Motorsport(s) or motor sport(s) are sporting events, competitions and related activities that primarily involve the use of automobiles , motorcycles , motorboats and powered aircraft . For each of these vehicle types, the more specific terms automobile sport , motorcycle sport , power boating and air sports may be used commonly, or officially by organisers and governing bodies.
113-655: Silverstone Circuit is a motor racing circuit in England, near the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury . It is the home of the British Grand Prix , which it first hosted as the 1948 British Grand Prix . The 1950 British Grand Prix at Silverstone was the first race in the newly created World Championship of Drivers . The race rotated between Silverstone, Aintree and Brands Hatch from 1955 to 1986, but settled permanently at
226-563: A 2-mile (3.2 km) circuit, during the course of which Geoghegan himself ran over a sheep that had wandered onto the airfield. The sheep was killed and the car was written off, and in the aftermath of this event the informal race became known as the Mutton Grand Prix . The next year the Royal Automobile Club took a lease on the airfield and set out a more formal racing circuit. Their first two races were held on
339-559: A 4½-litre Talbot-Lago. The race average speed had risen to 77.31 mph (124.42 km/h). The attendance was estimated at anything up to 120,000. Also in 1949, the first running took place of what was to become an institution at Silverstone, the International Trophy sponsored by the Daily Express and which become virtually a second Grand Prix. The first International Trophy was run on 20 August in two heats and
452-570: A Formula Libre race which put the Grand Prix into perspective; Farina drove the Thinwall Special to victory at a higher speed than the actual GP, setting the first lap record at over 100 mph (160 km/h), at 100.16 mph (161.19 km/h). The 1954 Grand Prix season was the new 2.5-litre Formula One and had attracted interest from some major players. Lancia had joined the fray with their D50 , and Daimler-Benz were back;
565-638: A Lotus. Once the most prestigious race of the motorcycle calendar, the Isle of Man TT had been increasingly boycotted by the top riders, and finally succumbed to pressure and was dropped, being replaced by the British Motorcycle Grand Prix . 1977 marked the beginning of this era, and Silverstone was the chosen venue. It took place on 14 August, with Pat Hennen riding a Suzuki RG500 to victory from Steve Baker (Yamaha). The International Trophy attracted World Championship contenders for
678-532: A chicane in just 19 days ready for the 1994 Grand Prix. Parts of the circuit, such as the starting grid, are 17 m (19 yd) wide, complying with the latest safety guidelines. With the termination of hostilities in Europe in 1945, the first motorsport event in the British Isles was held at Gransden Lodge in 1946 and the next on the Isle of Man , but there was nowhere permanent on the mainland which
791-433: A distance of eight miles. It was won by the locomotive of Isaac Watt Boulton , one of six he said he had run over the years, perhaps driven by his 22-year-old son, James W. The race was against Daniel Adamson's carriage, likely the one made for Mr. Schmidt and perhaps driven by Mr. Schmidt himself. The reports do not indicate who was driving, since both were violating the red-flag law then fully in force. Boulton's carriage
904-653: A distinct disadvantage. When the race was abandoned after only six laps, Reg Parnell was in the lead in the "Thinwall Special" ; no official winner was declared. In 1952, the RAC decided it no longer wished to run the circuit, and on 1 January the lease was taken on by the BRDC, with James Brown continuing as track manager. The lease covered only the perimeter track and other areas at specific times. The original pits between Abbey and Woodcote were demolished, and new pit facilities were constructed between Woodcote and Copse. Coinciding with
1017-419: A final. Victory in heat one went to Prince Birabongse ('Bira') and the second to Giuseppe Farina – both driving Maserati 4CLT/48s, but the final went to a Ferrari Tipo 125 driven by Alberto Ascari from Farina, with Luigi Villoresi third in another Ferrari. For this meeting, the chicane at Club Corner was dispensed with and the circuit took up a shape that was to last for 25 years. The 1950 British Grand Prix
1130-593: A high-speed test, car handling manoeuvres can be tested such as precision drifting , donuts, handbrake turns, reversing and so on. Other disciplines of automobile sport include: The international motorcycle sport governing body recognised by the International Olympic Committee is the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Disciplines include: The international powerboating governing body recognised by
1243-591: A hill, at private and closed roadways where higher speeds and distances can be reached than at an autotesting course for example. Time attack are terms used by series that run sprints at racing circuits where competitors try to set the quickest lap time rather than racing head-to-head with others. Time trials are run by the Sports Car Club of America , amongst others. Rallysprints are mainly sanctioned and held in continental Europe. Ultimately, they are similar to other time trial sprints but originate from
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#17327729745011356-714: A notable first and last – the first and only appearance of the American Scarab and the last appearance of the Vanwall, in the hands of Surtees. The race was wet and Moss demonstrated his supreme prowess in Rob Walker's Cooper by lapping all but Brabham twice. In 1962, the second year of the Formula, the International Trophy was run for the 1.5 litre cars. This was the classic occasion when Hill in
1469-452: A race is between competitors running head-to-head, in its International Sporting Code, the FIA defines racing as two or more cars competing on the same course simultaneously. Circuit racing takes place on sealed-surface courses at permanent autodromes or on temporary street circuits . Competitors race over a set number of laps of the circuit with the winner being the first to finish, or for
