Formula 1 celebrates 75 years since the sport was formally established as a world championship.
The British Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1950 holds the distinction of being the very first world championship grand prix. The race has remained a constant on the F1 calendar every year since, although its location has varied over time.
Let`s delve into some key moments from 75 years of this storied grand prix.
Silverstone, a former airfield, served as the initial host venue for the May grand prix. Italian driver Emilio Giuseppe `Nino` Farina was victorious there, achieving a complete sweep by taking pole position, fastest lap, and the race win.
Farina, driving for Alfa Romeo, went on to claim the world championship title in 1950, a season that featured only seven races.
Some familiar sights were present in the paddock from the early days, such as Pirelli, who were involved in F1 from the beginning, although teams had a choice of tyre suppliers back then.
Argentine driver Juan Manuel Fangio, by 1956 already a three-time world champion, won that year`s race with Ferrari. This would be his sole victory at the British Grand Prix.
Fangio ultimately became the sport`s most successful driver with five world championships, including 1956, a record that stood until Michael Schumacher and subsequently Lewis Hamilton each equaled or surpassed it with seven titles.
Between 1955 and 1963, Silverstone and Aintree near Liverpool alternated as hosts of the British Grand Prix. Aintree was considered Britain`s only purpose-built grand prix circuit at the time, and it hosted the race in 1957.
Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks of the Vanwall team shared the driving duties in the 1957 race, which meant they also shared the winner`s trophy.
As race cars became faster, safety at Aintree became a concern due to its limited run-off areas. F1 eventually shifted its focus south with the introduction of Brands Hatch as a host venue.
From the mid-1960s up to 1986, Brands Hatch and Silverstone alternated in hosting the British Grand Prix.
In 1966, three-time champion Jack Brabham, the first Australian to win an F1 title and founder of the team, started from pole position, while the race was won by Jody Scheckter of Tyrrell/Ford.
Later, in the 1970s, the Brabham team came under the ownership of F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
Desiré Wilson entered one F1 world championship race – the 1980 British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch. A few months prior, she had become the only woman to win a post-war F1 race (a non-championship event) at the same circuit.
However, in qualifying for the championship race, despite multiple changes to her setup and driving a different, uncompetitive Williams FW07 compared to her test car, she finished last and failed to qualify for the race.
Wilson went on to achieve victories in other endurance racing series, and a grandstand at Brands Hatch is named in her honor.
Brands Hatch also hosted the European Grand Prix on a couple of occasions, an event whose location varied periodically.
However, 1986 marked the final time a Formula 1 Grand Prix was held at Brands Hatch. For reasons similar to Aintree`s discontinuation as a host, Silverstone was deemed the only UK circuit capable of adapting to the ever-larger and faster F1 cars.
The British Grand Prix has provided numerous iconic and memorable moments over the years, but a fan favorite is when Nigel Mansell gave Ayrton Senna a lift on the side of his Williams FW14.
Mansell completely dominated that weekend, securing pole position, fastest lap, and the race win. Senna ran out of fuel on the final lap and was left stranded. During his cool-down lap, Mansell offered Senna a ride back to the pits, much to the surprise of the stewards.
Remarkably, neither driver appeared to receive a reprimand for this incident.
Fernando Alonso, who was on his way to securing his second world championship that same year, won the British Grand Prix in 2006. He would claim victory at the event again in 2011.
The Silverstone circuit has undergone significant changes since this aerial shot was taken in 2006, and it`s possible more modifications will follow.
According to F1 boss Stefano Domenicali, given the clear desire for the British Grand Prix to remain on the calendar and the absence of a strong rival host circuit, Silverstone is expected to continue hosting the event for the foreseeable future.
Notably, the Red Bull Ring and Miami circuits recently signed contracts extending their hosting rights through to 2041, currently the longest commitments secured.
Then came the Lewis Hamilton era…
Statistically, Hamilton is F1`s most successful driver with seven world titles, 105 race wins, and 104 pole positions. He also holds the record for the most British Grand Prix wins at Silverstone with nine victories.
Hamilton`s impressive win tally at Silverstone includes a spectacular victory at the 2024 Grand Prix – his final year with Mercedes – where he overcame challenges to end a victory drought that had lasted since 2021.
Now driving for Ferrari in the 2025 season, Hamilton has yet to achieve a podium finish as the British Grand Prix marks the halfway point of the season.
