British Grand Prix facts for kids
| Silverstone Circuit (2011–present) |
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| Race information | |
|---|---|
| Number of times held | 78 |
| First held | 1926 |
| Most wins (drivers) |  Lewis Hamilton (8) |
| Most wins (constructors) |  Ferrari (18) |
| Circuit length | 5.891 km (3.66 mi) |
| Race length | 306.198 km (190.263 mi) |
| Laps | 52 |
| Last race (2023) | |
| Pole position | |
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| Podium | |
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| Fastest lap | |
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The British Grand Prix is a super exciting Grand Prix motor racing event. It takes place in the United Kingdom and is organized by Motorsport UK. This famous race first started way back in 1926.
Since 1948, the British Grand Prix has been held every single year. It's been a part of the FIA Formula One World Championship since it began in 1950. This makes it one of the oldest and most important races in Formula One history!
Today, the British Grand Prix is held at the Silverstone Circuit. This track is near the village of Silverstone in England. The race in 2019 was the 70th time it was part of the World Championship. It was also the 53rd time Silverstone hosted a World Championship race.
The British Grand Prix is the oldest race on the Formula One calendar. The 1950 race at Silverstone was the very first race of the first championship season. Only the British Grand Prix and the Italian Grand Prix have been held every single year since the championship started. The race has always been held in England, which is where most of the British motor racing industry is located. The event is set to stay at Silverstone Circuit until at least 2034.
Contents
Race History: Where it All Began
Early Days at Brooklands (1926–1927)
The first ever motor racing track built for this purpose was Brooklands. It was made of concrete and opened in 1907 near London. Grand Prix racing came to Britain in 1926. This happened after British driver Henry Segrave won big races in Europe.
The first British Grand Prix was held at Brooklands on August 7, 1926. It was won by French drivers Robert Sénéchal and Louis Wagner. They were driving a Delage car. The second race at Brooklands in 1927 was also won by a Delage, driven by Robert Benoist.
Some other races, called the Donington Grand Prix, happened at Donington Park. These races in 1937 and 1938 were very popular. German teams like Mercedes and Auto Union were very strong. But these races were not officially called the "British Grand Prix."
Silverstone Takes Over (1948–1954)
After World War II, the Brooklands track was too damaged to use. Many new British race tracks were built on old Royal Air Force airfields. Silverstone was one of these. It's located in central England, between London and Birmingham.
Silverstone held its first race in 1948. The Italian driver Luigi Villoresi won in a Maserati. In 1949, the track was changed to be very fast. It stayed this way for many years.
In 1950, the first-ever Formula One World Championship race was held at Silverstone. This historic race was won by Alfa Romeo driver Giuseppe "Nino" Farina. Even King George VI came to watch! The 1951 race was exciting because it was the first F1 race not won by an Alfa Romeo. An Argentine driver, José Froilán González, won for Ferrari. This was Ferrari's first F1 victory!
For the 1952 race, new pit areas were built. Italian driver Alberto Ascari won in both 1952 and 1953. González won again in 1954 for Ferrari.
Sharing the Track: Silverstone and Aintree (1955–1962)
From 1955, the British Grand Prix started to switch between Silverstone and the Aintree track. Aintree is near Liverpool and is also famous for horse racing.
In 1955, at Aintree, British driver Stirling Moss won his first Formula One race. He battled with the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio. Moss later asked Fangio if he let him win, and Fangio said, "No. You were better than me that day."
In 1957, Moss won again at Aintree in a British-built Vanwall car. This was a big moment for British racing! Australian driver Jack Brabham won in 1959 and 1960. The last race at Aintree was in 1962. British driver Jim Clark won his first of five British Grands Prix there. Aintree stopped hosting races in 1964.
Silverstone and Brands Hatch (1963–1986)
In 1964, the British Grand Prix also started being held at Brands Hatch. This track is in Kent, just outside London. Silverstone hosted the race in odd-numbered years, and Brands Hatch in even-numbered years. Drivers liked Brands Hatch because it had hills and different types of corners.
Jim Clark won at Brands Hatch in 1964 and again in 1965. He also won in 1967. In 1968, Swiss driver Jo Siffert won after a great fight with Chris Amon.
In 1969, British hero Jackie Stewart won after a tough race. Jochen Rindt won in 1970, and Stewart won again in 1971. The 1973 race had a huge crash on the first lap, involving 11 cars. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt, though Andrea de Adamich had career-ending ankle injuries.
