The final round of the World Championship was not a great showdown as such had been Ferrari's domination that the title had been settled at the German GP in August. The Italian teams all made a big effort, however, and Ferrari ran five factory cars for World Champion Alberto Ascari, Giuseppe Farina, Luigi Villoresi, Piero Taruffi and André Simon. Maserati wheeled out three factory cars for Felice Bonetto, José Froilán González and Franco Rol and there were three semi-factory entries from Escuderia Bandierantes as well. Gordini had three cars for Jean Behra, Maurice Trintignant and Robert Manzon while Connaught had a three-car team with Stirling Moss, Dennis Poore and Ken McAlpine driving and HWM had three cars for Lance Macklin, Peter Collins and Tony Gaze. The organizers decided that only 24 of the 35 entries should be allowed to start, notable victims of this rule being Hans Stuck Sr. in an Ecurie Espadon Ferrari, all three HWMs, both Enrico Platé's old Maseratis and most of the privateers. Élie Bayol was impressively fast in the single OSCA.

In practice Ascari was faster than Villoresi and Farina with Trintignant the only non-Ferrari on the front row. González headed row two with Taruffi, Manzon and Simon alongside and on row three Moss was alongside Bayol, Behra and Mike Hawthorn in his Cooper-Bristol.

At the start González took the lead in his Maserati with Ascari and Villoresi chasing. Behind them was Bonetto with a whole group of cars trying to pass him.

The battle at the front was decided when González had a slow pit stop which enabled Ascari and Villoresi to get ahead. The Argentine driver did catch and pass Villoresi but Ascari was a minute ahead at the finish. Farina finished fourth having eventually pulled clear of Bonetto. Ferrari might still be the dominant force by the Maserati star was rising.