Total de pilots participants: 113 (37 a Indianapolis)
Total d’equips participants: 70 (28 a Indianapolis)
Debutants: 35 (Kurt Adolff, John Barber, Edgar Barth, Erwin Bauer, Günther Bechem, Georges Berger, Pablo Birger, Adolfo Schwelm Cruz, Jimmy Daywalt, Jack Fairman, John Fitch, Theo Fitzau, Don Freeland, Oscar Gálvez, Helm Glöckler, Hans Herrmann, Oswald Karch, Hermann Lang, Ernst Loof, Umberto Maglioli, Sergio Mantovani, Johnny Mantz, Ernie McCoy, Carlos Menditéguy, Roberto Mieres, Luigi Musso, Cal Niday, Rodney Nuckey, Albert Scherrer, Wolfgang Seidel, Ian Stewart, Jimmy Stewart, Marshall Teague, Johnny Thomson, Fred Wacker)
Última temporada: 32 (Kurt Adolff, John Barber, Erwin Bauer, Günther Bechem, Felice Bonetto, Piero Carini, Tony Crook, Adolfo Schwelm Cruz, Theo Fitzau, Oscar Gálvez, Yves Giraud-Cabantous, Helm Glöckler, Duncan Hamilton, Willi Heeks, Peter Hirt, Bill Holland, Jackie Holmes, Oswald Karch, Ernst Klodwig, Rudolf Krause, Arthur Legat, Ernst Loof, Johnny Mantz, Duke Nalon, Rodney Nuckey, Carl Scarborough, Albert Scherrer, Ian Stewart, Jimmy Stewart, Hans Stuck, Max de Terra, Charles de Tornaco)
Defuncions a la F1: 1 (Carl Scarborough)
Defuncions en altres categories: 2 (Felice Bonetto, Charles de Tornaco)
Defuncions no relacionades amb l’esport: 0
Retirats per lesions a la F1: 0
Retirats per lesions a la F1: 0
Retirats per lesions en altres categories: 0
Pilot més jove: Peter Collins, 21 anys i 219 dies, Països Baixos
Pilot més vell: Arthur Legat, 54 anys i 245 dies, Bèlgica
| Entrant | Cotxe | Pneu. | Pilots |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati A6GCM | P | Felice Bonetto Sergio Mantovani Luigi Musso Froilán González Juan Manuel Fangio Onofre Marimón Óscar Gálvez Johnny Claes Hermann Lang |
| Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari 500 Ferrari 553 |
P | Alberto Ascari Luigi Villoresi Giuseppe Farina Umberto Maglioli Piero Carini Mike Hawthorn |
| Cooper Car Company | Cooper T20-Bristol Cooper T23-Bristol Cooper T24-Alta |
D | Alan Brown John Barber Stirling Moss Adolfo Schwelm Cruz |
| Connaught Engineering | Connaught A-Lea Francis | D | Kenneth McAlpine Roy Salvadori Jack Fairman Stirling Moss Prince Bira |
| Equipe Gordini | Simca-Gordini T15 Gordini T16 |
E | Robert Manzon Maurice Trintignant Jean Behra Harry Schell Fred Wacker Carlos Menditéguy Pablo Birges Roberto Mieres |
| Ecurie Ecosse | Connaught A-Lea Francis Cooper T20-Bristol |
D | Ian Stewart Jimmy Stewart |
| R. R. C. Walker Racing Team |
Connaught A-Lea Francis | D | Tony Rolt |
| Ecurie Espadon | Ferrari 166C Ferrari 500 |
P | Peter Hirt Max de Terra Kurt Adolff |
| Ken Wharton | Cooper T23-Bristol | D | Ken Wharton |
| Emmanuel de Graffenried | Maserati A6GCM | P | Toulo de Graffenried |
| Bob Gerard | Cooper T23-Bristol | D | Bob Gerard |
| Tony Crook | Cooper T20-Bristol | D | Tony Crook |
| Ecurie Belge | Connaught A-Lea Francis | E | Johnny Claes André Pilette |
| Enrico Platé | Maserati A6GCM | P | Toulo de Graffenried |
| R. J. Chase | Cooper T23-Bristol | D | Alan Brown |
| HW Motors | HWM 53-Alta | D | Peter Collins Lance Macklin Duncan Hamilton Jack Fairman Yves Giraud-Cabantous Paul Frère Albert Scherrer John Fitch |
| Tony Gaze | Ferrari 500 | E | Charles de Tornaco |
