Circuits to have hosted the F1 British Grand Prix since its debut

The British GP has change into synonymous with its now everlasting dwelling of Silverstone circuit, which is extensively considered the most effective tracks on this planet.

Silverstone, which lies in Northamptonshire, additionally hosted F1’s inaugural race in 1950 but it surely has not been the venue for each British GP since.

In reality, it’s solely been the everlasting host since 1987 because the British GP alternated its venue nearly yearly as much as that time.

So the place else has hosted the British GP and which driver is probably the most profitable at that observe?

Brooklands

Occasions hosted the British GP: 2 (1926-27)
Most wins: Robert Senechal, Louis Wagner and Robert Benoist (1)

The British GP is definitely older than F1 as its debut was in 1926, then named the GP of the Royal Car Membership, after Briton Henry Segrave had raised curiosity within the sport by successful the 1923 French GP and 1924 San Sebastián GP.

So, the UK needed a grand prix of its personal and the {old} Brooklands circuit, which now serves as a museum, was the designated host because it was the birthplace of British motorsport.

Brooklands opened in 1907 and was the world’s first purpose-built racing circuit, so it was inevitable that the two.767-mile oval, constructed on an aerodrome, grew to become the host particularly when the likes of Silverstone, Manufacturers Hatch, Aintree and Donington Park weren’t even open but.

Frenchmen Robert Senechal and Louis Wagner received the inaugural British GP, which served as spherical two for the 1926 World Producers’ Championship season, regardless of beginning the race in separate vehicles.

However Wagner’s #10 Delage retired after simply six laps attributable to a misfiring engine, so he took over Senechal’s main #14 automotive when 83 of 110 excursions have been accomplished. However at that time, excessive temperatures have been taking its toll on the drivers so Wagner’s lead dwindled when he repeatedly stopped to wash his toes in chilly water.

But, the Delage pair held on for victory as reliability issues struck many others, that means simply three of 9 vehicles completed the race. One other Frenchman received the British GP the next yr as Robert Benoist, who completed third in 1926, crossed the road simply seven seconds forward of Edmond Bourlier to cap off a world championship-winning season for Delage.

That was the ultimate British GP to be held at Brooklands although, because the occasion didn’t return in 1928 whereas the circuit closed in August 1939 which was a month earlier than the outbreak of World Struggle Two.

Silverstone

Alex Albon, Williams FW46, Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Staff Kick Sauber C44

Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Occasions hosted the British GP: 59 (1948-54, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987-present)
Most wins: Lewis Hamilton (8)

Silverstone ended a 21-year hiatus for the occasion when it first grew to become the host in 1948, three years after the conclusion of the Second World Struggle which had left Brooklands so broken that the circuit grew to become deserted.

Britain’s second greatest circuit on the time, Donington Park, was additionally broken so a brand new observe was wanted and the RAC took on a one-year lease of the Silverstone airfield.

So, the non-public membership set about making a circuit out of it and a 3.67-mile observe was created, which included turning the runways into lengthy, extensive straights whereas corners like Copse, Stowe and Membership have been shaped – although not with the identical design they’ve as we speak.

Italian Luigi Villoresi received the primary grand prix to be held at Silverstone, because the Maserati driver beat runner-up and eventual two-time F1 world champion Alberto Ascari by 14s, after claiming the lead on lap three and by no means shedding place from there.

Maserati claimed victory once more in 1949 as Swissman Emmanuel de Graffenried received by over a minute, earlier than the occasion lastly adopted the ‘British GP’ tag when it opened the newly-formed F1 world championship in 1950.

That began a dominant season for Alfa Romeo, who received six of seven rounds starting with victory for the eventual world champion Giuseppe Farina at Silverstone. Silverstone hosted the following 4 British GPs till 1955, when it started serving as co-host alongside Aintree with each tracks alternating annually.

Throughout that interval, Juan Manuel Fangio, Peter Collins, Jack Brabham and Jim Clark all claimed a win every at Silverstone, till it began co-hosting the British GP with Manufacturers Hatch from 1964, utilizing the identical deal as earlier than.

Silverstone and Manufacturers Hatch alternated annually till 1987, throughout which Clark received probably the most British GPs in Northamptonshire with three forward of Jackie Stewart and Alain Prost on two.

However F1 began to outgrow Manufacturers Hatch, as governing physique FISA insisted on circuits now having long-term contracts. Given Silverstone was deemed the higher venue attributable to its amenities being to the next commonplace, whereas a scarcity of run-off areas at Manufacturers Hatch – one thing Silverstone had in abundance – have been additionally a priority, it signed a long-term deal.