In 1975, a new chicane (a tricky set of turns) was added at Woodcote corner to slow the cars down. A big rainstorm hit the track, and many cars spun off. Emerson Fittipaldi won that race. The 1976 race at Brands Hatch was controversial. British driver James Hunt won, but was later disqualified. The win then went to Niki Lauda.
In 1979, the Swiss driver Clay Regazzoni won at Silverstone. This was the first F1 win for the Williams team. In 1981, British driver John Watson won in a McLaren. This was the first win for a car with a special carbon fibre body.
In 1983, French driver Alain Prost won his first of five British Grands Prix. In 1985, Finnish driver Keke Rosberg set a super-fast qualifying lap record at Silverstone. The race was exciting, with Ayrton Senna leading until his car ran out of fuel. Prost then took the win.
The 1986 race at Brands Hatch was the last F1 race there. It had a huge crowd because British driver Nigel Mansell was a favorite. Sadly, French driver Jacques Laffite had a big crash that ended his career. Mansell won the race. Brands Hatch was becoming too fast for the powerful F1 cars. Silverstone was chosen to host the race every year from 1987.
Silverstone's Modern Era (1987–Present)
Silverstone was changed in 1987 to make it safer. It was still a very fast track. In 1987, Nigel Mansell put on an amazing show. He broke the lap record 11 times to catch and pass Nelson Piquet and win the race. The crowd was so excited they ran onto the track!
In 1988, Ayrton Senna won in the rain. In 1989, Alain Prost won again. After this, it was decided that Silverstone would be changed even more for 1991. The track became more technical and a bit slower.
Nigel Mansell dominated the races in 1991 and 1992. In 1993, Alain Prost won his 50th Grand Prix victory. After some serious accidents at other tracks in 1994, Silverstone was made even safer. British driver Damon Hill won in 1994, a win his famous father, Graham Hill, never achieved. Another British driver, Johnny Herbert, won in 1995.
In 1999, the famous driver Michael Schumacher crashed badly at Stowe corner. He broke his leg and missed many races.
In 2003, a strange event happened when a man ran onto the track during the race. Marshals quickly removed him, and no one was hurt. Brazilian driver Rubens Barrichello won that race. There were some worries about the future of the race at Silverstone due to money issues. But a deal was made to keep the race there until 2009.
In 2008, British driver Lewis Hamilton won in heavy rain. His success, along with Jenson Button's, brought huge crowds back to Silverstone. In 2009, there was a plan to move the race to Donington Park, but it didn't work out. So, in December 2009, Silverstone signed a new 17-year contract to host the British Grand Prix.
For the 2010 race, Silverstone got a new "Arena" layout. In 2011, a brand new pit complex was built. Silverstone is still one of the fastest tracks on the F1 calendar. In 2017, Lewis Hamilton achieved a "grand slam" at his home race. This means he got pole position, won the race, set the fastest lap, and led every lap.
The 2019 race saw an intense battle between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen. In 2020, Hamilton won even with a punctured tire! In 2021, Hamilton and Verstappen had a big crash at Copse corner. In 2022, there was another big crash involving Zhou Guanyu's car. That race also saw Carlos Sainz Jr. win his first-ever Formula One race.
In 2017, the owners of Silverstone thought about ending their contract early. But in July 2019, it was confirmed that Silverstone would host the race until at least 2024. In 2022, Silverstone faced criticism for how they sold tickets for the 2023 race, with prices changing quickly. But on February 8, 2024, Silverstone and Formula One extended their contract again, meaning the British Grand Prix will stay at Silverstone until 2034!
Race Locations
| Venue (in order) | Years |
|---|---|
| Brooklands | 1926–1927 |
| Silverstone | 1948–1954 |
| Aintree and Silverstone | 1955–1960 (switched each year) |
| Aintree | 1961–1962 |
| Silverstone and Brands Hatch | 1963–1986 (switched each year) |
| Silverstone | 1987–present (until 2034) |
| Sources: | |
Trophies and Awards
The Royal Automobile Club Trophy
Since 1950, the winner of the British Grand Prix gets a special trophy called the official RAC British Grand Prix Trophy. This trophy is passed on each year and then returned to the Royal Automobile Club, where it stays permanently.
Sponsor's Trophy
Since 1952, the main sponsor of the race also gives a trophy to the winner. This trophy is kept by the winner and a new one is made for the next year. Sometimes, this is the trophy you see handed to the winner on the podium!
