British Grand Prix 1954 - Race Schedule and Countdown

José Froilán González delivered a shock victory for Ferrari at Silverstone's British Grand Prix, defeating Mercedes-Benz's vaunted Silver Arrows in a stunning upset. The powerful Argentine drove brilliantly to hold off the German team's challenge, with Mike Hawthorn completing a Ferrari one-two finish. González's victory, achieved with fastest lap for bonus points, demonstrated that Mercedes' streamlined W196 wasn't invincible on all circuit types.

Mercedes' defeat at Silverstone exposed a critical flaw in their streamlined W196 design - the enclosed wheels made the car difficult to place precisely on twisty circuits. While the streamlined bodywork had been perfect for Reims' fast, flowing layout, Silverstone's tighter corners revealed handling limitations that Ferrari exploited brilliantly. Fangio could only manage fourth place, unable to match Ferrari's pace despite his supreme skill.

González's triumph proved that Ferrari remained competitive and that Mercedes' technical advantage had limitations. The result prompted Mercedes to develop an open-wheel version of the W196, acknowledging that their streamlined design wasn't optimal for all circuits. Onofre Marimón's third place for Maserati represented a strong result for the Argentine driver, though tragedy awaited him at the next race.