A Century-Old Grand Prix Reborn at Brooklands' Banking
On the same bumpy concrete banking that hosted the first British Grand Prix in 1926, more than 120 grand prix and Formula 1 cars gathered last weekend to mark the centenary of an often-overlooked moment in motorsport. Twenty-two years before Silverstone and a full quarter-century before the F1 world championship, Brooklands – a pioneering banked oval south of London – staged the race that first carried the British GP name.
The original 1926 grid may have counted only nine starters, but it featured titans like Malcolm Campbell and Henry Segrave. Victory went to a shared Delage, its drivers nursing burns from an exhaust placed too close to the cockpit. The event was revived just once, in 1927, before the title lay dormant until Silverstone’s postwar debut.
Organised by the Brooklands Museum, the centenary gathering far exceeded its target of 100 cars. The static displays spanned from a 1908 Austin to modern McLaren and Haas machinery, while demo runs let the BRM V-16 and Honda V-12 fire up again. On the eve of the public day, organisers even recreated the original start on the same grid, with the sister car of that winning 1926 Delage among the participants.
A recently restored Thomas Special 2 – entered but unfinished in time for the 1926 race – finally took its place a century later. While the Brooklands banking was partially demolished decades ago, the remaining section and original paddock buildings still stand, now preserved by the charitable museum that also houses an aviation collection including a Concorde and a Wellington bomber.
What Brooklands' Centenary Says About Motorsport's Living History
The Enduring Pull of Britain's Motorsport Heritage
Brooklands’ centenary is more than a nostalgic car show. It underscores how deeply Britain’s identity is rooted in its racing history – and how fragile that physical heritage can be. The event deliberately drew a line from the rudimentary 1920s racers to contemporary F1 machinery, reminding spectators that today’s global motorsport industry traces part of its lineage to a concrete banking in Weybridge. For the museum, a charity that relies on ticket sales and donations, the spectacle also serves a practical purpose: it draws fresh attention and visitor revenue to a site that has struggled to maintain its footprint amid development pressures. By re-creating the start on the exact centenary minute, the organisers made history feel immediate rather than archival – a strategy that heritage sites increasingly rely on to broaden their appeal beyond traditional enthusiasts.
A Gearhead's Guide to the Brooklands Experience
For gearheads planning a UK trip, the Brooklands Museum remains open to the public year-round. The remaining section of the legendary banking is accessible, allowing visitors to stand where Campbell and Segrave once raced. The site also houses an extensive aviation collection and a London bus museum, making it a multi-era attraction for anyone interested in 20th-century transport history.
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