1582-467: A rejuvenated phrase with the coming of Group C ; the BRDC and l'Automobile Club de l'Ouest instituted a joint Silverstone/Le Mans Challenge Trophy. The trophy eventually went to Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell in a Porsche 956 , but at Silverstone they could not make maximum use of the fuel allowance and victory went to the Lancia LC1 of Riccardo Patrese and Michele Alboreto . The winning car completed
1695-464: A sealed surface such as asphalt or concrete. Notable off-road races on open terrain include the Baja 1000 desert race, organised by SCORE International . The FIA authorise Extreme E , an electric off-road series whose organisers have announced a hydrogen fuel series, Extreme H, to begin in 2025. Examples of off-road racing disciplines and series include: Drag racing is an acceleration contest from
1808-493: A set length of time with the winner having completed the highest number of laps, with others classified subsequently. Circuit racing replaced point-to-point (city-to-city) racing early in the history of motorsport, for both spectator appeal and as safety concerns brought in regulation of the sport, forcing organisers to use closed, marshalled and policed circuits on closed public roads. Aspendale Racecourse in Australia in 1906
1921-399: A standing start along a short and straight course. Vehicles of various types can compete, usually between two vehicles. Winners can be the first to finish of competing pairs or by setting the fastest time, and competitions may have heats and/or series of runs. Kart racing is a form of circuit racing using very small and low vehicles not considered as automobiles known as go-karts. It is one of
2034-453: Is a form of motorsport where drivers intentionally lose rolling traction in corners through oversteering but maintain momentum with effective throttle control, clutch use and corrective steering. In competition a panel of judges award marks on artistry and car control through the corner or series of corners. Competitions often feature pairs of cars driving together where a lead car and a chase car go head-to-head, with only one car going through to
2147-498: Is called a series, and a grouping of competitions often forms the basis of a championship , cup or trophy . Not all nations have a sporting authority affiliated with the FIA, some disciplines may not fall within the FIA's remit of control, or organisations may choose to ignore the claim of the authority of others. Examples include banger racing and stock car racing in the United Kingdom which are claimed by both
2260-611: Is not concerned solely to Formula One however, and 1976 saw one of the closest finishes in endurance racing during the Silverstone Six-Hour race, which was a round of the World Championship for Makes. The series was almost a German benefit that season as the main contenders were the Porsche 935s and BMW 3-litre CSLs (common known as the 'Batmobiles'). Porsche had had the upper hand in the opening rounds of
2373-555: The British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) take over the lease from the RAC, and set about making the circuit into something more permanent. The International Trophy attracted the cream of Formula One, including the seemingly invincible Alfas, driven by Fangio and Farina. However, the weather worsened for the final and visibility was almost nil, and in those conditions the Alfettas with their supercharged engines were at
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#17327729745012486-689: The International Olympic Committee is the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM). The organisation's origins date back to 1922. The international air sports governing body recognised by the International Olympic Committee is the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). The FAI also governs non-powered air sport such as gliding and ballooning, however its motorised sports include: San Marino Grand Prix The San Marino Grand Prix ( Italian : Gran Premio di San Marino )
2599-527: The Renault RS10 with Jean-Pierre Jarier third in the Tyrrell 009. The winners average speed was 138.80 mph (223.38 km/h). The 1979 British Motorcycle Grand Prix was again held at Silverstone and would be one of the closest races in the history of Motorcycle Grand Prix racing. The 1978 winner Kenny Roberts and the pair of works Suzuki riders, Barry Sheene and Wil Hartog broke away from
2712-635: The United States , dirt track racing became popular. After World War II , the Grand Prix circuit became more formally organised. In the United States, stock car racing and drag racing became firmly established. The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), formed in 1904, is the oldest and most prominent international governing body. It claims to be the sole international motor sporting authority for automobiles and other land vehicles with four or more wheels, whilst acknowledging
2825-663: The 1965 season, BRM had taken a chance and signed Jackie Stewart straight from Formula Three; the International Trophy was only his fourth Formula One race, but despite this he won handsomely from Surtees in the Ferrari. When the Formula One returned for the British Grand Prix later that year, Stewart finished a creditable fifth. Fellow Scot, Clark won the race in his Lotus-Climax 33 from the BRM P261 of Hill and
2938-470: The 235 laps (687 miles) being completed at 114.602 mph (184.434 km/h). The only other to complete the full race distance was the Siegfried Brunn / Jürgen Barth (Porsche 908/3), with a Porsche 935K Turbo driven by John Paul and Brian Redman third, a lap down. 1981 saw the arrival of the one-one-one grid, staggered in two rows. The turbocharged era saw Renault occupying the front row of
3051-531: The 240 laps at a speed of 128.5 mph (206.8 km/h), with the second-place car three laps adrift, that of Ickx/Bell. The final podium place went to the Joest Racing Porsche 936C Turbo of Bob Wollek/ Jean-Michel Martin / Philippe Martin . May 1983 saw the running of the Silverstone 1000 kilometres, which was a round of the newly instigated World Endurance Championship. Porsche dominated
3164-486: The 28 entries were Cosworth-powered, there being just two Ferraris to challenge them. Tom Pryce placed his Shadow DN5 on pole for the 1975 Grand Prix, but an accident destroyed his chances as the race was run in appalling weather and it was stopped at two-thirds distance, following multiple cars crashing on the very wet circuit. Victory went to Fittipaldi (McLaren M23) from Carlos Pace ( Brabham BT44 B) and Scheckter (Tyrrell 007). International motor racing at Silverstone
