FORMULA 1 SANTANDER BRITISH GP (Silverstone) 2008

FORMULA 1 SANTANDER BRITISH GRAND PRIX (Silverstone) 2008/07/06

Silverstone:

Like so many of England's racing circuits, Silverstone started life as an aerodrome. When the Second World War ended in 1945, England's other two circuits, Donington Park and the legendary Brooklands, had fallen into disrepair. And so it was that the outer taxiways and interconnecting runways of Silverstone became adopted by the Royal Automobile Club as the home for the British Grand Prix in 1948. The circuit was fast and challenging and in 1949 the shape was formed that remains the basis of the track to this day.

When the Formula One World Championship was incepted in 1950, Silverstone held the very first round, won by Guiseppe Farina in an Alfa Romeo. In 1951 the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) was handed the lease by the RAC, and huge modifications were made. The pits were moved to the straight between Woodcote and Copse, from the Farm straight where they had originally been, and a short circuit was built within the larger circuit, cutting from Becketts corner to Woodcote.

From 1955 the British Grand Prix swapped venues between Aintree and Silverstone, but with the advent of the 1960s, Aintree fell out of favour and the race was switched between Silverstone and Brands Hatch.

In 1971 the BRDC bought the entire 720 acre plot on which Silverstone sits and went about redeveloping the track. New pits were built and a chicane was erected at Woodcote which provided close finishes and great overtaking opportunities.

In 1987, with speeds at the circuit reaching astounding levels, a corner was built before Woodcote, and in 1992 a new complex of corners was created between Farm and Woodcote.

In recent years various upgrades have been made to the track's facilities. A racing school now exists at the circuit and with government funding a new bypass has been built, greatly improving access to the once notoriously out-of-the-way venue.

Race Date:06 Jul 2008
Number of Laps:60
Circuit Length:5.141 km
Race Distance:308.355 km
Lap Record:1:18.739 - M Schumacher (2004)

1st - Lewis Hamilton
2nd - Nick Heidfield
3rd - Rubens Barrichello

Category:

Sports

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• F1
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• jarno
• trulli
• kimi
• heidfield
• raikkonen
• alonso
• hamilton
• felipe
• massa
• ferrari
• renault
• mclaren
• mercedes
• 2008
• formula1
• bmw
• silverstone
• britain
• gran
• bretaña

[dougpryce92]

i love watching alonso slide off the track!

[ACIDTOTAL]

@dougpryce92 its not Alonso..

[slingamalinga1]

even tough its 3 years ago this still sends chills down my back :)

[TheMajin7]

What a race this was. lapped the two Ferraris and about 60 seconds clear of 2nd place, then the next race in Germany, his team got it wrong and he overtook from 5th I think to win in the final laps. Then that duel vs Raikkonen in Spa in slicks, which he WON!!! btw. I wish Hamilton can return to this form and challenge Vettel until the very last race.

[dougpryce92]

@ACIDTOTAL oh yeah was kovalainen! their mclaren helmets were pretty much identical!

[PT8475]

I think it would have been a really close race if Ferrari hadn't fucked up with Räikkönen's tyres.

[1peter1lund]

Great start by the two mclarens. but hamilton was just the best in the rain. massa was just spinning around useless.

[SuperPrivate2011]

@stealthysmirth Only spun 5, that's right - 5, times

[SuperPrivate2011]

@TheMajin7 Too fucking right. I was appalled at the penalty in Spa.

[RobertsDigital]

Mclaren rocks!

[stealthysmirth]

LOL Felipe Massa, King of Rain

[MrTakiinoue]

jesus saves