The first races given the title of British Grand Prix were run at the Brooklands circuit in 1926 and 1927. Louis Wagner and Robert Senechal won the first event, driving a Delage. The following year saw victory go to Robert Benoist, who would later help the French Resistance during World War Two. Over twenty years would pass before the next British Grand Prix.
In 1950 Britain had the honour of staging the first ever Formula 1 World Championship Grand Prix at Silverstone. Prior to this there had been two other Grands Prix run at the Northamptonshire track. The Air Ministry had leased the Silverstone airfield to the RAC (Royal Automobile Club) in 1948 and, on 2nd October, the inaugural event was held. The circuit used a combination of the perimeter roads and runways, producing a very fast layout.
That first Grand Prix at Silverstone was won by Luigi Villoresi driving a Maserati, followed home by his team-mate Alberto Ascari. Bob Gerard upheld British honour by finishing third in his ERA (English Racing Automobiles). The Maserati pair’s performance was all the more commendable as they missed qualifying and had to start from the back of the grid. A Grand Prix was held again in 1949 with Baron Emmanuel de Graffenried emerging victorious, also driving a Maserati.
On May 13th, 1950, Silverstone hosted the opening round of the new Formula 1 World Championship. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were present to witness a dominant performance by Dr Giuseppe Farina in an Alfa-Romeo. The Italian took pole position, fastest lap and the race win. The superiority of Alfa was confirmed by Farina’s team-mates Luigi Fagioli and Reg Parnell finishing second and third respectively.
Farina and Alfa had won the 1950 championship and were unbeaten in 1951 by the time the British Grand Prix came around. Their stranglehold was finally broken at Silverstone by the considerable bulk of Jose Froilan Gonzalez, driving a Ferrari. Juan-Manuel Fangio managed to finish second in his Alfa while the veteran Villoresi brought his Ferrari home third.
Like the rest of the World Championship events in 1952 and 1953 the British Grand Prix was run to Formula 2 regulations. Ascari dominated the championship in both seasons, which included winning at Silverstone twice.
The 100 mph average lap speed was finally beaten by Fangio in 1954 but it was Gonzalez who took his second British Grand Prix victory. A young Mike Hawthorn, also driving for Ferrari, finished second. In third was the talented Argentinean Onofre Marimon in a Maserati. He would die a short time later during the German Grand Prix.
The British Grand Prix changed venue in 1955, switching to the Aintree circuit. Stirling Moss became the first Briton to win their home race, closely followed by his Mercedes team-mate Fangio. Karl Kling and Piero Taruffi completed a Mercedes 1-2-3-4.
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