World champion in 1960, the Cooper T53 is still very popular with teams and private drivers. Usually equipped with a Climax FPF engine, it can also use a Maserati 150S four-cylinder engine, 1484 cm3, 142 horsepower at 7500 rpm.

With the Yeoman Credit Racing Team, Reg Parnell entered two Climax-powered T53s for John Surtees and Roy Salvadori, identical to the one used by privateer Jackie Lewis. Entrusted to Lorenzo Bandini, the T53 of the Scuderia Centro Sud is on the other hand equipped with the Maserati engine.

Bandini started in 11th row but, after several accidents including the one which cost the life of Wolfgang Von Tripps and 14 people in the public, he finished the race in 8th position, two laps behind Phil Hill, the winner of this sad round of the championship.