British Grand Prix

From WOI Encyclopedia Italia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Gbrgprix.png
22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png British Grand Prix
Circuit Silverstone Circuit
Laps 60
Circuit length km 5.143
Circuit length mi 3.19
Race length km 308.36
Race length mi 191.60
Current year 2005
Winning time 1:24'29.588
Winner Juan Pablo Montoya
Winning team McLaren-Mercedes
Pole time 1'19.905
Pole driver Fernando Alonso
Pole team Renault
Fastest lap 1'20.502
Fastest lap driver Kimi Räikkönen
Fastest lap team McLaren-Mercedes


The British Grand Prix is a race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. It is currently held at the Silverstone Circuit near the village of Silverstone in Northamptonshire. The British and Italian Grands Prix are the oldest continuously staged Formula One world championship Grands Prix.

Grand Prix motor racing was first established in Britain by Henry Segrave at the Brooklands course in 1926 after his winning of the French Grand Prix in 1923 and the following year at the Spanish Grand Prix which raised interest in the sport. The first ever British Grand Prix was won by the French team of Louis Wagner and Robert Sénéchal driving a Delage 155B.

Silverstone has hosted the race regularly since the start of the F1 championship in 1950 (in which it was the first race of the first ever official World Championship) and every year since 1987; it alternated with Brands Hatch between 1964 and 1986, and with Aintree (better known as a horse-racing course) between 1955 and 1962.

Before it was heavily modified in 1991, Silverstone was one of the fastest tracks on the Formula 1 calendar. The drivers loved the challenge of the sweeping and extremely demanding Copse, Stowe and Club corners. 1982 World Champion Keke Rosberg held the all-time Formula 1 qualifying lap record for 16 years after posting fastest time for the 1985 British Grand prix with an average speed of 258.983km/h(160.92mph).

In recent times Silverstone has produced some fine race wins by British drivers, such as John Watson (1981), Nigel Mansell (1987, 1991, 1992), Damon Hill (1994), David Coulthard (1999, 2000) and Lewis Hamilton (2008).

A dispute between Silverstone's owners, the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC), and the Formula One authorities in 2003 over the funding of necessary improvements to the track's facilities led to doubts over the future of the race.

In October 2004 the British Grand Prix was left off the preliminary race schedule for 2005 because the BRDC refused to pay the race fee demanded by Bernie Ecclestone. However, after months of negotiation between the BRDC, Ecclestone and the Formula One constructors, a deal was made for the Grand Prix to be held at Silverstone until 2009.

Despite the controversy and political bickering that has surrounded the future of the race in recent years, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone remains one of the world's premier motor racing events.

It was announced on 4th July 2008 that Donington Park has been awarded the contract to host the British Grand Prix for 10 years from 2010.

Venues

See also List of Formula One circuits

Venue (in chronological order) Years
Brooklands 1926, 1927
Silverstone Circuit 1948 to 1954
Aintree Racecourse and Silverstone Circuit 1955 to 1960 (alternating yearly)
Aintree Racecourse 1961, 1962
Silverstone Circuit and Brands Hatch 1963 to 1986 (alternating yearly)
Silverstone Circuit 1987 to 2009
Donington Park 2010 onwards

Multiple winning drivers

Wins Driver Years
5 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Jim Clark 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967
22px-Flag of France.png Alain Prost 1983, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1993
4 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Nigel Mansell 1986, 1987, 1991, 1992
3 22px-Flag of Australia.png Jack Brabham 1959, 1960, 1966
22px-Flag of Austria.png Niki Lauda 1976, 1982, 1984
22px-Flag of Germany.png Michael Schumacher 1998, 2002, 2004
2 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Alberto Ascari 1952, 1953
22px-Flag of Argentina.png José Froilán González 1951, 1954
22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Stirling Moss 1955, 1957
22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Jackie Stewart 1969, 1971
22px-Flag of Brazil.png Emerson Fittipaldi 1972, 1975
22px-Flag of the Canada.png Jacques Villeneuve 1996, 1997
22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png David Coulthard 1999, 2000

List of races

A light gray background indicates an event which was not part of the Formula One World Championship.

