At the Nürburgring in Germany, the field was as normal with Lancia-Ferrari fielding Mike Hawthorn, Peter Collins and Luigi Musso and Maserati running Juan Manuel Fangio, Jean Behra and Harry Schell in their leading cars. The field was bolstered for the first time by Formula 2 machinery which included a trio of Porsches and various Cooper-Climaxes; the length of the circuit allowed for these cars to run alongside each other.

Pole position went to Fangio with Hawthorn, Behra and Collins completing the front row. Then came Brooks, Schell and Moss. At the start Hawthorn and Collins went into a battle for the lead with Fangio and Behra giving chase. On the third lap Fangio passed Collins and was soon able to take the lead. Collins then passed Hawthorn and chased after Fangio but the Argentine driver was edging gradually away. A slow mid-race pit stop lasting 1 minute and 18 seconds (originally supposed to be 30 seconds) dropped Fangio one whole minute behind the two Lancia-Ferraris but he chased back hard, broke the lap record 10 times and passed both first Collins and then Hawthorn on the penultimate lap. Fangio thus won the race and his fifth World title.