WATCH: F1 celebrates 75th anniversary by restoring unseen footage of first ever Grand Prix

16:11, 13 May

byNorberto Mujica

F1 has come up with a distinctive way of paying homage to the sport's 75 years of history by restoring and colorising unseen footage from the first Formula One race ever: the 1950 British Grand Prix.

Once a base for air bombers during World War II, Silverstone was redesigned into a Formula One track. The first to ever hold a race. On 13 May 1950, 21 cars took the start in front of the eyes of thousands of fans who were witnessing -unknowingly perhaps, as it often happens- history in the making. Among the attendees were British royals King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

Royalty wasn't only taking up spots on the stands, but on the grid as well as Prince Bira of Siam (now Thailand) and the Swiss baron Emmanuel de Graffenried, participated in the race.

The first ever starting grid at the 1950 British Grand Prix

Giuseppe Farina, the first driver ever to take the honours of being world champion, and F1 legend Juan Manuel Fangio, teammates at the time, were defending Alfa Romeo's colours, along with Maserati the only two Italian brands to make their debut in the category on the same day it was inaugurated. Ferrari would run their first official F1 race a week later in Monaco.

Alfa Romeo dominated the race, as Farina took the first F1 win ever, ahead of teammate Luigi Fagioli and local favourite British Reg Parnell, making a 1-2-3 finish for the Italian manufacturer. Could have been a 4th in it as well, but Fangio suffered a broken oil pipe in his engine which forced him to retire. ERA and Altas represented the British manufacturers in the distinctive British racing green colour, and Lagos-Talbot from France also made the grid.

The Alfa Romeo 158's were the belle of the ball as they took home a 1-2-3 finish at the 1950 British Grand Prix

The very first race now fully in color

To commemorate the momentous occasion, Formula 1 has undergone a massive curation work to bring to life - and colour - unseen footage from the race.

"Using advanced AI software, reference imagery, and manual painting techniques, the process painstakingly implants the original colours of the scene onto the moving imagery, bringing to life the people and surroundings of that day."

"Specific elements such as the sky, grass, cars, and faces are electronically painted manually to truly bring the scene to life, using images of the cars and subjects, and F1 archive footage, to ensure accuracy," reads a press release issued by F1.

The publication of these unique images is part of a celebration organized by Formula 1, including a 24-hour livestream on YouTube. During this broadcast, seven full classic races will be shown, highlights from various decades, and current F1 season drivers and team bosses will share their first memories of the sport.

Original footage of the first F1 race ever, the 1950 British Grand Prix

Restored footage by F1, of their first ever race, the 1950 British Grand Prix

Domenicali Reflects on First F1 Race

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali looks back on the rich history the sport has with immense pride.

“75 years ago today our sport roared to life, and we are privileged to continue the incredible legacy of the brave drivers who raced for the ultimate prize on this day in 1950. It is fantastic to see this footage brought to life in full colour, and an amazing way to mark this historic moment."

“Today is a day when we can pay tribute to those who have come before us; drivers, engineers, team owners and of course, our fans, without whom we would not be in the position we are today. For 75 years we have innovated and driven the world forward, exciting our fans with feats of human endurance and speed that continue to amaze. Here is to the next 75 years and beyond for this incredible sport. Avanti Tutta!”