Honouring the 75th anniversary of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, the World Champions Collection at this weekend’s Silverstone Festival 22–24 August will be the most comprehensive gathering of title-winning F1 cars ever displayed together.
Since Silverstone hosted the first points-scoring Grand Prix in 1950, 34 legendary racers have claimed the sport’s ultimate prize – the World Drivers’ Championship.
Marking this milestone, an unparalleled line-up of cars raced by every single champion will return to Silverstone – the birthplace of the world series. It’s the first time such a star-studded array of championship-winning machines has been seen in one place.
Over two-thirds of the cars are the actual machines raced by the champions in their title-winning seasons. The remainder are significant F1 cars from other key moments in their championship careers.
The display stretches from an Alfa Romeo 158 as raced by Giuseppe Farina – victor of the first Drivers’ crown in 1950 – to Max Verstappen’s 2022 Red Bull RB18, which secured the second of his four titles.
This stunning timeline captures 75 years of Formula 1 evolution: from front-engined cars in national colours to modern rear-engined hybrids with powerful sponsorship, aerodynamic wings, slick tyres, and advanced electronics.
The Collection will also spotlight Britain’s incredible success – ten homegrown drivers have claimed the crown: Mike Hawthorn (1958), Graham Hill (1962, 1968), Jim Clark (1963, 1965), John Surtees (1964), Jackie Stewart (1969, 1971, 1973), James Hunt (1976), Nigel Mansell (1992), Damon Hill (1996), Jenson Button (2009), and Sir Lewis Hamilton (2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020).
John Surtees remains the only person to win world titles on both two and four wheels. His 1960 MV Agusta and his first Surtees F1 car will be displayed together proudly loaned by the Surtees family. Hamilton will be represented by both McLaren and Mercedes title-winning cars.
All five British-based Grand Prix teams that have produced world champions are contributing, alongside museums, private collectors, curators, and heritage organisations including Team Lotus.
Richard Hammond is preparing to embark on his next big adventure.
The renowned TV presenter – best known for BBC Top Gear and The Grand Tour – is set to race a 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 later this month at the prestigious Silverstone Festival, taking place over the Bank Holiday weekend, 22-24 August.
While Hammond has attended the Festival before – most recently to auction some of his personal cars and bikes to support his restoration business, The Smallest Cog – this will mark the 55-year-old’s first time competing.
On Sunday morning, he’ll line up on the grid for the esteemed Royal Automobile Club Historic Tourist Trophy. This iconic race is reserved for pre-’63 GTs, including legendary models such as the E-type Jaguar and AC Cobra.
To ease his entry into the world of historic racing, Hammond will share the driving duties with Patrick Blakeney-Edwards – one of the UK’s most seasoned historic racers and a former winner of the Historic Tourist Trophy himself.
