1950 British Grand Prix

File:RAF Silverstone 1945.png airport in 1945]]

{{See also|History of Formula One#Early years and continuation of pre-World War II supercharged engines (1946–1950)}}

In 1946, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's Commission Sportive Internationale first defined the "International Formula", a premier single-seater racing series to start in 1947. While the first Formula One race was the 1947 Pau Grand Prix, the 1950 British Grand Prix was the first Grand Prix of the new World Championship of Drivers.

Four non-championship races were held all across Europe in 1950 prior to the Grand Prix: Juan Manuel Fangio won the races in Pau and San Remo, Reg Parnell won in Douglas, and Georges Grignard won in Paris.

The 1950 edition of the British Grand Prix was fifth held since 1926 and the third held at Silverstone Circuit since its first time in 1948.{{Cite web|url=http://www.formula-one.pl/522/historia-toru-silverstone|title=Historia toru Silverstone|language=pl|first=Ewa|last=Zaborska|date=8 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160318014457/http://www.formula-one.pl/522/historia-toru-silverstone|archive-date=18 March 2016}} It was also the designated European Grand Prix for the year, making it the 11th time the circuit has held the title since the first race in 1923.{{Pg|page=15}}{{Cite news |date=June 1950 |title=1950 British Grand Prix race report – Farina wins Grand Prix d'Europe |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/june-1950/7/the-royal-silverstone-meeting/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240414104936/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/june-1950/7/the-royal-silverstone-meeting/ |archive-date=2024-04-14 |access-date=2024-09-15 |work=Motor Sport |publisher=}}

The race was also supported by an international 500cc Formula Three race the same weekend, which was won by Stirling Moss driving a Cooper-JAP. There was also a demonstration run for the BRM P15, which was due to enter the sport later in the year.{{Cite web |date=1950-05-13 |title=1950 British Grand Prix Program |url=https://online.fliphtml5.com/lngbd/iedy/?1589369250738#p=1 |access-date=2020-10-07 |website=online.fliphtml5.com}} The race was attended by George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, and the Earl & Countess Mountbatten of Burma.

File:Maserati 4CLT 48 fl.jpg

File:Alfa Romeo 158 fr.jpg

File:Talbot F1 vr yellow EMS.jpg

24 drivers were entered for the first race with them competing in 22 different cars. The numbers 7 and 13 were not assigned.{{Cite book|last=Nye|first=Doug|title=The British Grand Prix 1926-1976|publisher=B. T. Batsford|year=1977|isbn=9780713432831|page=39}} The biggest absence was the Scuderia Ferrari who would not compete in the opening race with Enzo Ferrari not sending any cars to Britain with the team debuting at the next round in Monaco, due to the small amount of appearance money the organisers were willing to pay him to participate.{{cite web |last1=Hope-Frost |first1=Henry |title=Top 12: Ferrari‑free Grands Prix |url=https://www.goodwood.com/grr/f1/exceptional-11-ferrari-free-grands-prix/ |website=www.goodwood.com |access-date=25 October 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a33532048/f1-70th-british-grand-prix-how-we-got-1/|title=F1 Celebrates 70th Anniversary British Grand Prix—Here's How We Got to No. 1|first=Joe|last=Saward|date=6 August 2020|access-date=14 June 2021|publisher=Autoweek}}

This meant that Alfa Romeo were favourites with their four drivers Farina, Fangio, Fagioli, and British driver, Reg Parnell, while their main competition came from the Maseratis of the Scuderia Ambrosiana and Enrico Platé teams. Felice Bonetto also entered a Maserati but would not arrive for the race.{{cite web|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/june-1950/7/the-royal-silverstone-meeting|title=1950 British Grand Prix race report – Farina wins Grand Prix d'Europe|date=June 1950|page=7|publisher=Motorsport Magazine}}

Talbot-Lago sent over two factory cars in the traditional French pale blue colour to be driven by Yves Giraud-Cabantous and Eugène Martin. Other private Talbots were entered by Louis Rosier, Philippe Etancelin, and Belgian Johnny Claes in a car painted in Belgium's national yellow colour. The rest of the field was made up of local machinery, which included four ERAs and two Altas in British racing green.

