The 1953 British Grand Prix was a Formula Two motor race held on 18 July 1953 at Silverstone Circuit. It was race 6 of 9 in the 1953 World Championship of Drivers, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used. The 90-lap race was won by Ferrari driver Alberto Ascari after he started from pole position. Juan Manuel Fangio finished second for the Maserati team and Ascari's teammate Nino Farina came in third.
David Alan Hampshire was a British racing driver from England. He was born in Mickleover, Derbyshire and died in Newton Solney, in South Derbyshire.
Major Anthony Peter Roylance Rolt, MC & Bar, was a British racing driver, soldier and engineer. A war hero, Rolt maintained a long connection with the sport, albeit behind the scenes. The Ferguson 4WD project he was involved in paid off with spectacular results, and he was involved in other engineering projects. At his death, he was the longest surviving participant of the first ever World Championship Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1950. He was one of the last pre-war winners remaining too – he won the 1939 British Empire Trophy, aged just 20 in 1939 – this was after he started his career in 1935, as a 16-year-old, in a 3-wheeler Morgan in speed trials. He won the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans and participated in three Formula One World Championship Grands Prix.
Peter Douglas Conyers Walker was an English racing driver. He was born in Huby, Yorkshire and died in Newtown, Worcestershire. He proved a strong driver in most disciplines, but was most adept in sports cars, winning the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans race, and the Goodwood Nine-Hours in 1955. He effectively retired after a crash in 1956 left him with serious injuries.
Oulton Park is a hard surfaced track used for motor racing, close to the village of Little Budworth, Cheshire, England. It is about 5 mi (8.0 km) from Winsford, 13 mi (21 km) from Chester city centre, 8 mi (13 km) from Northwich and 17 mi (27 km) from Warrington, with a nearby rail connection along the Mid-Cheshire Line. It occupies much of the area which was previously known as the Oulton Estate. The racing circuit is owned and operated by Jonathan Palmer's MotorSport Vision organisation.
The 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 21st Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 13 and 14 June 1953, at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans (France). It was also the third round of the F.I.A. World Sports Car Championship.
Davidstow Circuit is a disused motor racing circuit and airfield built in Cornwall, in the United Kingdom. The circuit was built on the site of a World War II RAF Coastal Command base, RAF Davidstow Moor, opened in 1942. Davidstow circuit opened in 1952, and held three Formula 1 races between 1954 and 1955. The circuit hosted its last race in 1955, and was one of many of Britain's airfields to be transformed into motor racing venues. Davidstow circuit is notable for the first victory in a Formula One race by a Lotus.
The 1953 RAC Tourist Trophy was a motor race for sports cars, held on 5 September 1953 at the Dundrod Circuit in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It was the sixth round of the 1953 World Sportscar Championship, held just six days after the previous round, the 1000km of Nürburgring. The race was the 20th running of the RAC Tourist Trophy.
Thomas Lionel Howard Cole, Jr., also known as Tom Cole or Tommy Cole, was a British-American racing driver and co-creator of the Cadillac-Allard sports car. Afflicted by childhood polio, he served in non-combat roles in World War II, and then took up rallying, hillclimbing, and sports car racing full-time after the war. He died, aged 31, in a crash while driving in the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The 1948 Zandvoort Grand Prix, sometimes known as the 1948 Dutch Grand Prix, was a non-championship Formula One race held on 7 August 1948 at Circuit Zandvoort.
The 6th BRDC International Trophy meeting was held on 15 May 1954 at the Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire. The race was run to Formula One regulations, and was held over two heats of 15 laps each, followed by a final race of 35 laps. Argentinian driver José Froilán González, driving a Ferrari 625, set fastest qualifying lap, won his qualifying heat and the final, and also set fastest lap.
The 3rd London Trophy was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 30 July 1955 at Crystal Palace Circuit, London. The race was run over two heats of 10 laps and a final of 15 laps, and was won by British driver Mike Hawthorn in a Maserati 250F. Hawthorn started from pole position in Heat 1 and set fastest lap in the heat, and also in the final. Vanwall driver Harry Schell started from pole position in Heat 2 and set fastest lap in that heat. Schell was second in the final and Roy Salvadori in a Maserati 250F was third.
The 2nd Crystal Palace Trophy was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 19 June 1954 at Crystal Palace Circuit, London. The race was run over two heats of 10 laps and a final of 10 laps.
The 1st August Cup was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 2 August 1954 at Crystal Palace Circuit, London. The race was run over two heats of 10 laps and a final of 10 laps, and was won by British driver Reg Parnell in a Ferrari 500.
The 4th BRDC International Trophy meeting was held on 10 May 1952 at the Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire. The race was run to Formula Two regulations, and was held over two heats of 15 laps each, followed by a final race of 35 laps. British driver Lance Macklin, driving an HWM-Alta won the final. Mike Hawthorn in a Cooper T20-Bristol was the fastest qualifier, and Rudi Fischer in a Ferrari 500 set overall fastest lap.
The 2nd Aston Martin Owners Club Formula 2 Race was a Formula Two motor race held on 18 April 1953 at Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk. The race was run over 10 laps of the circuit, and was won by British driver Eric Thompson in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis. Bob Gerard in a Cooper T23-Bristol was second and Peter Whitehead in a Cooper T24-Alta was third. Bobbie Baird in a Ferrari 500 set fastest lap.
The 5th BRDC International Trophy meeting was held on 9 May 1953 at the Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire. The race was run to Formula Two regulations, and was held over two heats of 15 laps each, followed by a final race of 35 laps. Mike Hawthorn, driving a Ferrari 500 won the final and shared fastest lap with Emmanuel de Graffenried. de Graffenried was the fastest qualifier.
The 2nd United States Air Force Trophy was a Formula Two motor race held on 25 July 1953 at Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk. The race was run over 15 laps, and was won by British driver Tony Rolt in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis. Bob Gerard in a Cooper T23-Bristol was second and set fastest lap. Leslie Marr in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis was third. Earlier in the day of the meeting Ferrari driver Bobbie Baird was killed in a sports-car race.
The 7th Ulster Trophy was a non-championship Formula Two motor race held at the Dundrod Circuit on 16 May 1953. The race was held over two heats of 10 laps and a final of 14 laps. Mike Hawthorn driving a Ferrari 500 won the final from pole position ahead of the Cooper T23-Bristol of Ken Wharton and the Ferrari 500 of Bobbie Baird. Hawthorn also set fastest lap in the final, and overall fastest lap in the second heat which he also won, again from pole position. Stirling Moss in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis set pole and fastest lap in the first heat but finished second behind Duncan Hamilton's HWM-Alta. Moss failed to start the final, while Hamilton finished sixth.
The 1st Mid-Cheshire MC Formula 2 Race was a Formula Two motor race held on 8 August 1953 at Oulton Park Circuit, Cheshire. The race was run over 33 laps of the circuit, and was won by British driver Tony Rolt in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis; Rolt also setting fastest lap. Peter Whitehead in a Cooper T24-Alta was second and the Hon. Edward Greenall was third in a Cooper T18-JAP. Les Leston in a Cooper T26-JAP started from pole position but retired after 12 laps.
Tony Rolt 