Year Driver Constructor Location Report
2008 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes Silverstone Report
2007 22px-Flag of Finland.png Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari Silverstone Report
2006 22px-Flag of Spain.png Fernando Alonso Renault Silverstone Report
2005 22px-Flag of Colombia.png Juan Pablo Montoya McLaren-Mercedes Silverstone Report
2004 22px-Flag of Germany.png Michael Schumacher Ferrari Silverstone Report
2003 22px-Flag of Brazil.png Rubens Barrichello Ferrari Silverstone Report
2002 22px-Flag of Germany.png Michael Schumacher Ferrari Silverstone Report
2001 22px-Flag of Finland.png Mika Häkkinen McLaren-Mercedes Silverstone Report
2000 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes Silverstone Report
1999 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes Silverstone Report
1998 22px-Flag of Germany.png Michael Schumacher Ferrari Silverstone Report
1997 22px-Flag of the Canada.png Jacques Villeneuve Williams-Renault Silverstone Report
1996 22px-Flag of the Canada.png Jacques Villeneuve Williams-Renault Silverstone Report
1995 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Johnny Herbert Benetton-Renault Silverstone Report
1994 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Damon Hill Williams-Renault Silverstone Report
1993 22px-Flag of France.png Alain Prost Williams-Renault Silverstone Report
1992 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Nigel Mansell Williams-Renault Silverstone Report
1991 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Nigel Mansell Williams-Renault Silverstone Report
1990 22px-Flag of France.png Alain Prost Ferrari Silverstone Report
1989 22px-Flag of France.png Alain Prost McLaren-Honda Silverstone Report
1988 22px-Flag of Brazil.png Ayrton Senna McLaren-Honda Silverstone Report
1987 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Nigel Mansell Williams-Honda Silverstone Report
1986 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Nigel Mansell Williams-Honda Brands Hatch Report
1985 22px-Flag of France.png Alain Prost McLaren-TAG Silverstone Report
1984 22px-Flag of Austria.png Niki Lauda McLaren-TAG Brands Hatch Report
1983 22px-Flag of France.png Alain Prost Renault Silverstone Report
1982 22px-Flag of Austria.png Niki Lauda McLaren-Cosworth Brands Hatch Report
1981 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png John Watson McLaren-Cosworth Silverstone Report
1980 22px-Flag of Australia.png Alan Jones Williams-Cosworth Brands Hatch Report
1979 20px-Flag of Switzerland.png Clay Regazzoni Williams-Cosworth Silverstone Report
1978 22px-Flag of Argentina.png Carlos Reutemann Ferrari Brands Hatch Report
1977 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png James Hunt McLaren-Cosworth Silverstone Report
1976 22px-Flag of Austria.png Niki Lauda Ferrari Brands Hatch Report
1975 22px-Flag of Brazil.png Emerson Fittipaldi McLaren-Cosworth Silverstone Report
1974 22px-Flag of South Africa.png Jody Scheckter Tyrrell-Cosworth Brands Hatch Report
1973 22px-Flag of the United States.png Peter Revson McLaren-Cosworth Silverstone Report
1972 22px-Flag of Brazil.png Emerson Fittipaldi Lotus-Cosworth Brands Hatch Report
1971 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Jackie Stewart Tyrrell-Cosworth Silverstone Report
1970 22px-Flag of Austria.png Jochen Rindt Lotus-Cosworth Brands Hatch Report
1969 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Jackie Stewart Matra-Cosworth Silverstone Report
1968 20px-Flag of Switzerland.png Jo Siffert Lotus-Ford Brands Hatch Report
1967 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Jim Clark Lotus-Cosworth Silverstone Report
1966 22px-Flag of Australia.png Jack Brabham Brabham Brands Hatch Report
1965 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Jim Clark Lotus-Climax Silverstone Report
1964 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Jim Clark Lotus-Climax Brands Hatch Report
1963 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Jim Clark Lotus-Climax Silverstone Report
1962 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Jim Clark Lotus-Climax Aintree Report
1961 22px-Flag of Germany.jpg Wolfgang von Trips Ferrari Aintree Report
1960 22px-Flag of Australia.png Jack Brabham Cooper-Climax Silverstone Report
1959 22px-Flag of Australia.png Jack Brabham Cooper-Climax Aintree Report
1958 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Peter Collins Ferrari Silverstone Report
1957 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Stirling Moss
22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Tony Brooks
Vanwall Aintree Report
1956 22px-Flag of Argentina.png Juan-Manuel Fangio Lancia-Ferrari Silverstone Report
1955 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Stirling Moss Mercedes-Benz Aintree Report
1954 22px-Flag of Argentina.png José Froilán González Ferrari Silverstone Report
1953 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Alberto Ascari Ferrari Silverstone Report
1952 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Alberto Ascari Ferrari Silverstone Report
1951 22px-Flag of Argentina.png José Froilán González Ferrari Silverstone Report
1950 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Giuseppe Farina Alfa Romeo Silverstone Report
1949 20px-Flag of Switzerland.png Emmanuel de Graffenried Maserati Silverstone Report
1948 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Luigi Villoresi Maserati Silverstone Report
1947
-
1928
Not held
1927 22px-Flag of France.png Robert Benoist Delage Brooklands Report
1926 22px-Flag of France.png Louis Wagner
22px-Flag of France.png Robert Sénéchal
Delage Brooklands Report

Sponsors

  • RAC British Grand Prix 1950-1970
  • RAC Woolmark British Grand Prix 1971
  • John Player British Grand Prix 1972-1978
  • Marlboro British Grand Prix 1979-1985
  • Shell Oils British Grand Prix 1986-1988
  • Shell British Grand Prix 1989
  • Fosters British Grand Prix 1990-1993
  • Hitachi British Grand Prix 1994
  • RAC British Grand Prix 1995-1999
  • Fosters British Grand Prix 2000-2006
  • Santander British Grand Prix 2007-

External links



Races in the Formula One championship:
2007 championship Grand Prix events:

Australian | Malaysian | Bahrain | Spanish | Monaco | Canadian | U.S. | French | British
German | European| Hungarian | Turkish | Italian | Belgian | Japanese | Chinese | Brazilian

Past championship Grand Prix events:

Argentine | Austrian | Dutch | Indy 500 | Las Vegas | Luxembourg | Mexican | Morocco
Pacific | Pescara | Portuguese | San Marino | South African | Swedish | Swiss | USA East | USA West

Confirmed future Grand Prix events:

Abu Dhabi | Korean | European | Singapore