John Cooper (foreground) leads the field of 500cc races at Silverstone in 1950. Peter Collins (14) is on the far right, next to race winner Frank Aikens (37)
Silverstone Museum/BRDC Archive
The largest-ever grid of 500cc cars will assemble at Silverstone this summer, 75 years after Formula 3 racers supported the very first world championship grand prix at the circuit.
All 54 slots in the race are expected to be filled, setting up the first thrilling showdown between the pint-sized, motorcycle-engined machines since the 1950 British Grand Prix.
The fixture joins four F1 races at the Silverstone Festival, which is celebrating the anniversary of the world championship over the August Bank Holiday.
While the 1950 Formula 1 race carried the greatest significance, it’s likely that the 120,000-strong crowd — which included the King — was more energised by the battle for victory in the 500cc category, which provided the only support races of the May weekend.
As Motor Sport reported, the Grand Prix was “a demonstration of Italian supremacy” — albeit one that involved the lead chopping and changing between the Alfa Romeos of Luigi Fagioli, Juan Manuel Fangio and eventual winner Nino Farina.
“The 500cc racing was really much more exciting,” we wrote, recounting “the sight of that tightly-bunched pack surging forward [which] made strong hearts misfire.”
The two five-lap heats and ten lap final featured promising young drivers including future British Grand Prix winners Stirling Moss and Peter Collins, as well as John Cooper racing one of his own creations.
As well as playing a part in the very first world championship grand prix, the 500cc cars also showed the future of Formula 1 racing, as their engines were mounted in the rear rather than at the front.
Entry list to the 1950 500cc race
Silverstone Museum/BRDC Archive
“The packed mass of multi-coloured cars roared forward, inches only between some of them,” we said of the first heat. “After a lap [Wing Commander Frank] Aikens’ Iota just led [Stirling] Moss’s Cooper, [Bill] Whitehouse and [Alan] Brown locked in combat behind.
“On lap two Moss went ahead… but Whitehouse came right up to pass Moss. However that didn’t suit Stirling and he caught the rival Cooper.”
Moss crossed the line first and heat two, won by John Cooper, was no less close, setting up a sensational final that alone was worth the price of admission:
“[John] Cooper was just ahead of Whitehouse, Aikens third, then Aikens came right through to lead in the Triumph-engined Iota, driving the race of his life, the car sliding alarmingly and Moss watching his every move a few feet behind!” we reported.
“Moss passed Aikens on lap four, but the Wing-Commander re-passed. Moss led again on the next lap, but again the Iota got past the Cooper-JAP, snaking wildly as it cornered. [Don] Parker was back in third place and [Peter] Collins’ Cooper was moving up fast. [Jack] Moor’s Arengo, its side dented, was faltering and Whitehouse was flagged in with a trailing air-scoop. The CFS was in trouble and Brown’s Cooper hit the Stowe straw-bales. Meanwhile the battle waxed as furious as ever, Aikens holding off Moss’s Cooper and Stirling, trying all he knew, having his piston seize. He held his place, but Aikens had the lead he wanted, winning by 2.2 sec.”
Frank Aikens beat Stirling Moss to victory after a closely-fought battle
Silverstone Museum/BRDC Archive
Silverstone Festival organisers will be hoping for similar breathless action from the first dedicated race for 500cc cars at the event.
“The reaction has been phenomenal,” said Duncan Rabagliati of the 500 Owners Association. “We are expecting a full capacity 54-car grid with historically period entries coming from ten countries including France, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Germany and even the US. The amazing grid will feature at least 18 different marques, such as Bond, Effyh, Emeryson, Kieft, Staride, IOTA and, of course, all varieties of the ubiquitous Cooper.
“This is the first time since the 1950s that there has been a dedicated 500cc F3 race on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit and it will be a milestone day, both for the drivers to emulate the heroics of those aspiring Grand Prix drivers of the 1950s, but also for the enthusiasts to realise that there is still this spectacular and affordable branch of Historic circuit racing open to join.”
Further fixtures are due to be announced as part of the 20-race schedule for this year’s Silverstone Festival.
Tickets are available from the Silverstone Festival website, with early-bird discounts until Sunday January 5.