3277-571: The 3-litre era was now into its fifth season; it was also the year when sponsorship came to the fore. Ken Tyrrell became a constructor and Jackie Stewart won at Silverstone driving the Tyrrell 003 on his way to a second World Championship. Ronnie Peterson was second in March 711 from Emerson Fittipaldi in Lotus 72D ; all were Cosworth-powered in what fast becoming Formula Super Ford; the race average
3390-631: The ASNs must be obtained to organise events using their rules, and their licenses must be held by participants. Not all ASNs function in the same manner, some are private companies such as Motorsport UK, some are supported by the state such as France's FFSA, or in the case of the US's ACCUS, a council of sanctioning bodies is the national representative at FIA meetings. ASNs, their affiliated clubs or independent commercial promotors organise motorsport events which often include competitions . A collective of events
3503-455: The BRDC taking over the running of the Grand Prix, there was a little unrest within the sport which led to the downgrading of Grand Prix racing to Formula Two , which was won by Alberto Ascari at 90.9 mph (146.3 km/h) from his Ferrari teammate Piero Taruffi – both driving the Tipo 500 . The podium was completed by Mike Hawthorn driving a Cooper-Bristol T12 . The International Trophy
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3616-606: The BRM crossed the finishing line almost sideways to snatch victory from Jim Clark 's Lotus 24 ; both drivers were credited with the same race time. Clark was to win the British Grand Prix when it returned to Silverstone in 1963, driving the Lotus-Climax 25 . By now, even Ferrari had succumbed to the rear-engined layout, but sent only one to Northamptonshire for Surtees ( Ferrari 156 ). He finished second, ahead of three BRM P57 's of Hill, Richie Ginther and Lorenzo Bandini . For
3729-475: The BRM was troubled by fading brakes which led to Hill spinning off at Copse Corner. 1961 was the year of the new 1.5 litre Formula One introduced by the governing body on safety grounds – it met with strong opposition in Britain which gave birth to the short-lived Intercontinental Formula , which extended the life of the now-obsolete Formula One cars. The International Trophy was run to this Formula and produced
3842-560: The Brazilian unfit for racing. 1988 saw the McLaren duo of Prost and Senna totally dominate; they were both three seconds faster in qualifying than the next-fastest qualifier Piquet in a Lotus. 1989 saw the circuit renamed as Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari to honor the memory of Enzo Ferrari, who had died the year before. It was another notable event which saw Austrian Gerhard Berger crash heavily while going straight on at Tamburello; he
3955-517: The Brit, the rest of the podium was taken by the Connaughts of Archie Scott Brown and Desmond Titterington . For 1958 drastic rule changes were introduced into Formula One, Fangio had retired and Maserati had withdrawn due to financial difficulties. Throughout the season the battle was between Ferrari and Vanwall and it was fervently hoped that Vandervell would success at home but it was not to be;
4068-475: The Ferrari of Surtees. The following year, the new 3-litre Formula One was heralded as the "Return of Power" , however the first Grand Prix under these regulations was held at Brands Hatch. It was not until 1967 that the big-engined cars came to Northamptonshire. The result remained unchanged, with Clark winning in the Lotus-Cosworth 49 at a race average speed of 117.6 mph (189.3 km/h). Second
4181-664: The Grand Prix. Italians Elio de Angelis and Riccardo Patrese won in 1985 and 1990, respectively. Michael Schumacher won the race seven times and Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost both won it three times. Williams and Ferrari have both won eight times and McLaren six times. Imola would return to the F1 race calendar in 2020 and beyond under the name of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix as opposed to being named after San Marino . Teams in bold are competing in
4294-548: The Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border and is accessed from the nearby A43 . The Northamptonshire towns of Towcester (5 miles (8.0 km)) and Brackley (7 miles (11 km)) and the town of Buckingham , (situated in Buckinghamshire) (6 miles (9.7 km)) are close by, and the nearest city is Milton Keynes , the home of Formula One team Oracle Red Bull Racing . Many F1 teams have bases in
4407-639: The Oshkosh and the Green Bay (the machines were referred to by their town of origin). This is examined and illustrated in detail in The Great Race of 1878 by Richard Backus, Farm Collector, May/June 2004. In 1894, the French newspaper Le Petit Journal organised a contest for horseless carriages featuring a run from Paris to Rouen. This is widely accepted as the world's first motorsport event, and
4520-690: The Oval Racing Council and the National Stock car Association, despite the claim by the FIA affiliated ASN, Motorsport UK , to be the "governing body of all four-wheel motorsport in the UK". SCORE International , National Auto Sport Association and National Off-Road Racing Association of the United States are also not members of the FIA affiliation system but may work with members for international matters. Although English dictionaries do not unanimously agree and singularly define that
4633-499: The Silverstone Six-Hours, a round of the World Championship for Makes. A 3.2-litre Porsche 935 won in the hands of Jacky Ickx and Jochen Mass from a 3.0-litre version driven by Wollek and Henri Pescarolo ; third and fourth were BMW 320s handled by Harald Grohs / Eddy Joosen and Freddy Kottulinsky / Markus Hotz . The race was run over 235 laps of the Grand Prix circuit to make a total of a little over 689 miles which
Silverstone Circuit - Misplaced Pages Continue
4746-595: The Silverstone track in 1987. The circuit also hosts the British round of the MotoGP series. The Silverstone circuit is on the site of a Royal Air Force bomber station, RAF Silverstone , which was operational between 1943 and 1946. The station was the base for the No. 17 Operational Training Unit. The airfield's three runways, in classic WWII triangle format , lie within the outline of the present track. The circuit straddles
