The British Grand Prix: 5 of the best Formula One races at Silverstone
There have been some memorable victories at the Northamptonshire track.
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Your support makes all the difference.The Formula One circus has stopped off at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix.
Here, the PA news agency looks back at five of the best F1 races at the Northamptonshire track.
1987
Nigel Mansell was forced to pit for a new set of tyres after reporting vibrations on his Williams. With 30 laps remaining he was the best part of half a minute behind his team-mate and fierce rival Nelson Piquet.
The chase appeared impossible but, spurred on by his home crowd, Mansell smashed the lap record on nine occasions before catching and passing Piquet after an exquisite move at Stowe with only two laps left.
The home crowd were euphoric and Mansell responded by leaping out of his Williams and kissing the tarmac.
1994
Michael Schumacher illegally overtook pole-sitter Damon Hill on the parade lap and was punished with a stop-and-go penalty, which he ignored.
A black flag was issued which should have resulted in Schumacher’s instant disqualification. But the German kept driving before serving his stop-and-go punishment on lap 27.
Hill went on to claim a crucial victory and was presented with the winner’s trophy by Princess Diana. Schumacher finished second, but he was disqualified for ignoring a black flag and subsequently handed a two-race ban.
1998
Schumacher was at the centre of controversy four years later after winning – while stationary in the pit-lane.
Mika Hakkinen led from the start, but as the rain fell and conditions deteriorated, the Finn lost control of his McLaren and spun.
The safety car was deployed, and while Hakkinen remained in the race, he had sustained damage to his front wing. His 40-second lead was wiped out and Schumacher looked odds-on to win.
However, Schumacher had illegally passed Alexander Wurz under a yellow flag, which resulted in a stop-and-go penalty. But the haphazard stewards only announced his punishment with two laps left.
At the end of the final lap, Schumacher entered the pits to serve his penalty, but had already crossed the start-finish line and won the race. The bizarre result stood despite McLaren’s protests.
2008
Lewis Hamilton arrived at his home race fourth in the drivers’ standings but left on top after storming to victory in one of his outstanding performances.
In torrential rain, Hamilton blitzed the field, finishing the race almost 70 seconds ahead of second-placed Nick Heidfeld and lapped the entire pack up to third.
2021
Championship rivals Hamilton and Max Verstappen collided at 180mph at Copse with the latter slamming into the tyre wall.
Verstappen was taken to hospital with concussion, while Hamilton was hit with a 10-second penalty.
Hamilton served his punishment before driving back through the field and passing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the final laps to take a brilliant, if not controversial, victory in front of his adoring crowd.
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