The 1951 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 14 July 1951 at the Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire, England. It was race 5 of 8 in the 1951 World Championship of Drivers and was contested over 90 laps. The race was the first victory for José Froilán González, and was also the first of many for the Scuderia Ferrari team. Both the team and driver also achieved their first ever pole position during the weekend.
Report
José Froilán González was one second quicker than Juan Manuel Fangio in qualifying, achieving the first pole position of his career. It was also the first pole position for the Ferrari team, and the first in the World Championship (excluding the Indy 500 races) not scored by an Alfa Romeo. Nino Farina and Alberto Ascari qualified in third and fourth positions, completing the front row.
Entries
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
! No !! Driver !! Entrant !! Constructor !! Chassis !! Engine !! Tyre
|-
! 1
| data-sort-value="FAR"| Nino Farina
| rowspan=4| Alfa Romeo SpA
| Alfa Romeo
| Alfa Romeo 159B
| Alfa Romeo 1.5 L8 s
| align="center"|
|-
! 2
| data-sort-value="FAn"| Juan Manuel Fangio
| Alfa Romeo
| Alfa Romeo 159B
| Alfa Romeo 1.5 L8 s
| align="center"|
|-
! 3
| data-sort-value="SAN"| Consalvo Sanesi
| Alfa Romeo
| Alfa Romeo 159B
| Alfa Romeo 1.5 L8 s
| align="center"|
|-
! 4
| data-sort-value="bon"| Felice Bonetto
| Alfa Romeo
| Alfa Romeo 159A
| Alfa Romeo 1.5 L8 s
| align="center"|
|-
! 5
| data-sort-value="kel"| Joe Kelly
| Joe Kelly
| Alta
| Alta GP
| Alta 1.5 L4 s
| align="center"|
|-
! 6
| data-sort-value="pAR"| Reg Parnell
| rowspan=2| BRM Ltd.
| BRM
| BRM P15
| BRM 15 1.5 V16 s
| align="center"|
|-
! 7
| data-sort-value="wal"| Peter Walker
| BRM
| BRM P15
| BRM 15 1.5 V16 s
| align="center"|
|-
! 8
| data-sort-value="ger"| Bob Gerard
| Bob Gerard
| ERA
| ERA B
| ERA 1.5 L6 s
| align="center"|
|-
! 9
| data-sort-value="sha"| Brian Shawe-Taylor
| Brian Shawe-Taylor
| ERA
| ERA B/C
| ERA 1.5 L6 s
| align="center"|
|-
! 10
| data-sort-value="vil"| Luigi Villoresi
| rowspan=3| Scuderia Ferrari
| Ferrari
| Ferrari 375
| Ferrari Type 375 4.5 V12
| align="center"|
|-
! 11
| data-sort-value="asc"| Alberto Ascari
| Ferrari
| Ferrari 375
| Ferrari Type 375 4.5 V12
| align="center"|
|-
! 12
| data-sort-value="gon"| José Froilán González
| Ferrari
| Ferrari 375
| Ferrari Type 375 4.5 V12
| align="center"|
|-
! 14
| data-sort-value="whi"| Peter Whitehead
| G. A. Vandervell
| Ferrari
| Ferrari 375 tw
| Ferrari Type 375 4.5 V12
| align="center"|
|-
! 15
| data-sort-value="mur"| David Murray
| Scuderia Ambrosiana
| Maserati
| Maserati 4CLT-48
| Maserati 4 CL 1.5 L4 s
| align="center"|
|-
! 16
| data-sort-value="jam"| John James
| John James
| Maserati
| Maserati 4CLT-48
| Maserati 4 CL 1.5 L4 s
| align="center"|
|-
! 17
| data-sort-value="fot"| Philip Fotheringham-Parker
| Philip Fotheringham-Parker
| Maserati
| Maserati 4CL
| Maserati 4 CL 1.5 L4 s
| align="center"|
|-
! 18
| data-sort-value="ham"| Duncan Hamilton
| Duncan Hamilton
| Talbot-Lago
| Talbot-Lago T26C
| Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6
| align="center"|
|-
! 19
| data-sort-value="tri"| Maurice Trintignant
| rowspan=3| Equipe Gordini
| Simca-Gordini
| Simca-Gordini T15
| Simca-Gordini 15C 1.5 L4 s
| align="center"|
|-
! 20
| data-sort-value="man"| Robert Manzon
| Simca-Gordini
| Simca-Gordini T15
| Simca-Gordini 15C 1.5 L4 s
| align="center"|
|-
! 21
| data-sort-value="sim"| André Simon
| Simca-Gordini
| Simca-Gordini T15
| Simca-Gordini 15C 1.5 L4 s
| align="center"|
|-
! 22
| data-sort-value="ros"| Louis Rosier
| rowspan=2| Ecurie Rosier
| Talbot-Lago
| Talbot-Lago T26C-DA
| Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6
| align="center"|
|-
! 23
| data-sort-value="chi"| Louis Chiron
| Talbot-Lago
| Talbot-Lago T26C
| Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6
| align="center"|
|-
! 24
| data-sort-value="eta"| Philippe Étancelin
| Philippe Étancelin
| Talbot-Lago
| Talbot-Lago T26C-DA
| Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6
| align="center"|
|-
! 25
| data-sort-value="cla"| Johnny Claes
| Ecurie Belge
| Talbot-Lago
| Talbot-Lago T26C-DA
| Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6
| align="center"|
|- style="background-color:#E5E4E2" align="center"
! colspan=7| Sources:
|-
|}
: – Maurice Trintignant, Robert Manzon, André Simon and Philippe Étancelin all withdrew from the event prior to practice.
Classification
Qualifying
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
! Pos !! No !! Driver !! Constructor !! Time
|-
! 1
| 12
| data-sort-value="gon"| José Froilán González
| Ferrari
| 1:43.4
|-
! 2
| 2
| data-sort-value="FAn"| Juan Manuel Fangio
| Alfa Romeo
| 1:44.4
|-
! 3
| 1
| data-sort-value="FAR"| Nino Farina
| Alfa Romeo
| 1:45.0
|-
! 4
| 11
| data-sort-value="asc"| Alberto Ascari
| Ferrari
| 1:45.4
|-
! 5
| 10
| data-sort-value="vil"| Luigi Villoresi
| Ferrari
| 1:45.8
|-
! 6
| 3
| data-sort-value="san"| Consalvo Sanesi
| Alfa Romeo
| 1:50.2
|-
! 7
| 4
| data-sort-value="bon"| Felice Bonetto
| Alfa Romeo
| 1:52.0
|-
! 8
| 14
| data-sort-value="whi"| Peter Whitehead
| Ferrari
| 1:54.6
|-
! 9
| 22
| data-sort-value="ros"| Louis Rosier
| Talbot-Lago-Talbot
| 1:56.0
|-
! 10
| 8
| data-sort-value="ger"| Bob Gerard
| ERA
| 1:57.0
|-
! 11
| 18
| data-sort-value="ham"| Duncan Hamilton
| Talbot-Lago-Talbot
| 1:57.2
|-
! 12
| 9
| data-sort-value="shA"| Brian Shawe-Taylor
| ERA
| 1:58.2
|-
! 13
| 23
| data-sort-value="chi"| Louis Chiron
| Talbot-Lago-Talbot
| 2:00.2
|-
! 14
| 25
| data-sort-value="cla"| Johnny Claes
| Talbot-Lago-Talbot
| 2:05.8
|-
! 15
| 15
| data-sort-value="mur"| David Murray
| Maserati
| 2:06.0
|-
! 16
| 17
| data-sort-value="Fot"| Philip Fotheringham-Parker
| Maserati
| 2:13.2
|-
! 17
| 16
| data-sort-value="jam"| John James
| Maserati
| 2:17.0
|-
! 18
| 5
| data-sort-value="kel"| Joe Kelly
| Alta
| 2:18.4
|-
! 19
| 7
| data-sort-value="wal"| Peter Walker
| BRM
| data-sort-value="3:00.0"|No time
|-
! 20
| 6
| data-sort-value="par"| Reg Parnell
| BRM
|data-sort-value="4:00.0"| No time
|-
! data-sort-value="21"|
| 19
| data-sort-value="tri"| Maurice Trintignant