4859-503: The UK, but Aston Martin (formerly Force India ) is the closest to the track, with a new base having just been built under a kilometre from the race circuit. Silverstone was first used for motorsport by an 'ad hoc' group of friends who set up an impromptu race in September 1947. One of their members, Maurice Geoghegan, lived in nearby Silverstone village and was aware that the airfield was deserted. He and eleven other drivers raced over
4972-644: The Variante Bassa chicane. Senna won the race, Prost finished second. In 1990 pole-sitter Senna suffered a puncture on the third lap; leaving Nigel Mansell and Berger to battle hard for the lead. Mansell did a full 360 degree spin on the straight between Tamburello and Villeneuve after Berger forced the Englishman onto the grass; Mansell kept the Ferrari on the road; but because of this spin the V12 engine got grass in it and failed soon after. Riccardo Patrese won
5085-399: The Variante Bassa was straightened. It was also the catalyst to changes being made to other circuits, and the sport as a whole, in an attempt to make it safer. That year and the next saw Damon Hill win, and 1998 saw Briton David Coulthard take a marginal victory while his Mercedes engine was failing. 1999 to 2004 saw a romp of victories by Michael Schumacher , with the exception of 2001 which
5198-481: The Villeneuve Corner after his front wing, which he damaged on his first qualifying lap, broke off and Ratzenberger, unable to steer the car into the corner, crashed almost head on into a retaining wall close to the track at nearly 195 mph, suffered a basilar skull fracture and was killed. On race day, Benetton driver JJ Lehto and Lotus driver Pedro Lamy collided at the start, with debris flying over
5311-493: The appearance of Lancia meant that there were three Italian teams competing at the highest level, the others being Ferrari and Maserati. The British were catered for by the Owen Racing Organisation with their BRMs , the Vanwall of Tony Vandervell and Connaught still competing, while Cooper-Bristol were not to be forgotten. At the start of the season, Mercedes-Benz had swept all before them, but Silverstone
5424-412: The authority of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) over vehicles with one to three wheels, which FIM calls motorcycle sport. FIM and FIA are both recognised as international sports federations by the International Olympic Committee . Within the FIA's structure, each affiliated National Sporting Authority ( ASN ) is recognised as the sole authority in their nation. Permission of
5537-424: The back of the grid of 25 cars) ahead of Bob Gerard in his ERA R14B/C . The race was 239 miles (385 km) long and was run at an average speed of 72.28 mph (116.32 km/h). Fourth place went to Louis Rosier 's Talbot-Lago T26, followed home by 'Bira' in another Maserati 4CLT/48. The second Grand Prix at Silverstone was scheduled for May 1949 and was officially designated the British Grand Prix. It
5650-519: The cars and courses used in special stage rallying with the elements of navigation and itinerary removed, and not necessarily requiring a co-driver to call pacenotes . Rallying involves driving to a set itinerary, following a prescribed route and arriving and departing at control points at set times with penalties applied for diverging from the route or arriving late and early. Rallies nearly always involve routes on open roads, closed special stages are used on some rallies where competitors drive against
5763-516: The character of a particular competition, series or championship. Groups of these are often categorised informally, such as by vehicle type, surface type or propulsion method. Examples of categories within a discipline are formula racing , touring car racing , sports car racing , etc. The first prearranged match race of two self-powered road vehicles over a prescribed route occurred in the north west of England at 4:30 A.M. on August 30, 1867, between Ashton-under-Lyne and Old Trafford, Manchester ,
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#17327729745015876-699: The clock, the winner having the shortest, lowest average or total time. Hillclimbing events often include classes of competition for various categories and ages of vehicle and so may be incorporated into car shows or festivals of motoring such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed . Hill climb courses can be short at less than 1 mile, or several miles long such as the 12.42 mile Pikes Peak course in Colorado , USA. Sprints are governed by national FIA member ASNs in United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia, amongst other places. They are held on courses that do not climb
5989-519: The clock. The classification of these rallies are determined by summing the times set with the fastest crews being victorious, as found in the World Rally Championship . This method is often called rally racing or stage rallying informally, whilst rallies that do not include special stages are distinctly regularity rallies . Rallies that include routes that cover terrain off-road are also known as rally raid or cross-country rallies,
6102-538: The construction of a new road linking existing public roads, which was used by the local car manufacturers to test their prototypes. Construction began in March 1950. The first test run took place two years later when Enzo Ferrari sent a car to the track and Alberto Ascari ran some demonstration laps. In April 1953, the first motorcycle races took place at Imola, and the first car race took place in June 1954. In April 1963,
6215-528: The end of the 1982 season were commonplace; 1 or 2 drivers were killed every season. Much stronger and more efficient materials (such as carbon fibre) in the cars' construction and an increase in track and driver safety over the years meant that fatalities became considerably less frequent. Minor injuries were usually the worst a driver received in even big accidents, such as Nelson Piquet's accident in 1987 and Gerhard Berger's in 1989. But after this disastrous 1994 event, many circuits were temporarily modified during