:{{Note|1|1}} – Luigi Fagioli qualified and drove all 70 laps of the race in the #3 Alfa Romeo. Gianbattista Guidotti, named substitute driver for the car, was not used at the Grand Prix.{{cite web|url=http://www.statsf1.com/en/1950/grande-bretagne/engages.aspx|title=Britain 1950 – Race entrants|publisher=statsf1.com|access-date=7 January 2014}}

:{{Note|2|2}} – Peter Walker qualified and drove 2 laps of the race in the #9 ERA. Tony Rolt took over the car for 3 laps of the race.{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/motorsport/race/1389.html|title=British Grand Prix 1950 – Results|publisher=ESPN F1|access-date=7 January 2014}}

:{{Note|3|3}} – Joe Fry qualified and drove 45 laps of the race in the #10 Maserati. Brian Shawe-Taylor took over the car for 19 laps of the race.

:{{Note|4|4}} – Entry cancelled prior to the event.{{cite web|url=http://www.statsf1.com/en/1950/grande-bretagne/classement.aspx|title=Britain 1950 – Result|publisher=statsf1.com|access-date=4 October 2013}}

Qualifying took place on Friday and saw the Alfa Romeos end up on the front row of the grid as Farina claimed the first pole position in the history of Formula One with a time of 1:50.8. Fagioli and Fangio and Parnell would fill the remaining spots on the front row of the grid. Prince Bira was the fastest non-Alfa, 1.8 seconds back with the two Talbot's cars filling in the second row.{{cite web|url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/1950/grande-bretagne/qualification.aspx#|title=Britain 1950|publisher=Stats F1|access-date=14 June 2021}}

On 13 May, 21 drivers from 9 countries were represented at the old Silverstone airport, 4 from France, 2 from Italy, 1 each from Belgium, Ireland, Monaco, Argentina, Thailand and Switzerland. The UK was represented by 9 drivers. The race drew 200,000 spectators. At the start of the race, Farina took the lead with Fagioli and Fangio in pursuit, while Cabantous got a poor start and lost 4 positions. In the early laps, they switched around between themselves several times to keep everyone amused. Fangio retired with engine troubles caused by a broken oil pipe and so Farina led Fagioli home by 2.5 seconds with Parnell a distant third, despite hitting a hare during the race. The nearest challenger was Giraud-Cabantous two laps down, with Bira having retired with a fuel problem. Crossley and Murray duelled at the back before retiring, de Graffenried had done so on lap 34, while Chiron was demoted to the role of the viewer 10 laps earlier.

Nino Farina led for 63 laps (1–9, 16–37 and 39–70). Luigi Fagioli led for 6 laps (10–15). Juan Manuel Fangio led for 1 lap (38).

Nino Farina achieved the fastest lap of the race, with a 1:50.6 on Lap 2.

Joe Fry drove car #10 for the first 45 laps, then Brian Shawe-Taylor took over for 19 laps for a total of 64 laps, a distance of 297.536 km.

Peter Walker drove car #9 for 2 laps, then Tony Rolt drove for an additional 3 laps, totaling 5 laps, a distance of 23.245 km.

;Notes

• {{Note|1|1}} – Includes 1 point for fastest lap

;Drivers' Championship standings

• Note: Only the top five positions are listed. Only the best 4 results counted towards the Championship.

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/formula1/52641917 BBC newsreel of the event]
• [https://online.fliphtml5.com/lngbd/iedy/?1589369250738 Digital scan of programme]

{{F1 race report

| Name_of_race = British Grand Prix

| Year_of_race = 1950

| Previous_race_in_season = None

| Next_race_in_season = 1950 Monaco Grand Prix

| Previous_year's_race = 1949 British Grand Prix

| Next_year's_race = 1951 British Grand Prix

| Previous_designated_European_Grand_Prix = 1949 Italian Grand Prix

| Next_designated_European_Grand_Prix = 1951 French Grand Prix

}}

{{F1GP 50-59}}

British

Category:British Grand Prix

Category:European Grand Prix

Grand Prix

Category:May 1950 sports events in the United Kingdom