British Grand Prix - Facts & Figures
By BMW WilliamsF1
July 7 2004
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| Facts & Figures | |
| - This
year's British Grand Prix will be the 38th to have been held at the
Northamptonshire circuit. Other British Grands Prix have been held at
Aintree (five) and Brands Hatch (twelve). Three European Grands Prix have
also been staged in England, at Brands Hatch in 1983 and in 1985 and at
Donington Park in 1993. - Since Silverstone first hosted a Grand Prix in 1950, the track has undergone numerous modifications. In more recent years, the infrastructure surrounding the circuit has also been improved. Parking areas and access roads in particular have been dramatically improved following the 2000 race when un-seasonally heavy rain caused major disruption to the weekend. - Silverstone circuit measures 5.141kms. The British Grand Prix will be run over 60 laps, equating to a race distance of 308.355kms. - Last year's winner was Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari), who also holds the lap record. In 2003, Barrichello drove the fastest lap of the race in 1:22.236m. The Brazilian had also claimed pole with a lap of 1:21.209m. - In 2003, the BMW WilliamsF1 Team arrived at Silverstone having claimed two consecutive one-two wins at the European and French Grands Prix. However, during qualifying for the British Grand Prix, the team struggled with handling problems, ending up with fourth (Schumacher) and seventh (Montoya) places on the grid. In the race, Montoya benefited from the safety car phases and managed to finish in second position. Schumacher's chances of a
podium finish were ruined after a body part from another car blocked one of
his side cooling shafts and had to be removed during an unscheduled pit
stop. The German subsequently dropped to the back of the field and finished
ninth. |
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