Silverstone Circuit is a motor racing circuit in England, near the Northamptonshire villages of Towcester, Silverstone and Whittlebury. It is the home of the British Grand Prix, which it first hosted as the 1948 British Grand Prix. The 1950 British Grand Prix at Silverstone was the first race in the newly created World Championship of Drivers. The race rotated between Silverstone, Aintree and Brands Hatch from 1955 to 1986, but settled permanently at the Silverstone track in 1987. The circuit also hosts the British round of the MotoGP series.
The 1950 British Grand Prix, formally known as The Royal Automobile Club Grand Prix d'Europe Incorporating The British Grand Prix, was a Formula One motor race held on 13 May 1950 at the Silverstone Circuit in Silverstone, England. It was the first World Championship Formula One race, as well as the fifth British Grand Prix, and the third to be held at Silverstone after motor racing resumed after World War II. It was the first race of seven in the 1950 World Championship of Drivers.
Louis Rosier was a racing driver from France.
Luigi Villoresi was an Italian Grand Prix motor racing driver who continued racing on the Formula One circuit at the time of its inception.
David Alan Hampshire was a British racing driver from England. He was born in Mickleover, Derbyshire and died in Newton Solney, in South Derbyshire.
English Racing Automobiles (ERA) was a British racing car manufacturer active from 1933 to 1954.
The 1935 Grand Prix season was the second year of the new 750 kg Formula. The success of the previous year encouraged the AIACR to reinitiate the European Championship. It was composed of the seven national Grands Prix and was won by Rudolf Caracciola, driving for the Mercedes-Benz team. The team dominated the season winning five of those Grand Épreuves, as well as four of the other major races of the season. However, in one of the great motor-races in sporting history, Tazio Nuvolari in a Scuderia Ferrari Alfa Romeo beat the combined numbers of the German teams in their home Grand Prix. The season also saw the arrival on the international stage of the bright young talent Bernd Rosemeyer in the Auto Union team.
The Maserati 4CL and its derived sister model the Maserati 4CLT are single-seat open-wheel Grand Prix racing cars that were designed and built by Maserati. The 4CL was introduced at the beginning of the 1939 season, as a rival to the Alfa Romeo 158 and various ERA models in the voiturette class of international Grand Prix motor racing. Although racing ceased during World War II, the 4CL was one of the front running models at the resumption of racing in the late 1940s. Experiments with two-stage supercharging and tubular chassis construction eventually led to the introduction of the revised 4CLT model in 1948. The 4CLT was steadily upgraded and updated over the following two years, resulting in the ultimate 4CLT/50 model, introduced for the inaugural year of the Formula One World Championship in 1950. In the immediate post-war period, and the first two years of the Formula One category, the 4CLT was the car of choice for many privateer entrants, leading to numerous examples being involved in most races during this period.
The 1951 Scottish Grand Prix was a 50 lap 100-mile (160 km) motor race held on 21 July 1951 at Winfield Airfield (disused) in Berwickshire. Although run to Formula One regulations, the race featured Jaguar XK120s and BMW 328s. Reg Parnell's BRM broke a drive shaft as he left the start line and the race, over 100 miles, was led briefly by Archie Butterworth's 4WD A.J.B. before David Murray took over with a Maserati 4CLT. Joe Kelly's Alta challenged but retired. Murray retired with fuel pump problems and Philip Fotheringham-Parker took the lead in Duncan Hamilton's Maserati 4CL, chased home by Gillie Tyrer's BMW 328. Ian Stewart was third in an XK120.
Enrico Platé was a motor racing driver and team manager. Although born in Italy, Platé raced, and latterly ran his racing team Scuderia Enrico Platé, under Swiss nationality. He began his career as a mechanic, but swiftly took to racing cars in addition to repairing them. His best result as a driver was fourth place in the 1938 Modena Autodrome. Although he did not achieve any notable success in the pre-World War II voiturette class, Enrico Platé became a significant and influential figure in post-war grand prix and early Formula One racing as a team owner. During his brief career in this role, Platé ran Maseratis for notable drivers such as Prince Bira, Harry Schell and fellow Swiss Toulo de Graffenried.
The Royal Automobile Club International Grand Prix was a motor race held on 2 October 1948, at Silverstone Airfield, Northamptonshire, UK. It is commonly cited as the first British Grand Prix of the modern era.
The 1950 Jersey Road Race was a Non-Championship Formula One motor race held on 9 July 1950 at the St. Helier Circuit, in Saint Helier, Jersey. It was the twelfth race of the 1950 Formula One season. The 55-lap race was won by Ferrari driver Peter Whitehead. Reg Parnell finished second in a Maserati, and Toulo de Graffenried third, also in a Maserati.
Throughout its history, the Italian auto manufacturer Maserati has participated in various forms of motorsports including Formula One, sportscar racing and touring car racing, both as a works team and through private entrants.
The 1947 French Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at Lyon-Parilly on 21 September 1947 and was won by Louis Chiron driving a Talbot-Lago. The race was marred by an accident involving Pierre Levegh crashing into and killing 2 spectators.
The 1948 San Remo Grand Prix was a non-Championship Voiturette motor race held on 27 June 1948 at the Autodromo di Ospedaletti, in Sanremo, Liguria, Italy. It was the 8th race of the 1948 Grand Prix season. The race, contested over 85 laps, was won by Alberto Ascari in a Maserati 4CLT/48, starting from pole position. Luigi Villoresi finished second also in a Maserati 4CLT/48 and Clemar Bucci third, driving a Maserati 4CL 1502.
Henry Leslie Brooke, was a British racing driver from England. He competed in various classes of racing, including non-championship Formula One, the Le Mans 24-hour race and the Monte Carlo Rally, in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.
The O.S.C.A. MT-4, also spelled the OSCA MT-4, or the Osca MT-4, is an Italian sports car prototype, designed, developed, and made by Officine Specializzata Costruzioni Automobili, between 1948 and 1956, but was raced and used in active competition until 1966. Between 1948 and 1966, it managed to rack up an incredible win tally of 92 wins, 109 class wins, 9 pole positions, and managed to clinch 194 podiums; an amazing record indeed.
The 3rd Jersey Road Race was a Formula One motor race held on 28 April 1949 at the St. Helier Circuit, in Saint Helier, Jersey. The 55-lap race was won by ERA driver Bob Gerard. Emmanuel de Graffenried finished second in a Maserati, and Raymond Mays was third in another ERA. Maserati driver Luigi Villoresi set pole position and fastest lap but finished sixth.Bugatti driver Kenneth Bear was killed in an accident during practice.
The 2nd Nations Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 2 May 1948 over 80 laps of a street circuit in Geneva, Switzerland. Giuseppe Farina, driving a Maserati 4CLT, started from pole, set fastest lap and won the race. Emmanuel de Graffenried was second in another 4CLT, and Raymond Sommer was third in a Ferrari 166 SC.
The 10th British Empire Trophy was a Formula One motor race held on 25 May 1948 at the Douglas Circuit, in Douglas, Isle of Man. The 36-lap race was won by ERA driver Geoffrey Ansell. David Hampshire finished second in a Delage, and Leslie Brooke was third in an ERA. Bob Gerard started from pole position in his ERA but retired with brake problems. Reg Parnell (Maserati) and Leslie Johnson (ERA) set joint fastest lap.
Bob Gerard 
