Stars come out for Silverstone's party

It was a memorable moment when Jose Froilan Gonzalez took the wheel of a mighty 4 1/2-litre V12 engined Ferrari 375. Though not the actual car used to score Ferrari’s first Grand Prix victory, the memories of that day in 1951 hung thick in the air. Back then, he did more than simply open Ferrari’s account, he also broke the back of Alfa Romeo. Ferrari himself likened it to killing his mother and not without reason: Alfa, which had won every Grand Prix since the start of the world drivers championship the previous year, has won but once since.

Gonzalez, who also drove his 1951 Argentine Grand Prix-winning 166, was joined on track by World Champions Phil Hill, John Surtees, Sir Jack Brabham and Jody Scheckter, plus the ever-present Stirling Moss and Roy Salvadori.

‘Black Jack’ enjoyed the Historic GP circuit from the cockpit of American Paul Pappalardo’s gorgeous yellow P3/4.