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Keith Martin: 1958, my first British Grand Prix experience

I race in the FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship in a Dulon Dino which has a Ferrari V6 engine and have enjoyed racing the car for some years now.

The first time I raced at Silverstone was probably 1975 in a Formula Ford school racing series, but the first time I ever visited the circuit I was in short trousers and came to watch a British Grand Prix where the car that won had the engine in the front. It was a sunny and bright day in July 1958 and I travelled in a Hillman 14 with my Father, Grandfather and our neighbours. The circuit was still recognisable, it has of course changed significantly since but we stood at Becketts Corner, which is no longer on the circuit, though there is of course Becketts complex. The atmosphere was just as good as it is now but the facilities were certainly a lot more primitive. instead of barriers and catch fencing, we were protected by a piece of string and a ditch! So if the car went off the corner it headed towards us, hit the earth bank and the ditch and hopefully went no further. In fact a car did just that and ploughed straight through the bank coming to rest just in front of us in the ditch.

There were lots of support races, with racing starting at 10AM, right through to the Grand Prix and then further races after it. The Formula 1 drivers would compete in many of the support races too. You had people like Stirling Moss and Mike Hawthorn driving Jaguars in the saloon car races ahead of the Grand Prix.

The British Grand Prix was won by Peter Collins that year.

Those first visits to Silverstone as a youngster really sparked a flame for me that has never dwindled since.

Keith Martin

Memory added on May 20, 2013

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