British Grand Prix facts for kids
| Silverstone Circuit | |
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| Race information | |
|---|---|
| Number of times held | 80 |
| First held | 1926 |
| Most wins (drivers) |  Lewis Hamilton (9) |
| 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 (2025) | |
| 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 every year. This race is a big part of the Formula One World Championship.
The first British Grand Prix was held way back in 1926. It has been an annual event since 1948. Since 1950, it has been a race in the Formula One World Championship every single year. The British Grand Prix is the oldest race on the Formula One calendar. It was the very first race of the first championship season in 1950! Only the British Grand Prix and the Italian Grand Prix have been held in every Formula One season.
Today, the British Grand Prix is held at the famous Silverstone Circuit. This track is near the village of Silverstone in England. The race has been held at Silverstone many times. It is set to stay at Silverstone until at least 2034.
Contents
History of the Race
Early Days at Brooklands (1926–1927)
The first special race track was built in 1907. It was called Brooklands and was made of concrete. This track was near London in England. Grand Prix racing came to Britain in 1926. This was after British driver Henry Segrave won big races in other countries. The first British Grand Prix happened at Brooklands on August 7, 1926. It was won by Robert Sénéchal and Louis Wagner. The next year, in 1927, Robert Benoist won at Brooklands too.
There were also other races called the Donington Grand Prix. These happened at Donington Park. Top European teams raced there in 1937 and 1938. German cars were very strong in these races. But these races were not officially called the "British Grand Prix."
Silverstone Takes Over (1948–1954)
Brooklands was badly damaged during World War II. So, new race tracks were built on old airfields. Silverstone was one of these. It is located in central England. Silverstone held its first race in 1948. This race was won by Luigi Villoresi. In 1949, the track was changed to be very fast.
In 1950, the Formula One World Championship began. The 1950 British Grand Prix was the first-ever Formula One World Championship race! Giuseppe Farina won this historic race. Even King George VI came to watch! The 1951 race was exciting. It was the first time a Ferrari car won an F1 race. José Froilán González won for Ferrari. In 1952, new pit areas were built at Silverstone. Alberto Ascari won in 1952 and 1953. González won again in 1954.
Sharing the Track: Silverstone and Aintree (1955–1962)
From 1955, the British Grand Prix switched between Silverstone and the Aintree Motor Racing Circuit. Aintree was near Liverpool. In 1955, Stirling Moss won his first F1 race at Aintree. He beat the great Juan Manuel Fangio in a thrilling finish. Mercedes cars finished in the top four spots that day.
Fangio won at Silverstone in 1956. In 1957, Moss won again at Aintree. This was the first time a British-built car won a Grand Prix! Peter Collins won at Silverstone in 1958. Australian Jack Brabham won at Aintree in 1959 and at Silverstone in 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 F1 races in 1964.
Silverstone and Brands Hatch (1963–1986)
In 1964, Formula One started racing at Brands Hatch. This track was in southern England, near London. Silverstone hosted the race in odd-numbered years, and Brands Hatch in even-numbered years. Jim Clark won at both tracks in 1964 and 1965. He won again in 1967. In 1968, Jo Siffert won a big battle against Chris Amon.
In 1969, home hero Jackie Stewart had a great fight with Jochen Rindt. Stewart won that race. Rindt won in 1970. Stewart won again in 1971. The 1973 race at Silverstone had a huge crash at the start. Eleven cars were involved, but luckily, no one was seriously hurt. In 1974, Niki Lauda was leading, but a flat tire made him lose the win to Jody Scheckter.
In 1975, a new corner was added at Silverstone to slow down the cars. A rainstorm hit the race, and many cars spun off. Emerson Fittipaldi won the shortened race. The 1976 race at Brands Hatch was controversial. Home favorite James Hunt won, but he was later disqualified. The win then went to Lauda. Hunt won without problems in 1977. In 1979, Clay Regazzoni won at Silverstone. This was the first F1 win for the Williams team. Alan Jones won in 1980. In 1981, John Watson won after a great comeback. This was the first win for a car with a carbon fiber body. Lauda won again in 1982.
Alain Prost won his first British Grand Prix in 1983. Nigel Mansell had a great race, starting 16th and finishing 4th. Lauda won at Brands Hatch in 1984. In 1985, Keke Rosberg set a super-fast qualifying lap record. Ayrton Senna led most of the race but ran out of fuel. Prost took the win. The 1986 race saw a huge crowd for Mansell. Sadly, Jacques Laffite had a bad crash that ended his F1 career. Mansell won the race. This was the last F1 race at Brands Hatch. Silverstone was chosen to be the permanent home for the British Grand Prix.
