1950 British GP: The race where the circus on wheels kickstarted its journey

1950 British GP: The race where the circus on wheels kickstarted its journey

Giuseppe Farina- the winner of the 1950 British GP

The 1950 British GP is the race that kicked off the first world drivers’ championship. Although Formula One had already been around since 1947, there was no such thing as a championship for a competition. But here, all things changed, and the sport that we love so dearly today took a major leap.

The race was held at the Silverstone circuit, but obviously, the layout of the iconic track was far different from the one that we race on now. The race was attended by Queen Elizabeth, George VI, Princess Margaret, and the Earl & Countess Mountbatten of Burma.

The race was part of the 1950 world championship, which was held on six European tracks. The winner of the first race, Giuseppe Farina of Alfa Romeo, went on to win the debut season of F1, etching his name forever in the pages of the golden history of the top tier racing competition.

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How did the 1950 British GP unfold?

1950 British GP: King George VI talks with Juan Manuel Fangio, Giuseppe Farina and Luigi Fagioli
1950 British GP: King George VI talks with Juan Manuel Fangio, Giuseppe Farina and Luigi Fagioli

24 drivers entered the race for the qualification round, but only 11 managed to finish the race. The Alfa Romeo team was the most successful, with 3 out of 4 drivers standing on the podium. 

The fourth driver is none other than legendary Juan Manuel Fangio, who won five championships in the first decade of the competition. This record was held until Michael Schumacher broke it with Ferrari.

Giuseppe Farina started the race on the pole position and managed to hold on to it. He also posted the fastest lap of the race and won 9 points in total.

The intensity and the importance of the particular race can be seen and felt now. However, the response to the race back in 1950 was astonishing too. With 200K spectators coming in for the race, they knew they were witnessing history in making.

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