| Simca-Gordini
| data-sort-value="6:00.0"|–
|-
! data-sort-value="21"|
| 20
| data-sort-value="man"| Robert Manzon
| Simca-Gordini
|data-sort-value="6:00.0"| –
|-
! data-sort-value="21"|
| 21
| data-sort-value="sim"| André Simon
| Simca-Gordini
|data-sort-value="6:00.0"| –
|-
! data-sort-value="21"|
| 24
| data-sort-value="eta"| Philippe Étancelin
| Talbot-Lago-Talbot
|data-sort-value="6:00.0"| –
|-
! colspan="5" |
|}
Race
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%;"
! Pos
! No
! Driver
! Constructor
! class="unsortable"|Laps
! class="unsortable"|Time/retired
! Grid
! Points
|-
! 1
| 12
| data-sort-value="gon"| José Froilán González
| Ferrari
| 90
| 2:42:18.2
| 1
| 8
|-
! 2
| 2
| data-sort-value="FAn"| Juan Manuel Fangio
| Alfa Romeo
| 90
| +51.0
| 2
| 6
|-
! 3
| 10
| data-sort-value="vil"| Luigi Villoresi
| Ferrari
| 88
| +2 laps
| 5
| 4
|-
! 4
| 4
| data-sort-value="bon"| Felice Bonetto
| Alfa Romeo
| 87
| +3 laps
| 7
| 3
|-
! 5
| 6
| data-sort-value="pAR"| Reg Parnell
| BRM
| 85
| +5 laps
| 20
| 2
|-
! 6
| 3
| data-sort-value="san"| Consalvo Sanesi
| Alfa Romeo
| 84
| +6 laps
| 6
|
|-
! 7
| 7
| data-sort-value="wal"| Peter Walker
| BRM
| 84
| +6 laps
| 19
|
|-
! 8
| 9
| data-sort-value="sha"| Brian Shawe-Taylor
| ERA
| 84
| +6 laps
| 12
|
|-
! 9
| 14
| data-sort-value="whi"| Peter Whitehead
| Ferrari
| 83
| +7 laps
| 8
|
|-
! 10
| 22
| data-sort-value="ros"| Louis Rosier
| Talbot-Lago-Talbot
| 83
| +7 laps
| 9
|
|-
! 11
| 8
| data-sort-value="ger"| Bob Gerard
| ERA
| 82
| +8 laps
| 10
|
|-
! 12
| 18
| data-sort-value="ham"| Duncan Hamilton
| Talbot-Lago-Talbot
| 81
| +9 laps
| 11
|
|-
! 13
| 25
| data-sort-value="cla"| Johnny Claes
| Talbot-Lago-Talbot
| 80
| +10 laps
| 14
|
|-
! data-sort-value="14"|
| 1
| data-sort-value="FAR"| Nino Farina
| Alfa Romeo
| 75
| Clutch
| 3
| 1
|-
! data-sort-value="15"|
| 5
| data-sort-value="kel"| Joe Kelly
| Alta
| 75
| Not classified
| 18
|
|-
! data-sort-value="16"|
| 11
| data-sort-value="asc"| Alberto Ascari
| Ferrari
| 56
| Gearbox
| 4
|
|-
! data-sort-value="17"|
| 17
| data-sort-value="fot"| Philip Fotheringham-Parker
| Maserati
| 46
| Oil leak
| 16
|
|-
! data-sort-value="18"|
| 15
| data-sort-value="mur"| David Murray
| Maserati
| 45
| Engine
| 15
|
|-
! data-sort-value="19"|
| 23
| data-sort-value="chi"| Louis Chiron
| Talbot-Lago-Talbot
| 41
| Brakes
| 13
|
|-
! data-sort-value="20"|
| 16
| data-sort-value="jam"| John James
| Maserati
| 23
| Radiator
| 17
|
|-
!colspan="8"|
|}
;Notes
- – 1 point for fastest lap
Championship standings after the race
;Drivers' Championship standings
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
!
! Pos
! Driver
! Points
|-
|align="left"| 10px
|align="center"| 1
| Juan Manuel Fangio
|align="right"| 21
|-
|align="left"| 10px
|align="center"| 2
| Nino Farina
|align="right"| 15
|-
|align="left"| 10px 2
|align="center"| 3
| Luigi Villoresi
|align="right"| 12
|-
|align="left"| 10px 5
|align="center"| 4
| José Froilán González
|align="right"| 11
|-
|align="left"| 10px 2
|align="center"| 5
| Lee Wallard
|align="right"| 9
|-
!colspan=4|Source:
|}