6328-489: The event, taking the first five places, with Derek Bell and Stefan Bellof bringing their 956 home ahead of Wollek and Stefan Johansson in an identical car. Motor racing Different manifestations of motorsport with their own objectives and specific rules are called disciplines. Examples include circuit racing , rallying and trials . Governing bodies, also called sanctioning bodies, often have general rules for each discipline, but allow supplementary rules to define
6441-490: The fences injuring eight spectators. On Lap 7, Williams driver Ayrton Senna , after a possible mechanical issue with his car, ran off course at the high-speed Tamburello. Senna first came off the track at 325 km/h (195 mph), downshifting twice to 225 km/h (135 mph) before colliding with the wall. A piece of suspension and the right front wheel came off, these items both hit and pierced Senna's helmet at extremely high speeds and caused critical head injuries; as
6554-400: The final lap of the race. Following the deaths of Senna and fellow Grand Prix driver Roland Ratzenberger at Imola in 1994, many Grand Prix circuits were modified in order to reduce speed and increase driver safety. As a consequence of this the entry from Hangar Straight into Stowe Corner was modified in 1995 to improve the run off area. In addition, the flat-out Abbey kink was modified to
6667-500: The first race with Formula One cars took place at Imola, as a non-championship event, won by Jim Clark for Lotus . A further non-championship event took place at Imola in 1979, which was won by Niki Lauda for Brabham - Alfa Romeo . In 1980, the Italian Grand Prix moved from the high-speed Monza circuit to Imola (later known as Autodromo Dino Ferrari ), as a direct result of 1978's startline pile-up, which claimed
6780-421: The following 38 years. For the 1975 meeting a chicane was introduced to try to tame speeds through Woodcote Corner (although MotoGP would still use the circuit without the chicane up until 1986), and Bridge Corner was subtly rerouted in 1987 . The track underwent a major redesign between the 1990 and 1991 races, transforming the ultra-fast track (where, in its last years, fourth or fifth gear, depending on
6893-439: The general form of time trials and sprints. Hillclimbing is the most widely known form of time-trial due to its status as the only time trial or sprint form to have international FIA championships and endorsement. Its origins begin near the start of motorsport, particularly with the trials held that tested the capabilities of early automobiles to tackle uphill gradients. Contestants complete an uphill course individually and against
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#17327729745017006-447: The general rule of participants completing a course individually with the intention of setting the shortest time or highest average speed. This form of motorsport can be recreational or when competitive, rules may vary slightly such as whether to include the total time of several runs, the best time set, or the average pace of multiple courses to classify competitors. Qualifying sessions for circuit races and special stages in rallying take
7119-421: The green cars fell apart, Stuart Lewis-Evans the best placed finisher in fourth. Victory went to Collins from Hawthorn, both driving Ferrari Dino 246s . The crowd of 120,000 witnessed a trio of British drivers on the podium with Roy Salvadori coming home third in one of John Cooper's Coventry-Climax rear-engined powered cars. At the British Grand Prix of 1960, the front-engined cars were completely outclassed,
7232-564: The grid, and turbo-engined Ferraris fourth and eighth. The Renaults dominated the race, but total reliability was still lacking and the victory went to John Watson in a McLaren MP4/1 . Second place went to Carlos Reutemann in the Williams FW07 C from the Talbot-Ligier JS17 of Jacques Laffite , a lap down; the race speed was down a little at 137.64 mph (221.51 km/h). For 1982, endurance sport car racing entered
7345-413: The institution of the World Championship for Driver, and Silverstone witnessed the first time that Alfa Romeo 158 'Alfettas' had been seen in England, and they took the first three places in the hands of Giuseppe Farina, Luigi Fagioli and Reg Parnell , with the race average having increased to 90.96 mph (146.39 km/h); however the race distance had been reduced to 205 miles (330 km). 1951
7458-524: The last time in 1978 but the race witnessed the début of the epoch-making Lotus 79 in the hands of Mario Andretti . Such events as this gave the Formula One also-rans a chance to start, which they were normally denied in Grands Prix; two such were the Theodore and Fittipaldi . Keke Rosberg won the former in atrocious conditions from Fittipaldi in his namesake car. 14 May witnessed the running of
7571-437: The late 1930s had the title of 'Donington Grand Prix'). In August 1948, Andrews employed James Brown on a three-month contract to create the Grand Prix circuit in less than two months. Nearly 40 years later, Brown died while still employed by the circuit. Despite possible concerns about the weather, the 1948 British Grand Prix began at Silverstone on Thursday 30 September 1948. The race took place on 2 October. The new circuit
7684-569: The lead. 1984 saw Prost win in a McLaren, and 1985 was yet another exciting race. Brazilian Ayrton Senna led much of the race; but Ferrari driver Stefan Johansson had started in 15th place, and was quickly making up places in only his second drive for the Prancing Horse; he passed Senna at the end of Lap 61 and took the lead. Unfortunately, Johansson had a fuel problem and retired; many others subsequently began to run out of fuel and Prost finished 1st only to be disqualified later when his car
7797-605: The life of the popular Swedish driver Ronnie Peterson . It was won by Nelson Piquet for Brabham - Ford . The following year, the Italian Grand Prix returned to Monza. This left the owners of the Imola circuit without a Grand Prix. They were eager to remain on the calendar, however, and with an Italian Grand Prix already on the calendar, they asked the Automobile Club of San Marino, the motorsport authority of
7910-582: The most famous example being the Dakar Rally . In the United States, the National Off-Road Racing Association (NORRA) was founded in 1967 along with the Baja 1000 . Since the 1990s, this race has been organised by SCORE International whilst NORRA's events have closer followed the FIA regulations and standards for cross country rallies, although the association has no affiliation to ACCUS , the US's FIA member. Drifting
