Full house for the UK’s F1 teams
Sebastian Vettel’s victory on the streets of Valencia on Sunday maintains UK teams’ dominance of this year’s FIA Formula One World Championship. To date British-based teams have completed a clean sweep of all eight Grands Prix staged in 2011.
The latest success for Milton Keynes-based Red Bull Racing comes at the start of National Motorsport Week (25 June-3 July), an initiative set up by the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) and Motor Sports Association (MSA) which celebrates the on-going success of the UK motorsport industry as well as helping more newcomers into all areas of the sport.
Underlining this country’s long running success, the history books illustrate how British-based companies have totally dominated Formula One racing clinching no fewer than 36 Formula One World Championship Constructors’ titles. Even the world famous Ferrari brand has only brought 16 titles to Italy.
The Constructors’ Championship was first awarded to Vanwall in 1958 and since then has been won by no fewer than 10 more companies headquartered in this country: Benetton/Renault (1995, 2005, 2006), Brabham (1966, 1967), Brawn (2009), BRM (1962), Cooper (1959, 1960), Lotus (1963, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1978), McLaren (1974, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998), Red Bull Racing (2010), Tyrrell (1971) and Williams (1980, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997).
“The continuing global status of UK technology in motor sport which generates in excess of £6 billion per annum is highlighted by these wins in Formula One. The network of companies on which F1 relies celebrates on most Monday mornings no matter the anthem played on the podium. More importantly, these results inspire even more British youngsters to take up an engineering career which has to be great news for this country,” said Chris Aylett, Chief Executive of the MIA.
Britain has also produced more World Champion drivers than any other nation with ten title winners: Brazil and Finland are next up with three each. Indeed two of the last three champions – Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button – are British and both have added to their victory tally for Woking-based Vodafone McLaren Mercedes in 2011.
“Whether it’s drivers or teams, Britain has an unrivalled pedigree in Formula One. But National Motorsport Week Is about much more than Formula One – it is about encouraging all those inspired by these achievements at the sport’s pinnacle to have a go and see just how simple it can be to get involved with the sport as an enthusiastic amateur,” said Colin Hilton, Chief Executive of the MSA.
Editors’ notes: National Motorsport Week – running from 25 June to 3 July – is a special celebration of UK motor sport jointly promoted by the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) and the Motor Sports Association (MSA) that culminates at this summer’s staging of the spectacular Goodwood Festival of Speed. The week features a wide range of initiatives and activities ranging from novice taster events run by local motor clubs to a series of factory visits to all eight UK-based F1 teams available through competitions hosted on the MSA’s GoMotorsport.net website.
For more information, visit gomotorsport.net or nationalmotorsportweek.co.uk.
