Which British drivers have won at Silverstone?
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Kyle ArcherJuly 14, 2021
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Lewis Hamilton is the most successful Formula 1 driver ever at the British Grand Prix, with seven victories to his name. But who else has won their home game at Silverstone?
Silverstone has been exclusively hosting the British Grand Prix of the F1 season since 1987, but first appeared on the calendar in 1950. It was the first world championship race won by Giuseppe Farina for Alfa Romeo and at first the Italians and Argentines dominated.
In 1955, Sir Stirling Moss became the first British Formula 1 driver to win a home race – but at Aintree. Two years later, he would be racing for VanWall with Tony Brooks, again with success. Then in 1958, Silverstone saw a home win with Ferrari’s Peter Collins.
British racing drivers have been hugely successful at their home events and Hamilton’s six victories over the past seven years are just the tip of the iceberg. Two-time F1 world champion Jim Clark won the British Grand Prix five times during his career, winning at Silverstone in 1963, 1965 and 1967.
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Clark and Stewart dominate Silverstone in the 1960s
Collins’ victory for Ferrari in 1958 marked the beginning of the British Formula One driver’s multi-year reign at Silverstone. Clark took over in 1963 after two years at Aintree and won again in 1965 and 1967.
Clark also won the British Grand Prix on F1’s first visit to Brands Hatch in 1964, before Jackie Stewart continued his reign at Silverstone in 1969 and 1971. During this period, Brands Hatch alternated with Silverstone every year, and Aintree was last used in 1962.
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But after a strong showing in the 1960s, the 1970s were a more barren period for homegrown racers. James Hunt will have his only other home win in a decade after Stewart’s 1971 win at Tyrrell, and a McLaren win in 1977.
Hunt won from pole position at the Northamptonshire circuit and set the fastest lap of the race. After recovering from a traditionally poor start, he won over great rival Niki Lauda, which dropped the 1976 world champion to fourth place.
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Mansell frenzy hits Silverstone and British Grand Prix
Silverstone had to wait another five years after Hunt’s home win at the British Grand Prix. In 1981, John Watson stood at the top of the McLaren podium, his only F1 home victory.
Lauda and Alain Prost then enjoyed commanding campaigns in the years that followed, until the Mansell frenzy attacked Silverstone in the late 1980s. Nigel Mansell won his first British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch in 1986, before taking three wins at Silverstone.
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The 1992 F1 world champion went on to win the British Grand Prix in 1987. He then returned to the top in 1991 and 1992, becoming the event’s second four-time home winner.
Mansell’s victory in 1992 also marked the height of Mansell’s mania, as fans flocked to bask in his glory. The Williams pilot at the time had to instruct his adoring supporters to stay away from the car when he returned to the pits to avoid being disqualified.
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Hill, Herbert and Coulthard keep British GP momentum
The 1990s proved to be another strong decade for British Formula 1 drivers racing at Silverstone. After Mansell’s double, Damon Hill won his only British Grand Prix in 1994 and Johnny Herbert his only home win the following year.
Herbert wasn’t the favorite to win the event in 1995, but he led his Benetton to glory while others were eliminated. Hill pulled Michael Schumacher from pole but lost the lead after pitting behind clever maneuvers by Germany and Ferrari.
The pair then collided as Hill tried to retake the position, forcing both to retire and promote Herbert and David Coulthard to fight for the win. However, the Scot’s stop-and-go penalty dropped him to third, while Herbert continued to drive for his first Formula 1 title.
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However, Coulthard has spent his day at Silverstone twice, successfully at McLaren in 1999 and 2000. Woking then helped Hamilton to his first home win in stormy conditions in 2008.
Turning to the all-conquering Mercedes from 2013 brought British dominance back to Silverstone with Hamilton. He will be desperate for his eighth victory this Sunday and move past Max Verstappen’s lead in the 2021 Drivers’ Championship.
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A graduate of Bournemouth University with a degree in multimedia journalism, Kyle has worked for many years in online publications covering the Premier League, EFL and European football.
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