The surface of the pleasant little 4.193-kilometre Zandvoort circuit having been put into good shape, the KNAC were permitted to organise a Grand Prix to count for the World Championship this year.
A select entry of 16 cars arrived for practice, notable withdrawals being the Lancia team and the Vanwall team, and in consequence Castellotti and Hawthorn were signed up by Ferrari, and they formed a trio with Trintignant as Farina was said to have retired. All three were using the new Tipo 555, now going very well, and they had an earlier Tipo 625 as a training car.
Mercedes-Benz were out in force, with Fangio, Moss and Kling, having an assortment of cars to choose from, there being the two types of ultra-short Monte Carlo cars and two types of medium-length cars, one with front brakes inboard and the other with them outboard.