Prize Money
Before trophies were common, winners only received prize money. For the first two races at Brooklands, the winner got £1,000. For the first race after World War II in 1948, the winner received £500. By 1958, the winner's prize was £750. There was also a small cash prize for the fastest lap in the early years.
Fred G. Craner Memorial Trophy
In 1950, another special trophy was introduced: the Fred G. Craner Memorial Car Trophy. This was given to the best-placed British driver in a British car. Fred Craner was important in setting up the Donington Park circuit. The first winner of this trophy was Bob Gerard. In 1957, Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks won both the British Grand Prix and this trophy.
Chief Mechanic's Award
From 1948 to at least 1953, the main mechanic of the winning car also received an award. This was first a plaque, and later a cash prize of £25.
Sir Arthur Stanley Cup
For the very first British Grand Prix in 1926, Sir Arthur Stanley gave a cup for the fastest lap. This was won by Henry Segrave.
Who Has Won the Most?
Drivers with Multiple Wins
Drivers in bold are still racing in Formula One today.
| Wins | Driver | Years Won |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Lewis Hamilton |
2008, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 |
| 5 | Jim Clark |
1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967 |
 Alain Prost |
1983, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1993 | |
| 4 | Nigel Mansell |
1986, 1987, 1991, 1992 |
| 3 |  Jack Brabham |
1959, 1960, 1966 |
 Niki Lauda |
1976, 1982, 1984 | |
 Michael Schumacher |
1998, 2002, 2004 | |
| 2 | Alberto Ascari |
1952, 1953 |
 José Froilán González |
1951, 1954 | |
| Stirling Moss |
1955, 1957 | |
| Jackie Stewart |
1969, 1971 | |
 Emerson Fittipaldi |
1972, 1975 | |
 Jacques Villeneuve |
1996, 1997 | |
| David Coulthard |
1999, 2000 | |
 Fernando Alonso |
2006, 2011 | |
| Sebastian Vettel |
2009, 2018 | |
| Mark Webber |
2010, 2012 | |
| Source: | ||
Teams with Multiple Wins
Teams in bold are competing in Formula One today.
A green background means the race was part of the pre-World War II World Manufacturers' Championship.
A pink background means the race was not part of the Formula One World Championship.
| Wins | Constructor | Years Won |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Ferrari |
1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1976, 1978, 1990, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2011, 2018, 2022 |
| 14 | McLaren |
1973, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2008 |
| 10 | Williams |
1979, 1980, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997 |
| 9 | Mercedes |
1955, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 |
| 8 | Lotus |
1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1972 |
| 4 | Red Bull |
2009, 2010, 2012, 2023 |
| 2 |  Delage |
1926, 1927 |
| Maserati |
1948, 1949 | |
| Cooper |
1959, 1960 | |
| Tyrrell |
1971, 1974 | |
| Renault |
1983, 2006 | |
| Sources: | ||
Engine Manufacturers with Multiple Wins
Manufacturers in bold are competing in Formula One today.
A green background means the race was part of the pre-World War II World Manufacturers' Championship.
A pink background means the race was not part of the Formula One World Championship.
| Wins | Manufacturer | Years Won |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Ferrari |
1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1976, 1978, 1990, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2011, 2018, 2022 |
| 14 |  Ford * |
1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 1975, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 |
| Mercedes ** |
1955, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 | |
| 12 | Renault |
1983, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012 |
| 6 | Climax |
1959, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965 |
| 4 |  Honda |
1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 |
| 2 | Delage |
1926, 1927 |
| Maserati |
1948, 1949 | |
 TAG *** |
1984, 1985 | |
| Sources: | ||
* Built by Cosworth, funded by Ford
** Between 1999 and 2005 built by Ilmor, funded by Mercedes
*** Built by Porsche
Winners by Year
A green background means the race was part of the AIACR World Manufacturers' Championship.
A pink background means the race was not part of the Formula One World Championship.
Images for kids
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Silverstone track layout from 2004 to 2009.
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Silverstone track layout from 1991 to 1993.
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Silverstone track layout from 1950 to 1990 (with minor changes).
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Brands Hatch track layout, used from 1964 to 1986.
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Aintree track layout, used from 1955 to 1962.
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A map showing the locations of the British Grand Prix.
See also
In Spanish: Gran Premio de Gran Bretaña para niños
