BlogF1

The most recent British driver to have won the British Grand Prix still drives in Formula One today and like 19 others, will compete on Sunday for the victory. His name is David Coulthard, and while this may be his final season at the top of the motor racing world, and while he isn’t likely to win again, Coulthard’s name is in the record books for twice succeeding in victory at the Silverstone circuit. Both at the wheel of a McLaren, Coulthard first won in 1999 and repeated the feat the following year. Continue Reading

Born in Romford in 1964, Johnny Herbert took his maiden victory at Silverstone in 1995 driving for Benetton, just one year after Damon Hill had an emotional win for Williams. The victory wasn’t expected in the lead up to the race but it was enjoyed and celebrated by just about everybody in the paddock; Herbert was a popular driver who against all the odds had managed to get himelf into Formula One and a relatively competitive car alongside world champion Michael Schumacher. Continue Reading

As the British Winners Of The British Grand Prix series draws to a close (three drivers remain) we enter a time that I am more familiar with; the mid-nineties onwards. Following Nigel Mansell’s superb victory in 1992, home fans would only have to wait two years to witness another Brit winning on home soil, this time being championship contender Damon Hill. Continue Reading

Perhaps the most famous of all British winners of the British Grand Prix gets his turn under the spot light today, and BlogF1 will look at the four victories Nigel Mansell took at the Brands Hatch and Silverstone circuits during his career at the top of motor racing’s pinnacle series. All of Mansell’s British victories came at the controls of a Williams car, starting in 1986 and finishing with Nigel’s championship-winning season in 1992. Continue Reading

Born in Northern Ireland in 1946, John Watson entered Formula One in 1973 and enjoyed a twelve year career, spending six years with the McLaren team. Watson won four of his five races with the Woking-based team and importantly for this series of posts, this included the 1981 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. John’s British win was his second victory but from the first lap, many thought he wouldn’t have a chance of standing on the top step of the podium. Continue Reading

Famed for smoking, drinking and a charming personality, James Hunt first came to Formula One in 1973 and by 1976 was crowned world champion. However, despite winning seven races up until the end of his glorious ‘76 season, Hunt hadn’t managed to capture the British fan’s hearts at home by winning the UK race. In fact, prior to his victory at Silverstone in 1977, Hunt’s best result on home soil was fourth, claimed first in his maiden season and again two years later. Continue Reading

It wasn’t long after Jim Clark’s run of British Grand Prix success came to an end that the national anthem was once again played for the podium celebrations at Silverstone. The driver taking the laurel wreath was Jackie Stewart, a pilot who would go on to become a triple world champion and one of the sport’s most well-known ambassadors. Stewart won the British Grand Prix twice, first in 1969 and again two years later in 1971. Continue Reading

Born in 1936 and raised in the Scottish Borders, James Clark Jr was a quiet and unassuming man, so it comes perhaps as a surprise that instead of following in his fathers profession of farming, Jim would eventually go on to become one of Formula One’s greatest champions and to this day, still hold the record for the most number of British Grand Prix wins to be won by a Briton. Jim Clark was a driver I particularly admired, and today is his turn in the British Winners series. Continue Reading

The second Briton to win the British Grand Prix (aside from Tony Brooks who shared the 1957 win with Stirling Moss) was Peter Collins. Starting his Formula One career in 1952, it wasn’t until 1956 that Collins found himself in a competitive car and the Worcestershire-born driver made the most of it. The team was Ferrari and they were proving very competitive, having entered the sport just after its inception in 1950. Continue Reading

With a little under two weeks to go before the British Grand Prix, I thought it would be nice to review some of the past British drivers who have excelled on home soil and proudly stood on the podium while the National Anthem is played. For the next ten days BlogF1 will go through each of the British winners of the British Grand Prix, going back to the first in 1955 and ending with the most recent in 2000. First up is Stirling Moss, a name synonymous with grand prix motor racing and a man who still regularly attends races. Continue Reading