Silverstone (United Kingdom) (AFP)

A little over 70 years ago 100,000 spectators flocked to the Silverstone circuit for the first Grand Prix of the brand new Formula 1 World Championship, today there are ... none.

The stands of the circuit traced in the English countryside are empty, the traditional traffic jams forgotten. The coronavirus has transformed this weekend's anniversary Grand Prix into a completely virtual experience for spectators at home.

To alleviate their disappointment, the McLaren team invited 500 of them to sit in a "virtual stand" where they can talk to their drivers just before the race. Williams, another legendary British team, offers them a similar experience to "experience the excitement of a Grand Prix while staying comfortably at home".

Admittedly, 20 pilots - they were 26 in 1950 - will really face each other on Sunday on the track in an attempt to conquer the title of world champion after a calendar season cut down by the pandemic. It should have about fifteen events out of the 22 initially planned, and only seven 70 years ago.

For the promoters of F1, it was necessary to find a name for the second race organized in eight days on this same circuit of Silverstone, after the Grand Prix of Great Britain last week.

Rather than moving around the world as it usually does, the F1 "circus" has had to refocus on Europe this year, as it did 70 years ago, and revisit the same circuits several times to races that are only differentiated by name.

- Temples of F1 -

Silverstone, which saw the first Grand Prix of the first championship take place in May 1950, was therefore ideal for hosting the 1023rd.

The route has changed a lot, lengthening in the interval from 4.649 to 5.891 kilometers, the lap record dropping from 1 min 50 sec and 8 tenths to 1 min 24 sec and 303 thousandths, some 26 seconds less to cover 1.2 kilometers more.

The names of the main bends, like Maggotts, Becketts and Stowe, have remained the same and the vibe of Silverstone, when spectators are there, is timeless, unique to one of the last "temples" of F1 where racing cars s. 'already faced off at the start, the others being Monaco, Spa (Belgium) and Monza (Italy).

At the time, Indianapolis, in the United States, was also part of the F1 World Championship. On this equally legendary circuit, the famous "500 Miles" will take place in two weeks, which will see American-style F1 cars called IndyCar compete. The race will also take place behind closed doors due to coronavirus.

The only brand present at Silverstone in May 1950 and still there in August 2020 is Alfa Romeo, although its modern single-seaters are in fact Swiss Saubers renamed for marketing reasons. The Scuderia Ferrari, if it took part in the first F1 championship in 1950, was not in England that year for a dark history of departure bonus.

But there was at Silverstone 70 years ago a Thai pilot, Prince Birabongse Bhanudej Bhanubandh, known as Prince Bira, and a Monegasque, Louis Chiron. There will also be a Thai, Alexander Albon, and a Monegasque, Charles Leclerc at the start.

© 2020 AFP