British GP: Toro Rosso preview

HAPPY RETIREMENT SILVERSTONE!

The British Grand Prix is 60 years old this year and Mr. Silverstone has decided to retire, handing the job to Mr. Donington. We look back at some of the things that have made his circuit famous:

* Amazingly, it has never rained over the British GP weekend.

* The most experienced man on the grid, Rubens Barrichello, first competed in the race in 1951. That year, the winner was the Argentinian, Froilan Gonzales. Later he underwent a sex-change operation, moved to Germany where he was known as Fraulein Gonzales.

* The future of Silverstone as the British Grand Prix venue has never been questioned.

* The area around Silverstone boasts more 3 Star Michelin restaurants than any other part of Europe.

* This is Bernie Ecclestone's favourite race, as he says the facilities are as good as anything you can find in.......Interlagos.

* Facilities are so good, fans never wanted to leave at the end of the race, so Silverstone once employed Eddie Jordan and his Rock Band to play at the post-race concert. It cleared the crowds immediately.

* After the American President visited the race, prisoner facilities in Guantanamo Bay were modeled on those in small hotels in the Silverstone area.

* The British Racing Drivers Club has won several British Business Awards for the way it has managed the future of the race over the past decade.

* In 1986 and '87, Nigel Mansell was booed by the crowd when he beat Nelson Piquet to win the race.

* The British Royal Family draws straws to see who will attend either the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Finals or the British Grand Prix. The one with the shortest straw comes to Silverstone.

* The award-winning Heathrow Airport is a very short distance from the track and the route is well signposted.

* This race always attracts a huge number of VIP celebrities, some of whom are even well known outside London.

* Plans to build a roof over the main grandstand to protect the crowd from the hot sun are due to be finally approved on Monday 22 June this year.

Now that he's retiring, Mr. Silverstone will have to spend lots of time in Department Stores with Mrs. Silverstone. Here are some tips to make those shopping trips more fun:

In the Clothing Department, stand in a rack of clothes and when a customer comes along, whisper "pick me, pick me."

In the Household Goods section, set all the alarm clocks to go off at five minute intervals.

Go into a Fitting Room in the Clothing Department and after 10 minutes, start shouting: "there's no toilet paper in here!"

Silverstone, we will miss you.

-credit: toro rosso