The British F1 Grand Prix takes place this weekend. Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit will play host to the event. This Northamptonshire facility is steeped in tradition. It has often been the site of many memorable races over the years. Ahead of the race, we thought we’d share 5 facts about Silverstone that you may not know.

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5 Facts About Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit

1. The First Ever

Silverstone played host to the first-ever round of the Formula One World Championship. This makes it the oldest GP on the calendar. Grand Prix racing had been taking place for many years prior. However, the series was only formalised into a Driver’s World Championship in 1950. Alfa Romeo driver Giuseppe “Nino” Farina won the very first race. The Italian went on to win the title that year.

2. World War Leftovers

The Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit was originally a World War 2 airfield. When WW2 ended there were many disused airfields dotted around England. Most were repurposed as racetracks, Silverstone included. Thanks to the requirements of its original design, the circuit has very little elevation and is situated in a high wind area.

3. Longest Standing

Silverstone hosted its first race in 1948 and the inaugural Formula One race in 1950. Since that date the British GP and Italian race are the only ones to feature on the F1 calendar every single year. 

4. Lewis Hamilton’s Records

British fans have no fewer than three local lads to cheer this weekend. Lando Norris, George Russell and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton. The latter took his first home win at Silverstone in 2008. He extended his record to eight in 2021, the most any driver has won his home race. 

Incidentally, this is a joint record for most wins at a single GP. Hamilton has won the Hungarian race eight times while Michael Schumacher has won the French GP an equal tally. Hamilton also set a new record for most poles at his home event in 2020 when he claimed his seventh.

5. Dramatic Moments

The British Grand Prix has been the scene of many dramatic moments over the years (you can view some in this video). Hamilton’s first win there, by over a minute, was a rain-soaked race that saw Felipe Massa spin five times. Hamilton also won the 2020 race on three wheels after a last-lap puncture. Irish priest Cornelius Horan invaded the track and ran on the Hangar Straight while facing racecars going at over 200 km/h. And how can we forget that accident from last year’s race…

However, one of the most iconic images to ever come out of the British F1 GP has to be the sight of Ayrton Senna riding as passenger on the sidepod of Nigel Mansell’s Williams. The Brazilian driver ran out of fuel on the cool down lap and his counterpart stopped to offer him a ride back to the pits.

British GP Quick Facts

Official name: British Grand Prix
Location: Northamptonshire, England
Lap Distance: 5,891 km (3,66 miles)
Lap Record: 1 min 27,097 (Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing)

Interested in learning more about Formula 1 and motorsport? Feel free to browse some of the other exclusive Formula One articles and reviews on Double Apex.