Editing Silverstone Circuit (section)

===1950s===
The [[1950 British Grand Prix]] was a significant occasion for three reasons: it was the first ever World Championship Grand Prix, carrying the title of the European Grand Prix; it was the first race in the newly created [[World Championship of Drivers]];<ref>Mike Lang, Grand Prix! Volume 1, 1950 to 1965, p. 14</ref><ref>''World Championship of Drivers'', 1974 FIA Yearbook, Grey section, pp. 118–119</ref> and the event was graced by the presence of [[George VI|King George VI]] and [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother|Queen Elizabeth]] – the first and only time a reigning monarch has attended a motor race in Britain.<ref name=Swinger/><ref name="silverstone1">{{cite web|url=http://www.silverstone.co.uk/about/history/1950s/ |title=The History of British Motorsport and Motor Racing at Silverstone – The 1950s |website=Silverstone.co.uk |date=27 August 2009 |access-date=24 May 2013}}</ref>

The year was the institution of the World Championship for Driver, and Silverstone witnessed the first time that [[Alfa Romeo 158/159 Alfetta|Alfa Romeo 158 'Alfettas']] had been seen in England, and they took the first three places in the hands of Giuseppe Farina, [[Luigi Fagioli]] and [[Reg Parnell]], with the race average having increased to {{cvt|90.96|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}; however the race distance had been reduced to {{convert|205|mi|km|abbr=out}}.<ref name=Swinger/><ref name="silverstone1"/>

1951 was memorable for it saw the defeat of the Alfas, with victory going to the popular Argentinian driver, [[José Froilán González|Froilán González]] driving the [[Ferrari 375 F1|Ferrari 375]]. His fellow countryman [[Juan Manuel Fangio]] was second in an [[Alfa Romeo 158/159 Alfetta|Alfa Romeo 159B]], and Luigi Villoresi in another Ferrari 375 was third. The race distance had increased to {{convert|263|mi|km|abbr=out}}, and the race average speed was now {{cvt|96.11|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Swinger/><ref name="silverstone1"/>
 
1951 also saw the [[British Racing Drivers' Club]] (BRDC) take over the lease from the RAC, and set about making the circuit into something more permanent.<ref name="silverstone1"/>

The International Trophy attracted the cream of Formula One, including the seemingly invincible Alfas, driven by Fangio and Farina. However, the weather worsened for the final and visibility was almost nil, and in those conditions the Alfettas with their supercharged engines were at a distinct disadvantage. When the race was abandoned after only six laps, Reg Parnell was in the lead in the [[Vanwall|"Thinwall Special"]]; no official winner was declared.<ref name=Swinger/>

In 1952, the RAC decided it no longer wished to run the circuit, and on 1 January the lease was taken on by the BRDC, with James Brown continuing as track manager. The lease covered only the perimeter track and other areas at specific times. The original pits between Abbey and Woodcote were demolished, and new pit facilities were constructed between Woodcote and Copse. Coinciding with the BRDC taking over the running of the Grand Prix, there was a little unrest within the sport which led to the downgrading of Grand Prix racing to [[Formula Two]], which was won by Alberto Ascari at {{cvt|90.9|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} from his Ferrari teammate [[Piero Taruffi]] – both driving the [[Ferrari Tipo 500|Tipo 500]]. The podium was completed by [[Mike Hawthorn]] driving a [[Cooper Car Company|Cooper-Bristol T12]].<ref name=Swinger/>

The International Trophy was notable in 1952, in that it saw a rare victory for [[Hersham and Walton Motors]] when [[Lance Macklin]] had a win.<ref name=Swinger/>

The same situation continued into 1953 with the World Championship being run for Formula Two cars. The race was a straight fight between the Maserati and Ferrari teams, with victory going to Ascari at {{cvt|92.9|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} aboard a Ferrari Tipo 500, from the [[Maserati A6GCM]] of Fangio and another Tipo 500 of Farina. The racecard included a Formula Libre race which put the Grand Prix into perspective; Farina drove the Thinwall Special to victory at a higher speed than the actual GP, setting the first lap record at over {{cvt|100|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, at {{cvt|100.16|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Swinger/>

The 1954 Grand Prix season was the new 2.5-litre Formula One and had attracted interest from some major players. [[Lancia]] had joined the fray with their [[Lancia D50|D50]], and [[Daimler-Benz]] were back; the appearance of Lancia meant that there were three Italian teams competing at the highest level, the others being Ferrari and Maserati. The British were catered for by the Owen Racing Organisation with their [[British Racing Motors|BRMs]], the Vanwall of [[Tony Vandervell]] and [[Connaught Engineering|Connaught]] still competing, while Cooper-Bristol were not to be forgotten.  At the start of the season, Mercedes-Benz had swept all before them, but Silverstone was a débâcle for the team, which returned to Untertürkheim in defeat. The {{convert|263|mi|km|abbr=out}} race was won by González from Hawthorn in the works [[Ferrari Tipo 500|625s]], with [[Onofre Marimón]] third in the works [[Maserati 250F]]. The best Mercedes driver was pole-man Fangio in his [[Mercedes-Benz W196|W196]].<ref name=Swinger/>

From 1955, the Grand Prix was alternated between [[Aintree Motor Racing Circuit|Aintree]] and Silverstone, until 1964 when [[Brands Hatch]] took over as the alternative venue.<ref name="silverstone1"/>

By the time the Grand Prix returned to Silverstone in 1956, Mercedes-Benz had gone, as had Lancia as an independent entrant, the cars having been handed to Scuderia Ferrari, who ran them as 'Lancia-Ferraris'. The great Fangio scored his only British Grand Prix win in one of these cars. Second was another Lancia-Ferrari which had started the race in the hands of [[Alfonso de Portago]], but was taken over by [[Peter Collins (racing driver)|Peter Collins]] at half-distance and third place was [[Jean Behra]] in a Maserati 250F.<ref name=Swinger/>

Matters were somewhat happier for the British enthusiast at the International Trophy; a quality field had been attracted including Fangio and Collins in their Lancia-Ferraris, but the 13 laps of the race were led by the new [[BRM P25]] driven by Hawthorn. When the engine of the BRM expired, [[Stirling Moss]] in the [[Vanwall]] took over, going on to win. With the Lancias broken by the Brit, the rest of the podium was taken by the Connaughts of [[Archie Scott Brown]] and [[Desmond Titterington]].<ref name=Swinger/>

For 1958 drastic rule changes were introduced into Formula One, Fangio had retired and Maserati had withdrawn due to financial difficulties. Throughout the season the battle was between Ferrari and Vanwall and it was fervently hoped that Vandervell would success at home but it was not to be; the green cars fell apart, [[Stuart Lewis-Evans]] the best placed finisher in fourth. Victory went to Collins from Hawthorn, both driving [[Ferrari 246 F1|Ferrari Dino 246s]]. The crowd of 120,000 witnessed a trio of British drivers on the podium with [[Roy Salvadori]] coming home third in one of John Cooper's Coventry-Climax rear-engined powered cars.<ref name=Swinger/>