Silverstone to show title-winning cars raced by every F1 champion in history
F1
A unique display of title-winning grand prix cars, each raced by one of the 34 F1 world champions, will be on show at this year’s Silverstone Festival to mark 75 years of the Formula 1 championship
Sebastian Vettel-era Red Bull will be on show, along with Nino Farina's 1950 title-winning Alfa 158
For the first time ever, 34 grand prix cars, each raced by one of the 34 Formula 1 world champions, will be assembled together and put on display.
The unique World Champions Collection will be unveiled at this year’s Silverstone Festival, to celebrate 75 years of the Formula 1 world championship, on the very circuit where its first grand prix was held.
From the all-conquering Alfa Romeo 158 that Giuseppe ‘Nino’ Farina raced to the inaugural title in 1950 to one of Max Verstappen’s recent Red Bulls, event organisers believe that they have secured a title-winning F1 car for every world champion in history.
Expect to see Nigel Mansell’s 1992 Williams FW14B among the World Champions Collection
Grand Prix Photo
As well as recognising the drivers who have reached the pinnacle of the sport, the collection — on show for the August Bank Holiday weekend only — will represent a timeline of Formula 1 history.
“We wanted something really special to honour this momentous 75th anniversary milestone and this incredible World Champions Collection will do just that,” said Nick Wigley, event director. “We will be paying tribute to all 34 World Champions from the past 75 years at the circuit where the Formula 1 World Championship was born.
“This fabulous collection really will chart the evolution of F1. The cars will be available for everyone to savour in the International Paddock on all three days of Silverstone Festival – it’s going to be an immense display, not to be missed.”
Silverstone hosted the first F1 world championship race in 1950
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Classic Team Lotus is working with Festival organisers to help source cars raced by the likes of Clark, Jochen Rindt and Mario Andretti, but organisers face several tough choices: to try and secure Niki Lauda’s 1975 title-winning Ferrari 312T, or the McLaren MP4/2 he used to win his final championship in 1984? Perhaps the fact that the McLaren didn’t race at Silverstone may swing it for the Ferrari.
Will Alain Prost be represented by an iconic McLaren in Marlboro livery, or the all-conquering Williams FW15B of 1993; and should Michael Schumacher’s early Benetton championships be commemorated rather than his dominant Ferrari years?
Will the collection include one of Lauda’s title-winning Ferraris…
Klemantaski/Getty Images
…or his 1984 McLaren?
Grand Prix Photo
“We are working closely with owners, collectors, F1 teams and other wonderfully helpful organisations such as Classic Team Lotus to put this unique collection together,” said Wigley. “They all understand the magnitude of this 75th milestone as well as Silverstone’s historical importance, and their enthusiasm to be part of something really special has been just fantastic.”
The collection of 34 championship winning cars is one of several highlights commemorating the F1 anniversary at the Silverstone Festival. They include four Formula 1 races and the the largest-ever race dedicated to 500cc cars, which supported the British Grand Prix in 1950.
