On 1st July 1956, the French Grand Prix was held at Reims. In qualifying the entire front row was monopolised by the factory Ferrari D50s of Juan Manuel Fangio on pole, Eugenio Castellotti and Peter Collins.
The race looked like being a foregone conclusion for Ferrari, with the podium places all seemingly guaranteed. Manuel Fangio led for a long time, but then had to pit to have the fuel pump changed.
A long stop for the Argentinian meant Collins and Castellotti went to the front and they were instructed not to jeopardise a one-two for the team, via a pit board shown to them several times, bearing the two abbreviations “COL” CAS” indicating the finishing order.
Orders were indeed respected and the finish was almost like a parade, with Peter Collins crossing the line three tenths ahead of Eugenio Castellotti. Third was Jean Behra in the Maserati who just held off a furious hard charging Fangio by six seconds, thus preventing an all-Ferrari podium.
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