8023-490: The nearby Republic of San Marino , to apply for their own Grand Prix. Their application was successful and the San Marino Grand Prix was born. The 1981 event saw Canadian Gilles Villeneuve qualify his Ferrari on pole position. He led the race for the first 19 laps until he pitted for fresh tyres. His teammate Didier Pironi inherited the lead but was eventually caught by Nelson Piquet , who eventually won
8136-494: The next heat or winning the competition. Autocross has multiple general meanings based on country of use. Also known as Autocross in US and Canada and Autoslalom in Continental Europe, these similar disciplines are held in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. They involve precise car control, usually but not always against the clock on very short and compact temporary courses. Rather than being
8249-473: The podium and Mika Häkkinen finishing fifth. 1992 saw the Williams pair of Nigel Mansell and Patrese dominate, and 1993 saw Prost win, now driving a Williams. The 1994 event is considered to be the blackest weekend in the history of the sport since the 1960 Belgian Grand Prix and it was to mark a watershed of developments to make the sport safer. It was marred by several accidents and two driver deaths over
8362-469: The podium going to the Coventry-Climax–powered cars, with victory going to Jack Brabham in the works Cooper T53 from John Surtees and Innes Ireland in their Lotus 18s . Although the race is remembered as the race lost by Graham Hill , rather than won by Brabham. Hill stalled his BRM on the grid, left the line in last place, then proceeded to carve through the whole field. Once in the lead,
8475-402: The race in a Williams, followed by Berger, who had wrecked his tyres and couldn't keep Patrese from passing him. The 1991 was a rain-soaked event, and Prost spun off on the grass at Rivazza on the parade lap, stalling the engine. Gerhard Berger did the same, but he kept his McLaren going; McLaren finished first and second, with Senna in front of Berger, with Finnish new-boys JJ Lehto finishing on
8588-571: The race with Riccardo Patrese taking second and Carlos Reutemann coming home third. 1982 saw another memorable race; it was boycotted by most of the FOCA teams and was a turning point in Formula One's history. Only 14 cars competed, and after the Renaults of Alain Prost and René Arnoux retired, Ferrari had no competition, and finished first and second. However, Ferrari's triumph was not so clean-cut. Teammates Villeneuve and Pironi battled fiercely on
8701-491: The rest of the field. After a few laps, Hartog fell off the pace as Sheene and Roberts continued to swap the lead throughout the 28-lap event, the American winning for the second time ahead of Sheene by a narrow margin of just three-hundreds of a second. In May 1980, sports cars returned in the form of the Silverstone Six-Hours, which was won by Alain de Cadenet driving a car bearing his own name, partnered by Desiré Wilson ;
8814-500: The runways themselves, with long straights separated by tight hairpin corners, the track demarcated by hay bales. However, for the 1949 International Trophy meeting, it was decided to switch to the perimeter track. This arrangement was used for the 1950 and 1951 Grands Prix. In 1952 the start line was moved from the Farm Straight to the straight linking Woodcote and Copse corners, and this layout remained largely unaltered for
8927-650: The season to make them slower, particularly the fearsome Eau Rouge corner at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium, which was made into a temporary chicane. The regulations for the cars' design were changed throughout the season, and a raft of changes were to follow for the next season. For 1995, the Tamburello and Villeneuve corners - which had seen a number of heavy shunts over the years - were altered from flat-out sweeping bends into slower chicanes, and
9040-465: The series, but at Silverstone things were different. John Fitzpatrick and Tom Walkinshaw kept their BMW ahead to win by 197 yd (180 m) (1.18secs) from the Bob Wollek / Hans Heyer Porsche 935 Turbo. Third was a Porsche 934 Turbo in the hands of Leo Kinnunen and Egon Evertz . The 1977 British Grand Prix saw the beginning of a revolution in Formula One, for towards the back of the grid
9153-464: The slow, long Tosa corner first would stay in front. But as the two teammates started, Prost got the better start and led going into Tamburello. However, Senna got alongside Prost going through the flat-out Villeneuve right-hander and passed the Frenchman into Tosa. Prost was furious, as he saw this as a broken agreement. He followed and attempted to pass Senna on many occasions, eventually going off at
9266-527: The sports regulated by FIA (under the name of CIK), permitting licensed competition racing for anyone from the age of 8 onward. It is generally accepted as the most economical form of motorsport available on four wheels. As a free-time activity, it can be performed by almost anybody, and as karting circuits can be indoors and not take as much space as other forms of motorsport, it can be accessible to retail consumers without much qualification or training. Non-racing speed competitions have various names but all carry
9379-453: The time the Grand Prix returned to Silverstone in 1956, Mercedes-Benz had gone, as had Lancia as an independent entrant, the cars having been handed to Scuderia Ferrari, who ran them as 'Lancia-Ferraris'. The great Fangio scored his only British Grand Prix win in one of these cars. Second was another Lancia-Ferrari which had started the race in the hands of Alfonso de Portago , but was taken over by Peter Collins at half-distance and third place
9492-400: The track, but while the third-placed Tyrrell of Michele Alboreto was far behind, Ferrari ordered their drivers to slow down to minimize the risk of mechanical failure or running out of fuel. Villeneuve believed this order also meant that the cars were to maintain position on the track. However, Pironi believed that the cars were free to race, and passed Villeneuve. Villeneuve believed that Pironi
9605-463: The transmission of the car, was used for every corner except the Bridge chicane which was usually taken in second gear) into a more technical track. The reshaped track's first Formula One race was won by Nigel Mansell in front of his home crowd. On his victory lap back to the pits Mansell picked up stranded rival Ayrton Senna to give him a lift on his side-pod after his McLaren had run out of fuel on