So, from 1987, Silverstone was the everlasting dwelling of the British GP but some renovations have been nonetheless accomplished just like the addition of a chicane alongside Farm Straight. Silverstone has since undergone numerous format modifications, amid many failed bids from Donington to change into the occasion’s new host.

However, that by no means stopped Silverstone from staging British GPs that can be remembered for many years to come back, whether or not it’s Nigel Mansell’s well-known victory in 1992 when followers swarmed his automotive afterwards, Lewis Hamilton’s wet-weather masterclass in 2008 or when he received once more in 2021 after colliding with title rival Max Verstappen on the opening lap.

The 2021 race gave Hamilton a record-extending eighth British GP victory and there ought to be many alternatives for the seven-time world champion to win once more at Silverstone, as its F1 contract runs till 2034.

Aintree

Tony Brooks, Tony Vandervell, Stirling Moss after successful for Vanwall.

Picture by: LAT Photographic

Occasions hosted the British GP: 5 (1955, 1957, 1959, 1961-62)
Most wins: Stirling Moss (2)

Horse racing at Aintree dates again to 1829 which was 10 years earlier than it hosted the inaugural Grand Nationwide and – apart from a three-year stint in the course of the First World Struggle – the distinguished occasion has remained in Liverpool ever since.

One other well-known racecourse in England is Goodwood in West Sussex, which additionally has a circuit and hosts occasions like Pageant of Velocity and Revival. Noticing how a lot success these occasions delivered to Goodwood, Aintree needed one thing like that up north so it constructed a racing circuit in 1954 earlier than internet hosting its first British GP the next yr.

Stirling Moss received on Aintree’s F1 debut, as he claimed victory from pole on the 1955 British GP. However, he crossed the road simply 0.2s forward of Mercedes team-mate Fangio on the high-speed, three-mile circuit that featured eight corners.

Because it was alternating with Silverstone, the British GP returned to Aintree in 1957 when Moss shared his victory with Tony Brooks. That’s as a result of it was agreed that ought to Moss’ #18 Vanwall retire – which it did on lap 51 when the engine failed – he would take over the #20 automotive of Brooks, who was nonetheless recovering from his crash on the earlier month’s Le Mans 24 Hours.

When the change occurred, Moss was down in ninth however his sturdy tempo and reliability issues for others noticed Vanwall change into the primary British crew to win the British GP, whereas it’s additionally the final time two drivers have received the identical grand prix.

Moss additionally remained the one driver to win a number of British GPs at Aintree, as the ultimate three races have been received by Brabham (1959), Wolfgang Von Journeys (1961) and Clark (1962) earlier than F1 determined to maneuver on from the more and more harmful observe.

The {old} Aintree circuit can nonetheless be seen inside the racecourse and it usually performs host to trace days run by the Liverpool Motor Membership.

Manufacturers Hatch

Peter Gethin, BRM P160B throughout observe

Picture by: Motorsport Images

Occasions hosted the British GP: 12 (1964, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986)
Most wins: Niki Lauda (3)

Manufacturers Hatch grew to become the third British observe to host a spherical of the F1 world championship, because it changed Aintree within the deal to co-host the British GP with Silverstone. This got here after the development of the grand prix loop at Manufacturers Hatch, initially opened in 1950, which hosted its first British GP in 1964.

And it proved to be a success amongst drivers who favored the elevation modifications of the two.65-mile circuit, which featured a number of high-speed bends as Clark received the primary British GP to be held in Kent.

It might truly take some time for there to be a repeat winner at Manufacturers Hatch, as Brabham subsequent received in 1966 earlier than changing into world champion that yr, whereas Jo Stiffert claimed his first of two grand prix victories in 1968.

Victories for Jochen Rindt, Emerson Fittipaldi, Jody Scheckter, Niki Lauda, Carlos Reutemann and Alan Jones all adopted, till the eventual triple world champion grew to become F1’s first two-time winner on the circuit in 1982.

Lauda even went back-to-back in 1984 to assist him clinch a 3rd title that season, earlier than Mansell received the ultimate British GP at Manufacturers Hatch two years later when he overtook Williams team-mate Nelson Piquet en path to victory.

Throughout that interval, the circuit underwent numerous modifications, however none have been sufficient to maintain its place on the F1 calendar as a result of new requirement from FISA.

One other issue that favoured Silverstone was the situation of Manufacturers Hatch, as it’s located in an {old} forest that means the circuit had restricted room to alter, not like its Northamptonshire counterpart.

So, Manufacturers Hatch was by no means to host an F1 grand prix once more, however the observe continues as we speak with many nationwide championships visiting the nonetheless in style circuit.