Silverstone hosted the first-ever Formula 1 World Championship race in 1950. Since then, the circuit has seen six layout changes and has welcomed characters of all kinds—from real-world princes to the occasional race-crashing rogue hare. Here are nine surprising facts about the British Grand Prix’s most famous home.
For our partners, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, Silverstone has been one of their most successful circuits, holding the record for the most consecutive victories at the venue with five straight wins from 2013–2017.
1. Silverstone traces its origins back to a World War II airfield
RAF Silverstone was a bomber training base during WWII. Wellington bombers flew from its runways until 1947. The Royal Automobile Club converted it into a racetrack in just two months. Those original runways still cut through the modern Silverstone Circuit. You can learn more aboutthe transformation at the Silverstone Museum.
2. The first F1 race drivers included a prince, a baron, and a jazz singer
The first F1 World Championship took place on May 13, 1950. The starting grid featured an eclectic mix of drivers, including a Thai prince, a Swiss baron, and Belgian jazz musician Johnny Claes. King George VI attended in person, the only reigning monarch ever to attend a British Grand Prix.
3. Some of the corners are named after monks and saints
Some Silverstone’s corner names have medieval roots. Luffield takes its name from a Benedictine priory founded in 1116. Becketts and Chapel honor a chapel dedicated to Saint Thomas a Becket. And Maggots? Named after Maggots Moor. Drivers speed through this section of the track at over 180 mph, making it one of F1’s fastest and most challenging corners.
4. The circuit sits in two counties at once
Silverstone straddles Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire. Cars cross from one county to the other mid-lap. The pits and start-finish straight sit in Buckinghamshire. The rest of the lap dips into Northamptonshire.
5. It hasn’t always been home to the British GP
Silverstone shared hosting duties with Aintree from 1955 to 1962and then with Brands Hatch from 1963 to 1986. The circuit finally became the race’s permanent home in 1987, a status secured through 2034.
6. Hares have a notorious track record at the British GP
The circuit sits on open farmland sowildlife encounters are a common hazard for the drivers. Over the decades, some of the most notable track clashes have made history: Reg Parnell notoriously hit a hare in 1950, while Allan McNish struck another in 2002. Animal appearances continue to remain an ongoing Silverstone tradition.
7. An Evolution Over the Years
The original high-speed layout lasted until 1991. That year, the famous Maggotts-Becketts-Chapel sequence arrived, widely considered one of the fastest and most challenging corner complexes in motorsport. In 2010, the circuit continued to involve with the addition of ‘The Loop’, a tight hairpin thatreplaced the old stadium section. A year later, the historical start-finish line was moved to the new Wing pit complex.
8. The 2020 season brought two GPs in one venue
The pandemic created a rare moment in F1 history. Silverstone held two races that year. The British GP ran on August 2. The 70th Anniversary GP followed on August 9. Both ran behind closed doors after a last-minute lockdown waiver.
9. The first winner took home 500 pounds. Today’s winners get zero
Giuseppe Farina won 500 pounds at the 1950 British Grand Prix. That is roughly 21,500 pounds today. Meanwhile, modern GP winners only receive a trophy. Instead, prize money is distributed to whole teams based on their final position in the season standings. A sharp contrast to F1’s multi-billion-dollar scale.
The British Grand Prix carries more than seven decades of stories. Each corner and layout change has shaped what this race is today. Explore more Formula 1 content on our blog.
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