The first British GP

13 August 1926

WE ON SUNDAY enjoyed the F1 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone, but our open-wheel racing heritage precedes 1950; the first British Grand Prix was held way back in 1926.

It was a Franco-english affair held at Brooklands, competed over 288 miles (110 laps) by a Delage trio, a Talbot trio, a Bugatti, an Aston Martin and a Halford.

The “enormous crowd” hoped for a Talbot win, but “to their horror” Jules Moriceau’s front axle broke immediately at the “fierce rush” of a start, as team-mates Albert Divo and Henry Segrave led.

They were followed by “imperturbable” Delage driver Robert Benoist, while his colleague Robert Sénéchal brought up the rear, “in strong contrast to the others, all excitement and violent action”.

“Only 18 miles had been covered when the whole aspect of the race changed”, as Divo pitted to address an engine misfire, leaving him far adrift.

“It was obvious that the Delages were most likely to win, because their servo-operated brakes were magnificent,” we noted. Indeed, stopping was one of Segrave’s many worries, before he was forced to retire on lap 62.

Every man encountered trouble – usually involving fire – and pitted often.

“The great duel between Talbot and Delage had lasted 88 laps, had ended in elimination for the Talbots but had left their rivals in sorry condition and only anxious to finish.”

Malcolm Campbell gave chase and, to the crowd’s baited breath, took second for Bugatti on lap 100, but Sénéchal’s Delage, now driven by Louis Wagner, held on to win by 10min.