5 UNKNOWN FACTS ABOUT F1'S FIRST EVER RACE

1. The race had two different names

Believe it or not, the first world championship race had two titles. Officially it was the Grand Prix d’Europe - the first time that title had ever gone to a race outside Italy or France - but as the race was held on UK soil it incorporated the British Grand Prix.

Unlike today, when the season-opening event is traditionally scheduled for March, the race took place on May 13. Only six world championship season openers have been held later in the year. They were: 1951 (May 27), 1952 (May 18), 1961 (May 14), 1962 (May 20), 1963 (May 26) and 1966 (May 22).

2. A Thai prince and a Swiss baron took part

Rather fittingly for a race attended by royalty, the entry list had a distinctly aristocratic flavour. Among the 21 drivers that took the start were Prince Birabongse Bhanudej Bhanubandh (better known as Prince Bira or B. Bira), a notable racer and member of the Thai royal family, and Baron Emmanuel 'Toulo' de Graffenried, a Swiss driver who’d won the 1949 edition of the British Grand Prix in the pre-world championship era.

Bira, who was the only Thai driver to have competed in F1 until Alex Albon, qualified his Maserati fifth at Silverstone but retired in the race when he ran out of fuel. Similarly, de Graffenried failed to make the flag after his identical 4CLT-48 developed engine problems.

3. The local wildlife got a little too close to the action

Despite their obvious speed advantage, Alfa Romeo were lucky to get three of their four cars to the finish after Parnell’s Alfetta came into contact with an unlucky member of Silverstone’s hare population. According to reports from the time, the animal caused a significant dent in the cowling of the British driver’s car.

4. The average age of the field was 39

For the very first world championship race the average age was a mature 39 as three of the 21-driver field at Silverstone were in their fifties (pre-war aces Luigi Fagioli, 51, Louis Chiron, 50, and Philippe Etancelin, 53), while five more were forty or over, including race winner Giuseppe Farina (43).

The ‘baby’ of field, if you could call him that, was British racer Geoffrey Crossley, who, at 29, was just 12 years older than Max Verstappen was on his world championship debut.

5. A jazz musician finished in 11th place

No it’s not the set-up for a joke – a well-known jazz musician did indeed take part in the inaugural round of the world championship, though it’s fair to say that Johnny Claes enjoyed considerably more success with his splendidly named combo ‘Johnny Claes and the Clay Pigeons’ than he did in Formula 1 racing.

The Belgian driver (who was born in London) qualified his Talbot dead last at Silverstone, a full 18s back from Farina’s polesitting Alfa, but he did at least reach the chequered flag in the race, coming home six laps down on the Italian in 11th.