Silverstone's Changes (1987–Present)
Silverstone was changed in 1987. Mansell had an amazing race, breaking the lap record 11 times to catch and pass Nelson Piquet. The crowd rushed onto the track to celebrate! In 1988, Senna won in the rain. Prost won in 1989. Silverstone was heavily changed again for 1991. The track became more technical and slower. Mansell won in 1991 and 1992. In 1993, Alain Prost won his 50th F1 race.
After some sad accidents in 1994, Silverstone was made safer. Damon Hill won the race that year. Johnny Herbert won in 1995. More changes were made in 1996. In 1999, Michael Schumacher crashed and broke his leg. There were talks about moving the race back to Brands Hatch, but it didn't happen.
In 2003, a person ran onto the track during the race. Marshals quickly got him off. Rubens Barrichello won that race. There were money problems between Silverstone and Formula One. This made people worry about the race's future. But a deal was made for Silverstone to host the race until 2009. In 2008, Lewis Hamilton won in heavy rain. His success, along with Jenson Button, brought huge crowds back to Silverstone. In 2009, Donington Park was supposed to host the race, but they couldn't get enough money. So, Silverstone signed a new contract in 2009 to host the race until 2027.
In 2010, Silverstone used a new "Arena" layout. A new pit complex was built for 2011. Silverstone is still one of the fastest tracks in F1. In 2017, Lewis Hamilton had a "grand slam" at his home race. This means he got pole position, won the race, had the fastest lap, and led every lap. The 2019 race saw a big battle between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen. Then Sebastian Vettel crashed into Verstappen.
In 2020, Hamilton won his sixth British Grand Prix, even with a punctured tire! The 2021 race saw Hamilton collide with Verstappen. In 2022, there was another big crash involving Zhou Guanyu. Carlos Sainz Jr. won his first F1 race that year.
In 2022, Silverstone had problems selling tickets for the 2023 race. Their online system crashed because too many fans tried to buy tickets at once. Silverstone had to stop sales and apologize.
On February 8, 2024, Silverstone and Formula One agreed to extend their contract. Silverstone will host the British Grand Prix until 2034. At the 2024 British Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton won for the ninth time! This broke Michael Schumacher's record for most wins at one track.
In 2025, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone had a record attendance of 500,000 fans. Lando Norris won the race for McLaren. This was his first win at Silverstone. His teammate Oscar Piastri finished second, and Nico Hülkenberg got his first podium finish for Sauber.
Race Locations
| Venue (in chronological order) | Years |
|---|---|
| Brooklands | 1926–1927 |
| Silverstone | 1948–1954 |
| Aintree and Silverstone | 1955–1960 (alternating yearly) |
| Aintree | 1961–1962 |
| Silverstone and Brands Hatch | 1963–1986 (alternating yearly) |
| Silverstone | 1987–present (contracted until 2034) |
| Sources: | |
Trophies and Awards
The Royal Automobile Club Trophy
Since 1950, the winner of the British Grand Prix gets a special trophy. It's called the official RAC British Grand Prix Trophy. This trophy is given out each year and then returned to the Royal Automobile Club. It stays there permanently.
Prize Money
Before trophies were common, winners received prize money. For the first two races at Brooklands, the winner got £1,000. Second place got £300, and third got £200. After World War II, in 1948, prize money was given to the top ten finishers. The winner received £500. By 1958, the winner's prize had increased to £750.
Fred G. Craner Memorial Trophy
In 1950, another special trophy was introduced. It was the Fred G. Craner Memorial Car Trophy. This award went to the best-placed British driver in a British car. It was given out until at least 1972. The first winner was F R "Bob" Gerard in an ERA car. 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 chief mechanic of the winning car also received a prize. At first, it was a special plaque. By 1952, it became a cash prize of £25.
Sir Arthur Stanley Cup
For the first British Grand Prix in 1926, Sir Arthur Stanley presented a cup. This cup was for the driver who set the fastest lap in the race. Henry Segrave won this cup.
Race Winners
Drivers with Multiple Wins
Drivers in bold are racing in Formula One this season.
| Wins | Driver | Years won |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Lewis Hamilton |
2008, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024 |
| 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 |  José Froilán González |
1951, 1954 |
| Alberto Ascari |
1952, 1953 | |
| 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 racing in Formula One this season. 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 |
| 15 | McLaren |
1973, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2008, 2025 |
| 10 | Mercedes |
1955, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024 |
| Williams |
1979, 1980, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997 | |
| 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 racing in Formula One this season. 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 |
| 16 | Mercedes ** |
1955, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024, 2025 |
| 14 |  Ford * |
1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 1975, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 |
| 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.
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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 British circuits that have hosted a Grand Prix.
See also
In Spanish: Gran Premio de Gran Bretaña para niños