| Hans Herrmann | Veritas Meteor | D | Hans Herrmann |
| Arthur Legat | Veritas Meteor | E | Arthur Legat |
| Willi Heeks | Veritas Meteor | D | Willi Heeks |
| Ernst Loof | Veritas Meteor | D | Ernst Loof |
| Wolfgang Seidel | Veritas RS | D | Wolfgang Seidel |
| Theo Helfrich | Veritas RS | D | Theo Helfrich |
| Oswald Karch | Veritas RS | D | Oswald Karch |
| Erwin Bauer | Veritas RS | D | Erwin Bauer |
| Rennkollectiv EMW | EMW R2 | D | Edgar Barth |
| Ecurie Rosier | Ferrari 500 | D/E | Louis Rosier |
| Atlantic Stable | Cooper T24-Alta | D | Peter Whitehead |
| Scuderia Milano | Maserati A6GCM | P | Chico Landi Prince Bira |
| Ecurie Francorchamps | Ferrari 500 | E | Jacques Swaters |
| Equipe Anglaise | Cooper T23-Bristol | D | Alan Brown Helmut Glöckler |
| Georges Berger | Simca-Gordini T15 | E | Georges Berger |
| OSCA Automobili | OSCA 20 | P | Élie Bayol |
| Rodney Nuckey | Cooper T23-Bristol | D | Rodney Nuckey |
| Élie Bayol | OSCA 20 | P | Élie Bayol |
| Louis Chiron | OSCA 20 | P | Louis Chiron |
| Escuderia Bandeirantes | Maserati A6GCM | P | Chico Landi |
| Hans Stuck | AFM 6-Bristol | D | Hans Stuck |
| Helmut Niedermayr | AFM U8-BMW | D | Helmut Niedermayr |
| Günther Bechem | AFM 50-5-BMW | D | Günther Bechem |
| Ernst Klodwig | BMW Eigenbau | D | Ernst Klodwig |
| Dora Greizfu | BMW Eigenbau | D | Rudolf Krause |
| Ed Walsh | Kurtis Kraft 4000-Offy | F | Sam Hanks Duane Carter |
| Bessie Lee Paoli | Kurtis Kraft 4000-Offy | F | Art Cross |
| J. S. Belond | Kurtis Kraft 500B-Offy | F | Johnnie Parsons |
| Rotary Engineering Co. | Stevens-Offy | F | Andy Linden |
| Federal Auto Associates | Kurtis Kraft 3000-Offy Kurtis Kraft 4000-Offy |
F | Paul Russo Gene Hartley |
| Ernest L. Ruiz | Kurtis Kraft 500B-Offy | F | Jim Rathmann Eddie Johnson |
| John L. McDaniel | Schroeder-Offy | F | Jimmy Bryan |
| Murrell Belanger | Lesovsky-Offy | F | Duane Carter Cal Niday |
| Eugene A. Casaroll | Kurtis Kraft 500A-Offy | F | Walt Faulkner Johnny Mantz |
| Hart Fullerton | Kurtis Kraft 4000-Offy | F | Marshall Teague |
| H. A. Chapman | Stevens-Offy | F | Ernie McCoy |
| Jean Marcenac | Kurtis Kraft 3000-Novi | F | Duke Nalon |
| Howard Keck Co. | Kurtis Kraft 500A-Offy | F | Bill Vukovich |
| Bob Estes | Watson-Offy | F | Don Freeland |
| Jack B. Hinkle | Kurtis Kraft 4000-Offy | F | Jack McGrath |
| Chapman S. Root | Kurtis Kraft 3000-Offy | F | Jimmy Daywalt |
| Grancor Auto Specialists | Kurtis Kraft 500B-Offy | F | Fred Agabashian Paul Russo |
| Ray Crawford | Kurtis Kraft 500B-Offy | F | Bill Holland Jim Rathmann |
| A. E. Dean | Kuzma-Offy | F | Bob Sweikert |
| Peter Schmidt | Kurtis Kraft 3000-Offy Kuzma-Offy |
F | Pat Flaherty Manny Ayulo |
| John Zink | Kurtis Kraft 4000-Offy | F | Jerry Hoyt Chuck Stevenson Andy Linden |
| Louis & Bruce Bromme | Bromme-Offy | F | Bob Scott |
| Pat Clancy | Kurtis Kraft 500B-Offy | F | Jimmy Davies |
| R. N. Sabourin | Del Roy-Offy | F | Johnny Thomson |
| 3-L Racing Team | Kurtis Kraft 3000-Offy | F | Spider Webb Johnny Thomson Jackie Holmes |
| J. C. Agajanian | Kuzma-Offy | F | Chuck Stevenson Tony Bettenhausen Gene Hartley |
| Lee Elkins | Turner-Offy | F | Mike Nazaruk Carl Scarborough Bob Scott |
| M. A. Walker | Kurtis Kraft-Offy | F | Rodger Ward Andy Linden Duke Dinsmore |