farina placed third for Ferrari. Frère’s result added further points for the Scuderia and matched his best championship finish to that stage of his career.

On the original high-speed Spa circuit, the Mercedes drivers established a pace their rivals could not sustain. Frère concentrated on a controlled race over 36 laps, bringing the Ferrari home behind his more experienced teammate Farina. For a Belgian driver competing before his home crowd, fourth place on such a fast and unforgiving course was a disciplined and valuable performance.

The 555 Supersqualo was Ferrari’s development of the 553, reshaped and revised in an effort to improve handling and consistency. It retained the front-mounted, naturally aspirated 2.5-litre Lampredi four-cylinder engine and a tubular chassis. Although the car struggled against the technically advanced Mercedes-Benz W196, its conventional construction and strong engine enabled Ferrari to collect useful finishes.

Paul Frère was a Belgian racing driver, engineer and respected motoring journalist. He made selected World Championship appearances, including three with Ferrari, while building a stronger reputation in endurance racing. His greatest competitive success came in 1960, when he and fellow Belgian Olivier Gendebien won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Ferrari; his Spa result reflects the analytical precision that distinguished both his driving and his later writing.