1950 British Grand Prix
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox Grand Prix race report
The 1950 British Grand Prix, formally known as The Royal Automobile Club Grand Prix d'Europe Incorporating The British Grand Prix,<ref name="prog">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":1" /> was a Formula One motor race held on 13 May 1950 at the Silverstone Circuit in Silverstone, England. It was the first World Championship Formula One race, as well as the fifth British Grand Prix, and the third to be held at Silverstone after motor racing resumed after World War II. It was the first race of seven in the 1950 World Championship of Drivers.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>
The 70-lap race was won by Nino Farina for the Alfa Romeo team, after starting from pole position, with a race time of 2:13:23.6 and an average speed of 146.378 km/h (90.955 mph). Luigi Fagioli finished second in another Alfa Romeo, and Reg Parnell third in a third Alfa Romeo.<ref name=":0" />
The race followed the non-championship Pau Grand Prix and San Remo Grand Prix (both won by Juan Manuel Fangio), the Richmond Trophy (won by Reg Parnell), and the Paris Grand Prix (won by Georges Grignard).<ref name=":0" />
Background
Early Formula One racing
Template:See also 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 first World Championship race
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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref name="prog" />Template:Pg<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
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.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> The race was attended by George VI, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, and the Earl & Countess Mountbatten of Burma,<ref name="DundeeET" /> which makes it the only motor race (and Formula 1 Grand Prix) in Britain attended by a reigning British monarch.<ref>Template:Cite web|access-date=16/08/2025</ref><ref>Template:Cite web|access-date=16/08/2025</ref><ref>Template:Cite web|access-date=16/08/2025</ref><ref>Template:Cite web|access-date=16/08/2025</ref>
Entries
24 drivers were entered for the first race with them competing in 22 different cars. The numbers 7 and 13 were not assigned.<ref name="Nye-p39">Template:Cite book</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
This meant that Alfa Romeo were favourites with their four drivers Farina, Fangio, Fagioli, and British driver, Reg Parnell,<ref name="Nye-p39"/> 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.<ref name=MM>Template:Cite web</ref>
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 Étancelin, 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.<ref name="DundeeET" />
- Template:Note – 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Note – 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.<ref name=espn>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Note – 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.<ref name=espn/>
- Template:Note – Entry cancelled prior to the event.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Qualifying
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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Qualifying classification
Race
On 13 May, 21 drivers from nine countries were represented at the old Silverstone airport, four from France, two from Italy, and one each from Belgium, Ireland, Monaco, Argentina, Thailand and Switzerland. The UK was represented by 9 drivers. The race drew 200,000 spectators. The cars drew up in a 4-3-4 formation. At the start of the race, Farina took the lead with Fagioli and Fangio in pursuit, while Cabantous got a poor start and lost four 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 (possibly due to clipping a straw bale)<ref name="formula1.com">https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/10-fascinating-facts-about-the-very-first-f1-race-held-at-silverstone-on.31fH6fHiwjnE5eFpPERxwd |Accessed 2025-08-15</ref> and so Farina led Fagioli home by 2.5 seconds with Parnell a distant third, despite hitting a hare during the race which caused a significant dent in the cowling of the British driver’s car.<ref name="formula1.com"/> 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.<ref name="DundeeET" />
Race classification
- Notes
- Template:Note – Includes 1 point for fastest lap
- Template:Note – 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.
- Template:Note – Peter Walker drove car #9 for 2 laps, then Tony Rolt drove for an additional 3 laps, totaling 5 laps.
Championship standings after the race
- Drivers' Championship standings
| Pos | Driver | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Template:Flagicon Nino Farina | 9 |
| 2 | Template:Flagicon Luigi Fagioli | 6 |
| 3 | Template:Flagicon Reg Parnell | 4 |
| 4 | Template:Flagicon Yves Giraud-Cabantous | 3 |
| 5 | Template:Flagicon Louis Rosier | 2 |
| Source:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | ||