The 1953 Formula One season was the seventh season of FIA Formula One motor racing. Just as in 1952, races counting towards the 4th World Championship of Drivers—which was contested over nine races between 18 January and 13 September 1953—were open only to Formula Two cars. The Indianapolis 500 continued to be run under the formula dictated by the Contest Board of the American Automobile Association. The season also included several non-championship races for F1 and F2 cars.

The World Drivers' Championship was won by Alberto Ascari driving for Scuderia Ferrari. Ascari became the first driver since the inception of the championship in 1950 to successfully defend his title. It would be his last title, as well as the last for any Italian driver, as of 2025^[update].

For the first time, a championship event was included outside of Europe (with the exception of the Indianapolis 500): the 1953 Argentine Grand Prix. It was marred by an accident involving 1950 champion Nino Farina, who crashed into an unprotected crowd, killing nine spectators.

The following teams and drivers competed in the 1953 FIA World Championship of Drivers. The list does not include those who only contested the Indianapolis 500.

The 1953 season started in Argentina, the first championship Formula One Grand Prix outside of Europe (with the exception of the Indianapolis 500). Alberto Ascari and Ferrari had dominated 1952, but Juan Manuel Fangio, the 1951 champion returning after a year away, at the new Maserati works team were expected to put up a good fight. Ascari qualified on pole position, ahead of Fangio and Ferrari teammates Luigi Villoresi and Nino Farina. The race attracted so many spectators that they were able to break through the security parameter and sit by the track. Only the fear of a riot resisted the organisers from cancelling the race. Ascari held the lead at the start, ahead of Fangio, as the lines of people grew thicker. On lap 21, Adolfo Schwelm Cruz's Cooper lost a wheel, which bounced into the crowd, and eleven laps later, Farina spun off, crushing bodies until his Ferrari came to a halt. At least nine people were killed, which became ten when, amidst the panic, a little boy ran onto the track and was hit by the Cooper of Alan Brown. The race continued, Fangio retired with a broken transmission and Ascari finished a lap ahead of Villoresi and Maserati's José Froilán González.

The Indianapolis 500 was included in the Formula One championship, but no F1 drivers attended. Bill Vukovich won the race for the second year in a row.

The Dutch Grand Prix, being the first round of the year in Europe, attracted no less than twenty entrants, and Maserati brought upgraded cars. Still, the starting grid looked almost the same as in Argentina: Ascari, with Fangio and Farina next to him, and Villoresi and González on the second row. At the start, Ascari took the lead, while his teammates converged on Fangio, squeezing him almost to a standstill. The three prancing horses led away unchallenged. Both González and Fangio retired with a broken rear axle. Villoresi retired when his injection failed. Ascari and Farina finished 1–2, while González managed to get third after taking over the car from a teammate.

In the Drivers' Championship, Alberto Ascari (Ferrari) was leading with 17 points. Bill Vukovich was second with 9, but he would not enter any other races. Luigi Villoresi (Ferrari) was third with 7 points.