9718-603: The true meaning of the order to slow down. Villeneuve's expression was sullen on the podium, enraged by Pironi's actions. He was quoted afterwards as saying, "I'll never speak to Pironi again in my life." They proved to be prophetic words, as he was still not on speaking terms with his teammate when he died during qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix two weeks later. 1983 saw Ferrari win again, with Patrick Tambay taking top honors and Riccardo Patrese crashing his Brabham hard at Acquaminerale while battling with Tambay for
9831-470: The weekend. On the Friday, during practice, Jordan driver Rubens Barrichello suffered a severe concussion in a collision at the Variante Bassa chicane in which he decelerated violently, went off the banked kerbing and into the fence protecting the crowd from the circuit. The young Brazilian was knocked unconscious for a few minutes. The next day, in qualifying, Simtek driver Roland Ratzenberger crashed at
9944-434: The winning car covered at 114.914 mph (184.936 km/h). Come the 1979 Grand Prix and the passage of two years had made a great difference to the performance of the turbocharged Renaults; the car which qualified on the last row in 1977 was now on the front row beside Alan Jones in the Williams FW07 . When Jones's Cosworth expired, his teammate Clay Regazzoni moved into the lead, going on to win from René Arnoux in
10057-580: Was Jean Behra in a Maserati 250F. Matters were somewhat happier for the British enthusiast at the International Trophy; a quality field had been attracted including Fangio and Collins in their Lancia-Ferraris, but the 13 laps of the race were led by the new BRM P25 driven by Hawthorn. When the engine of the BRM expired, Stirling Moss in the Vanwall took over, going on to win. With the Lancias broken by
10170-413: Was 130.5 mph (210.0 km/h). 1973 was the year that Jody Scheckter lost control of his McLaren at the completion of the first lap, spinning into the pit wall and setting in motion the biggest accident ever seen on a British motor racing circuit. The race was stopped on lap two and the carnage cleared away; it speaks highly for the construction of the cars that only one driver was injured. The race
10283-540: Was Kiwi Denny Hulme aboard the Brabham-Repco , from the Ferrari 312 of his fellow countrymen Chris Amon . There was a frightening increase in race average speed in 1969, for it rose by 10 mph (16 km/h), to 127.2 mph (204.7 km/h) when Stewart won in his Matra-Cosworth MS80 from Jacky Ickx (Brabham-Cosworth BT26) and Bruce McLaren driving one of his own Cosworth-powered M7Cs . By 1971,
10396-764: Was a Formula One championship race which was run at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari in the town of Imola , near the Apennine mountains in Italy , between 1981 and 2006. It was named after nearby San Marino as there already was an Italian Grand Prix held at Monza even though the Imola Circuit was in Italy and not within San Marino's own territory. In 1980, when Monza
10509-426: Was a débâcle for the team, which returned to Untertürkheim in defeat. The 263 miles (423 km) race was won by González from Hawthorn in the works 625s , with Onofre Marimón third in the works Maserati 250F . The best Mercedes driver was pole-man Fangio in his W196 . From 1955, the Grand Prix was alternated between Aintree and Silverstone, until 1964 when Brands Hatch took over as the alternative venue. By
10622-473: Was a significant occasion for three reasons: it was the first ever World Championship Grand Prix, carrying the title of the European Grand Prix; it was the first race in the newly created World Championship of Drivers ; and the event was graced by the presence of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth – the first and only time a reigning monarch has attended a motor race in Britain. The year was
10735-490: Was changed to a chicane and a right-hander known as the Villeneuve curve. These modifications forced the drivers to slow down, therefore made the track much safer. The reaction to these tragedies towards the sport itself was stunning. Not only had two drivers been killed, one being a triple World Champion, but these were the first fatalities in eight years, and the first at a race meeting in twelve years. Fatalities up until
10848-661: Was developed from a scrapped John Bridge Adams light-rail vehicle. These were solid fired steam carriages. This event and the details of the vehicles are recorded in the contemporary press, The Engineer , and in Fletcher's books. The Wisconsin legislature passed an act in 1875 offering a substantial purse for the first US motor race, which was run on July 16, 1878, over a 200-mile course from Green Bay to Appleton, Oshkosh, Waupon, Watertown, Fort Atkinson and Janesville, then turning north and ending in Madison. Only two actually competed:
10961-483: Was knocked unconscious and the car, after coming to rest and being soaked with fuel, burst into flames. The Austrian survived this crash, and only received burns to his hands and missed the next race, the Monaco Grand Prix. The race was red-flagged and restarted, generating one of the most famous and acrimonious rivalries in sports history. McLaren teammates Prost and Senna made an agreement that whoever got to
11074-489: Was marked out with oil drums and straw bales and consisted of the perimeter road and the runways running into the centre of the airfield from two directions. Spectators were contained behind rope barriers and the officials were housed in tents. An estimated 100,000 spectators watched the race. There were no factory entries but Scuderia Ambrosiana sent two Maserati 4CLT/48s for Luigi Villoresi and Alberto Ascari who finished in that order (notwithstanding having started from
11187-480: Was memorable for it saw the defeat of the Alfas, with victory going to the popular Argentinian driver, Froilán González driving the Ferrari 375 . His fellow countryman Juan Manuel Fangio was second in an Alfa Romeo 159B , and Luigi Villoresi in another Ferrari 375 was third. The race distance had increased to 263 miles (423 km), and the race average speed was now 96.11 mph (154.67 km/h). 1951 also saw
