50th Silverstone Grand Prix Commemorative Parades

Silverstone to celebrate its 50th Grand Prix with commemorative parades at the British Grand Prix

– Search has begun for British Grand Prix winning cars and drivers – Sir Jackie Stewart to be reunited with British Grand Prix winning Matra MS80

This year's FORMULA 1 SANTANDER BRITISH GRAND PRIX (04-06 July) will be the 50th Grand Prix to be held at Silverstone Circuit. To mark the occasion, fans attending this year's event will be treated to three special commemorative parades, featuring British Grand Prix winning cars and drivers that have provided unforgettable moments in the circuit's illustrious history.

The three parades – one scheduled for each day of the three-day event – will transfer spectators and drivers back to a bygone era, as a host of British Formula 1® legends are to be reunited with the cars they drove to British Grand Prix victory.

Silverstone has begun its search for these iconic, original cars and is delighted to announce that the first driver and car to be involved in the parade is two-times British Grand Prix winner (1969 and 1971) and three-times Formula 1® World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, who is expected to be reunited with his 1969 British Grand Prix winning Matra MS80.

The car, driven by Sir Jackie and originally run by Ken Tyrrell's Matra International team, was one of the first F1® cars to be designed with wings for downforce. 1969 was also the year that Sir Jackie went on to win his first Formula 1® World Championship.

Looking ahead to this year's 50th Grand Prix at Silverstone and the commemorative parade laps, Sir Jackie commented: “Britain should be very proud that the very beginning of Formula One was at Silverstone, and that we will be celebrating its 50th Grand Prix in July. Silverstone, at that time, was one of the fastest racetracks in the world and I am extremely proud that my name is down as a winner of the British Grand Prix; as to win your home Grand Prix has a special meaning. I had one of the greatest battles in my racing career with Jochen Rindt in '69, when there were more than thirty lead changes during the race. My father and my brother were there to witness it; it was one of the proudest occasions of my career. My victory at Silverstone was to lead on to me securing the World Championship for the first time also.

“Britain is now the technology capital of the whole world in motor sport. We have had great drivers and great cars born and bred in Britain. The Formula One World Championship is now the greatest sporting series around the globe, which is a huge credit to GB plc.”

Richard Phillips, Managing Director of Silverstone Circuits Limited, said: “No other circuit has the history of Silverstone. We are looking forward to celebrating our 50th Grand Prix and are in the process of locating the cars that have won at Silverstone over the years. We are planning to run the three track parades with as many of the original cars and their drivers as we can.

“We are delighted to be in a position to announce the first car already. To have Sir Jackie reunited with his 1969 race and championship-winning Formula 1 car in front of the home fans is a huge privilege and something that will make this year's British Grand Prix even more special.”

The 2014 FORMULA 1 SANTANDER BRITISH GRAND PRIX will be the 50th Grand Prix to be held at Silverstone since Luigi Villoresi won the first ever event on 02 October 1948, two years before the inauguration of the FIA Formula One World Championship in 1950.

Tickets for the 2014 FORMULA 1 SANTANDER BRITISH GRAND PRIX are available from £65pp and are on sale 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Visit www.silverstone.co.uk for more information or call 0844 3728 300.