Silverstone 1950-2025: Coulthard at the wheel of the Alfa Romeo 158
On the eve of the 2025 British Grand Prix, Silverstone celebrated its 75 years of history with numerous commemorative events. Among them was one that holds special significance for Italians. David Coulthard, former Formula 1 driver, now Red Bull ambassador and television personality, brought the legendary Alfa Romeo 158 back on track, the famous “Alfetta” that in 1950 won the very first Formula 1 World Championship Grand Prix, held precisely on this historic circuit.
It was a return to the origins of the sport that moved not only the public, but also David Coulthard himself. At the wheel of the single-seater, he enthusiastically described the emotions he felt: “It is incredibly physical, the steering is extremely heavy, the noise is deafening. There were no seatbelts, you only needed courage and total commitment. It is a rush of adrenaline stronger than 15 years of a Formula 1 career.”
The Alfetta 158, originally developed in the 1930s and refined after the Second World War, was a true jewel of engineering. Equipped with a 1.5-litre supercharged straight-eight engine, capable of delivering more than 350 horsepower, and a lightweight tubular chassis, it was simply unbeatable. Between 1946 and 1951, it claimed 47 victories out of 51 races, an absolute dominance that handed Alfa Romeo two consecutive World Championships: the first with Giuseppe “Nino” Farina in 1950, and the second with Juan Manuel Fangio in 1951.
In the video recorded at Silverstone, Coulthard also focused on some of the unique technical features of the car: “The accelerator pedal is in the centre, between the clutch and the brake. You constantly need to remind yourself not to make mistakes. It is a car built with one purpose only, to race, without any compromise.” With the classic wooden steering wheel in his hands, the Scottish former driver relived the effort and determination required by the champions of that era: corners to be wrestled with raw strength, speeds approaching 300 km/h, and no real protection, only passion, bravery, and skill behind the wheel.
Oh, those drivers were truly brave
In the commemorative video produced by Channel 4, historic and modern images were combined: the memory of Nino Farina’s victory at Silverstone in 1950 in front of the King and Queen of the United Kingdom, the battles between the Italian standard-bearers and the unrivalled technical power of Alfa Romeo, all the way to the roar of the engines and the applause of today’s audience. “Oh, those drivers were truly brave,” commented Coulthard, paying tribute to a generation that raced almost without protection, turning the relationship between man and machine into pure legend.
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