The British Grand Prix has hosted some historic races.
The 2020 British Grand Prix is the first of two at Silverstone, thanks to the drastically altered Formula One season.
Famous Silverstone Moments:
With two races taking place this year, the first has been allocated the British Grand Prix title. The second race, which will take place the following weekend, is the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix.
As motorsport fans ready themselves for F1 betting online, we reflect back on the best, and most famous, British Grand Prix…
Herbert Wins In 1995
It’s not the first time that Damon Hill and Michael Schumacher feature in this piece. The two championship rivals clashed as Hill tried to regain the race lead in 1995.
Their misjudgement was Johnny Herbert’s gain, however, who had inherited the lead of the British Grand Prix as a result of the incident.
Herbert’s Benetton was being pursued by a young David Coulthard in the second Williams. The Scot was putting in good laps, but was handed a stop-and-go penalty for speeding in the pit lane.
Coulthard passed Herbert before serving the penalty. Once he completed the stop-and-go, Herbert was far clear and comfortably won, completing a comeback from some horrendous leg injuries.
Herbert was far from the betting favourite – it was one of the great British Grand Prix stories.
Mansell Chases Down Piquet
Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet were fierce rivals. They were teammates, their cars were (in theory) putting out the same levels of performance.
Mansell had to pit with 30 laps left of the 1987 British Grand Prix. Vibrations were troubling the Brit, yet when he left the pits, he was almost 30 seconds behind Piquet. Victory was surely out of reach.
Instead, it was perhaps Mansell’s best ever drive. He chased down his teammate, breaking the lap record on nine occasions, closing the deficit at an extraordinary rate.
With two laps to go, Mansell passed Piquet at Stowe. An expectant crowd was treated to an epic drive – Mansell kissed the tarmac after victory, an image that remains iconic to this day.
Young Hamilton Shines In Rain
Lewis Hamilton is now renowned for his mastery in the wet. Back in 2008, he was still just a young, albeit very talented, driver. He was regarded as a star of the sport, but as he arrived at the British Grand Prix, he was just fourth in the Drivers’ Championship.
Fourth on the grid too, the live betting wouldn’t have loved Hamilton’s chances. When the front three struggled for grip, Hamilton was right in the mix, however, putting himself behind his teammate Heikki Kovalainen after the first corner.
Hamilton stuck close behind Kovalainen for the opening exchanges. Ahead of Stowe on lap five, he made his move and quickly built a lead. McLaren nailed it strategically soon after, putting Hamilton on intermediates.
The decision paid off. Hamilton disappeared into the distance, providing a driving masterclass for the rest of the field. He won by 68 seconds, the widest margin of victory at any race since 1995.
Hill Beats Controversial Schumacher
Schumacher and Hill were fighting for the 1994 title. The German made a peculiar move, overtaking Hill on the parade lap. Schumacher was black flagged, which should mean disqualification. He was handed a stop-and-go instead.
Defying the punishment, Schumacher left it until the 27th lap to dive into the pits for his penalty. It left Hill on course to win the race at a canter, which was a potentially pivotal victory in the drivers’ standings.
Eventually finishing second, it looked as if Schumacher had got away with his misbehaviour. He ultimately had to face consequences, being disqualified after the race and getting handed a two-race ban.
Schumacher won the first of his seven titles despite missing multiple Grands Prix.
Hunt vs Lauda At Brands Hatch
The James Hunt and Niki Lauda rivalry is one of the greatest in Formula One history. The 1976 meeting at Brands Hatch wasn’t their most epic duel, but it was a race laden with controversy.
Hunt was the home favourite. He arrived at the Grand Prix fancied for victory, but the ice-cool Lauda put his car on pole with Hunt alongside him.
Clay Regazzoni, Lauda’s teammate, was third, and he soon made an impact. The two Ferraris collided at Paddock, Regazzoni’s radiator leaking fluid. Hunt then hit Regazzoni, briefly putting his car into the air.
The race was suspended, and with flimsy rules, there was uncertainty over whether Hunt could restart.
The car had to be running, and although the initial verdict was that he could not take part, a furious crowd made their feelings clear. McLaren had his car ready to go.
Hunt was eventually allowed to start in his original car. He chased down Lauda, overtaking him on the 43rd lap. The Brit won the race, but the arguments continued between the two teams long after.
