Total de pilots participants: 87 (34 a Indianapolis)
Total d’equips participants: 62 (29 a Indianapolis)
Debutants: 33 (George Abecassis, Manny Ayulo, Bobby Ball, Rudi Fischer, Carl Forberg, Gene Force, Philip Fotheringham-Parker, Paco Godia, Aldo Gordini, Cliff Griffith, Georges Grignard, Duncan Hamilton, Peter Hirt, Joe James, John James, Juan Jover, Chico Landi, Andy Linden, Bill Mackey, Onofre Marimón, Chet Miller, Stirling Moss, Duke Nalon, Mike Nazaruk, André Pilette, Ken Richardson, Carl Scarborough, André Simon, Chuck Stevenson, Hans Stuck, Jacques Swaters, Bill Vukovich, Rodger Ward)
Última temporada: 22 (Toni Branca, Walt Brown, Eugène Chaboud, Luigi Fagioli, Carl Forberg, Philip Fotheringham-Parker, Aldo Gordini, Cecil Green, Georges Grignard, Mack Hellings, John James, Juan Jover, Joe Kelly, Pierre ‘Levegh’, Henri Louveau, Bill Mackey, Guy Mairesse, Ken Richardson, Mauri Rose, Consalvo Sanesi, Brian Shawe-Taylor, Lee Wallard)
Defuncions a la F1: 0
Defuncions en altres categories: 3 (Walt Brown, Cecil Green, Bill Mackey)
Defuncions no relacionades amb l’esport: 2 (Mack Hellings)
Retirats per lesions a la F1: 0
Retirats per lesions a la F1: 0
Retirats per lesions en altres categories: 1 (Brian Shawe-Taylor)
Pilot més jove: Troy Ruttman, 21 anys i 85 dies, Indianapolis
Pilot més vell: Philippe Étancelin, 54 anys i 316 dies, Espanya
| Entrant | Cotxe | Pneu. | Pilots |
| Alfa Romeo SpA | Alfa Romeo 159 | P | Giuseppe Farina Juan Manuel Fangio Luigi Fagioli Toulo de Graffenried Consalvo Sanesi Felice Bonetto Paul Pietsch |
| Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari 375 | P E |
Alberto Ascari Luigi Villoresi Piero Taruffi Froilán González |
| Yves Giraud-Cabantous | Talbot-Lago T26C | D | Yves Giraud-Cabantous Guy Mairesse |
| BRM Ltd. | BRM P15 | D | Reg Parnell Peter Walker Ken Richardson Hans Stuck |
| Equipe Gordini | Simca-Gordini T11 Simca-Gordini T15 |
E | Robert Manzon Maurice Trintignant André Simon Aldo Gordini |
| Scuderia Ambrosiana | Maserati 4CLT-48 | D | David Murray |
| G. A. Vandervell | Ferrari 375 tw | D | Reg Parnell Peter Whitehead |
| Ecurie Espadon | Ferrari 212 | P | Rudi Fischer |
| Brian Shawe-Taylor | ERA B | D | Brian Shawe-Taylor |
| Bob Gerard | ERA B | D | Bob Gerard |
| José Froilán González | Talbot-Lago T26C | D | Froilán González |
| Ecurie Belge | Talbot-Lago T26C | D | Johnny Claes |
| Enrico Platé | Maserati 4CLT-48 | P | Toulo de Graffenried Louis Chiron Harry Schell |
| Joe Kelly | Alta GP | D | Joe Kelly |
| HW Motors | HWM 51-Alta | D | George Abecassis Stirling Moss |
| Peter Hirt | Veritas Meteor | P | Peter Hirt |
| Prince Bira | Maserati 4CLT-48-OSCA | P | Prince Bira |
| Philippe Étancelin | Talbot-Lago T26C | D | Philippe Étancelin |
| Ecurie Rosier | Talbot-Lago T26C | D | Louis Rosier Henri Louveau |
| Graham Whitehead Peter Whitehead |
Ferrari 125 | D | Peter Whitehead |
| Scuderia Milano | Maserati 4CLT-48 Maserati 4CLT-50-Milano |
P | Onofre Marimón Paco Godia Juan Jover |
| Ecurie Belgique | Talbot-Lago T26C | D | André Pilette Jacques Swaters |
| Georges Grignard | Talbot-Lago T26C | D | Georges Grignard |
| Eugène Chaboud | Talbot-Lago T26C | D | Eugène Chaboud |
| Antonio Branca | Maserati 4CLT-48 | P | Toni Branca |
| Duncan Hamilton | Talbot-Lago T26C | D | Duncan Hamilton |
| OSCA Automobili | OSCA 4500G | P | Franco Rol |
| John James | Maserati 4CLT-48 | D | John James |
| Philip Fotheringham-Parker | Maserati 4CLT-48 | D | Philip Fotheringham-Parker |
| Francisco Landi | Ferrari 375 | P | Chico Landi |
| Guy Mairesse | Talbot-Lago T26C | D | Guy Mairesse |
| Pierre “Levegh” | Talbot-Lago T26C | D | Pierre “Levegh” |
| Ed Walsh | Kurtis Kraft 3000-Offy | F | Johnnie Parsons |
| Carl Marchese | Marchese-Offy | F | Chuck Stevenson |
| Lou Moore | Moore-Offy | F | George Connor |
| Rotary Engineering Co. | Deidt-Offy | F | Tony Bettenhausen Duane Carter |
| Federal Engineering Association | Kurtis Kraft 3000-Offy | F | Walt Brown |
| Maserati Race Cars | Maserati 8CTF-Offy | F | Johnny McDowell |
| C. G. Tuffanelli & J. Derrico | Deidt-Offy | F | Mack Hellings |
| Murrell Belanger | Kurtis Kraft 3000-Offy | F | Lee Wallard |
| Lindsey Hopkins | Moore-Offy | F | Henry Banks |
| L. E. Parks | Pawl-Offy | F | Jimmy Davies |
| H. A. Chapman | Kurtis Kraft 2000-Offy | F | Bill Schindler |
| Jean Marcenac | Kurtis Kraft 3000-Novi | F | Duke Nalon Chet Miller |
| Howard Keck Co. | Deidt-Offy | F | Mauri Rose |
| Karl Hall | Watson-Offy | F | Bill Mackey |
| Jack B. Hinkle | Kurtis Kraft 3000-Offy | F | Jack McGrath Manny Ayulo |
| M. A. Walker | Kurtis Kraft 3000-Offy | F | Cecil Green |
| Grancor Auto Specialists | Kurtis Kraft 3000-Offy | F | Fred Agabashian |
| Peter Schmidt | Kurtis Kraft 3000-Offy | F | Sam Hanks |
| Bob Estes | Watson-Offy | F | Joe James |
| Louis Rassey | Kurtis Kraft 3000-Offy | F | Carl Forberg |
| Brown Motor Co. | Schroeder-Offy | F | Duke Dinsmore Gene Force |
| Louis & Bruce Bromme | Bromme-Offy | F | Rodger Ward |
| John L. McDaniel | Schroeder-Offy | F | Bobby Ball |
| George H. Leitenberger | Sherman-Offy | F | Andy Linden |
| Ludson D. Morris | Kurtis Kraft 2000-Offy | F | Cliff Griffith |
| J. C. Agajanian | Kurtis Kraft 2000-Offy | F | Walt Faulkner Troy Ruttman |
| Lee Elkins | Kurtis Kraft 2000-Offy | F | Carl Scarborough |
| Pete Salemi | Trevis-Offy | F | Bill Vukovich |
| Jim Robbins | Kurtis Kraft 2000-Offy | F | Mike Nazaruk |