11300-585: Was notable in 1952, in that it saw a rare victory for Hersham and Walton Motors when Lance Macklin had a win. The same situation continued into 1953 with the World Championship being run for Formula Two cars. The race was a straight fight between the Maserati and Ferrari teams, with victory going to Ascari at 92.9 mph (149.5 km/h) aboard a Ferrari Tipo 500, from the Maserati A6GCM of Fangio and another Tipo 500 of Farina. The racecard included
11413-458: Was simply trying to spice up an otherwise dull race, and duly re-passed his teammate, assuming that he would then hold station for the remainder of the race. Thus, Villeneuve failed to protect the inside line going into the Tosa corner on the final lap, and Pironi passed him to take the win. Villeneuve was irate at what he saw as Pironi's betrayal, although opinion inside the Ferrari team was split over
11526-419: Was subsequently ascertained, Senna was killed instantly. Later in the race, a wheel from Michele Alboreto's Minardi came off while he was exiting the pitlane; it hit and injured 4 mechanics from Ferrari and Lotus. German Michael Schumacher won the race, with Ferrari temporary replacement Nicola Larini finishing second, but there were no celebrations at all. After these tragic events, Tamburello's flat-out left
11639-624: Was suitable. In 1948, Royal Automobile Club (RAC), under the chairmanship of Wilfred Andrews , set its mind upon running a Grand Prix and started to cast around public roads on the mainland. There was no possibility of closing the public highway as could happen on the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands; it was a time of austerity and there was no question of building a new circuit from scratch, so some viable alternative had to be found. A considerable number of ex-RAF airfields existed, and it
11752-483: Was the first purpose-built motor racing track in the world. After which, permanent autodromes popularly replaced circuits on public roads. In North America, the term road racing is used to describe racing and courses that have origins in racing on public highways; distinguished from oval racing , which has origins at purpose-built speedways using concrete or wooden boards . Off-road racing can take place on open terrain with no set path, or on circuits that do not have
11865-645: Was the first to involve what would become known as automobiles. On 28 November 1895, the Chicago Times-Herald race , running from Chicago to Evanston and back, a distance of sixty miles, was held. This is believed to be the first motorsport event in the United States of America. In 1900, the Gordon Bennett Cup was established. Motorsport was a demonstration event at the 1900 Summer Olympics . Following World War I , European countries organised Grand Prix races over closed courses. In
11978-512: Was the product of Règie Renault which was exploiting a rule in F1 regulations that allowed the use of 1.5-litre turbocharged engines. The Renault RS01 expired early in the race. Ulsterman John Watson had an early battle with James Hunt , but the fuel system in Watson's Brabham-Alfa Romeo let him down and the winner Hunt ( McLaren M26 ) won at a speed of 130.36 mph (209.79 km/h), with Niki Lauda second for Ferrari from Gunnar Nilsson in
12091-567: Was to these the RAC turned their attention to with particular interest being paid to two near the centre of England – Snitterfield near Stratford-upon-Avon and one behind the village of Silverstone . The latter was still under the control of the Air Ministry, but a lease was arranged in August 1948 and plans put into place to run the first British Grand Prix since the RAC last ran one at Brooklands in 1927 (those held at Donington Park in
12204-411: Was to use the full perimeter track with a chicane inserted at Club Corner. The length of the second circuit was exactly three miles and the race run over 100 laps, making it the longest post-war Grand Prix held in England. There were again 25 starters and victory went to a 'San Remo' Maserati 4CLT/48 , this time in the hands of Toulo de Graffenried , from Bob Gerard in his familiar ERA and Louis Rosier in
12317-521: Was under refurbishment, the Imola track was used for the 51st Italian Grand Prix . The area around Imola is home to several racing car manufacturers – namely Ferrari , Lamborghini , Maserati , Racing Bulls (RB) (formerly known as Minardi , Toro Rosso and AlphaTauri ), Dallara and Stanguellini . Following the Second World War , the town launched a program to try to improve the local economy. Four local motor racing enthusiasts proposed
12430-412: Was weighed in as 2 kg underweight; victory was then handed to 2nd-placed Italian Elio de Angelis . 1986 saw Prost win yet again in a fuel-starved race. 1987 saw Senna take pole position narrowly from Briton Nigel Mansell ; his teammate Nelson Piquet had a huge crash at Tamburello, and although he only received minor injuries, he did not participate in the race due to FIA doctor Sid Watkins declaring
12543-414: Was won Scheckter's teammate, Peter Revson ( McLaren M23-Cosworth ) from Peterson (Lotus 72E) and Denny Hulme (McLaren M23). The race average speed had risen again to 131.75 mph (212.03 km/h). The 1973 débâcle wrought changes upon Silverstone as it was deemed necessary to slow these cars through Woodcote, therefore a chicane was inserted. "Formula Super Ford" reached its peak in 1975, when 26 of
12656-652: Was won by Spaniard Fernando Alonso ; and in 2006 Schumacher won for the seventh time, while Japanese driver Yuji Ide caused an accident, which flipped the car of Dutchman Christijan Albers , which cost him his FIA superlicense. On 29 August 2006 it was announced that the race would be dropped from the calendar for the 2007 season to make room for the Belgian Grand Prix . It has not featured since. In contrast to motorbike racing, where there have been riders from San Marino, such as Manuel Poggiali and Alex De Angelis , no San Marinese drivers ever competed in
12769-562: Was won by his brother Ralf . 2000 featured dominance from Mika Häkkinen and Schumacher , the Finn dropped back after hitting a piece of debris, losing time and having a slower pit stop meaning the German was able to come out on top. 2004 saw BAR driver Jenson Button take a surprise pole position from the dominant Ferrari pair of Schumacher and Barrichello : Button finished second in the race behind Schumacher, who won 13 races that year. 2005
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