God Save the King

A thought struck me while watching Lando Norris celebrate his well earned deserved Miami Grand Prix victory yesterday . I think I'm right in saying  that he is the first Briton in  Formula One  whose victory was honoured by the National Anthem -"God save the King " rather than "God save the Queen " . The tune is the same, it might not have been sung but if it had .... history was being made .  

Before that, I think it would have been played when Peter Whitehead won the 1949 Czechoslovakian GP.  This was a Pre-Championship Formula 1 race and not a Formule Libre one.
I doubt it would have been played when Reg Parnell "Won" the 1951 International Trophy as the race was abandoned due to torrential rain and his "win" has only been retrospectively credited.
Then there's the 1951 "Scottish GP" won by Philip Fotheringham-Parker in a Maserati 4CL.  But it may not have been a Formula 1 race as the field looks more like a formule Libre event.  Also as the field was entirely made up of British drivers and Irishman Joe Kelly, the anthem may not have been played.

Edited by D-Type, 06 May 2024 - 18:18.

Was James Weaver the first British driver to win the Miami GP? I know he'd have sung, "God save the Queen", but it did get me wondering. For some reason I thought Perry McCarthy had won it in the past too.

Wouldn't it have been played after George Russell's win in 2022?

 It would - I was convinced the had Queen died in 2023 . Probably because of the coronation in May last year . 

Are there any, or many, British or Commonwealth drivers who have won significant races, requiring the national anthem, spanning two Monarchs - in the 40s and and 50s or in the present era? 

Also, are the words sung at such ceremonies? If not, is there any other difference between the anthems?

Edited by garoidb, 07 May 2024 - 17:24.

Are there any, or many, British or Commonwealth drivers who have won significant races, requiring the national anthem, spanning two Monarchs - in the 40s and and 50s or in the present era? 

 

Also, are the words sung at such ceremonies? If not, is there any other difference between the anthems?

Peter Whitehead won Le Mans 1950. He won 12 Hours of Reims in 1953 and 54 under a different monarch. If the anthem was played for those 2 races, he would appear to qualify. Is this what you are looking for?

There seems to have always been an anthem for the winning driver but we also get one for the winning constructor - or team ?. I can't remember when this started or has it always been so.  When Dick Seaman won in Germany in 1938 I assume the British anthem was played and I am sure the ADAC would have followed this up with the German anthem due to the magnificent Mercedes victory   When Fangio won for Alfa Rome in 1950 did he hear the Argentine followed by Italian anthem?  

Edited by 68targa, 07 May 2024 - 20:43.

Also, I believe Pedro Rodriguez might be the only Grand Prix winner who had two different 'anthems' played for his wins.

Not the only one. I seem to recall John Watson being very annoyed to hear the national anthem of Irish Republic being played after winning a GP in US. Long Beach 1983? 

Not the only one. I seem to recall John Watson being very annoyed to hear the national anthem of Irish Republic being played after winning a GP in US. Long Beach 1983?

Actually, now you've said that, I seem to remember a simliar thing with Eddie Irvine, although I can't recollect if this was a flag or an anthem issue (I think the former but I could be wrong).

 

 

As I recall Eddie Irvine was annoyed when the Irish flag was flown for him fearing that it could make him a target of Northern Ireland loyalists. 

There seems to have always been an anthem for the winning driver but we also get one for the winning constructor - or team ?. I can't remember when this started or has it always been so.  When Dick Seaman won in Germany in 1938 I assume the British anthem was played and I am sure the ADAC would have followed this up with the German anthem due to the magnificent Mercedes victory.

Yes, both anthems were played. It wasn't ADAC in those days though - although the club traces its origins back to 1903 all German motor clubs were absorbed by the DDAC in the mid-1930s, which was in turn controlled by the paramilitary NSKK. ADAC was revived in 1946 and admitted to the FIA in late 1949, enabling German racing drivers to once more get International licences to compete abroad (Hans Stuck was an exception, but he was using an Austrian licence!)

Not the only one. I seem to recall John Watson being very annoyed to hear the national anthem of Irish Republic being played after winning a GP in US. Long Beach 1983? 

On a similar note, the British national anthem was played for Jordan winning the '98 Belgian Grand Prix - despite the team being Irish (the Irish anthem was subsequently used for the rest of the team's wins).

Incidentally, I think Australia is the only country to have had two different national anthems played at the end of World Championship Grands Prix - for Brabham and Jones it would have God Save the Queen; but Advance Australia Fair was played when Webber won.

Am I correct in thinking that when Jack Brabham won the British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch in 1966 there was some confusion over which anthem should be played and that "Waltzing Matilda" was selected instead?   If so, it was clearly non-PC long before such considerations were the norm...

Am I correct in thinking that when Jack Brabham won the British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch in 1966 there was some confusion over which anthem should be played and that "Waltzing Matilda" was selected instead? If so, it was clearly non-PC long before such considerations were the norm...

Also, I believe Pedro Rodriguez might be the only Grand Prix winner who had two different 'anthems' played for his wins.

 Please elaborate -I have not heard any story about the wrong national anthem being played for Pedro Rodriguez.

The Eddie Irvine and John Watson incidents were noted at the time, if I remember correctly - I think I read that the flag of the Irish Republic might have been (mistakenly) displayed for Irvine also?

At Monaco in 1970,  I think the Australian national anthem was mistakenly played for Rindt.  The explanation I recall being reported was that Jack Brabham had been leading until the final corner and the band leader assumed he had won?  I wonder if confusion between "Austria" and "Australia" might have played a part, though probably not in French-speaking Monaco.

Edited by Emery0323, 09 May 2024 - 04:36.

Please elaborate -I have not heard any story about the wrong national anthem being played for Pedro Rodriguez.

The Eddie Irvine and John Watson incidents were noted at the time, if I remember correctly - I think I read that the flag of the Irish Republic might have been (mistakenly) displayed for Irvine also?

At Monaco in 1970, I think the Australian national anthem was mistakenly played for Rindt. The explanation I recall being reported was that Jack Brabham had been leading until the final corner and the band leader assumed he had won? I wonder if confusion between "Austria" and "Australia" might have played a part, though probably not for French-speaking Monaco.

Rodriguez was such a surprise winner of the 1967 South African Grand Prix, they didn't have the anthem and played "Al sur de la frontera"

Sort of like Nuvolari at the 35 German GP, but he had his own record of the Italian anthem for them to play.

So the story goes. But did it really happen that way?

There seems to be no contemporary report to support it.

So the story goes. But did it really happen that way?

There seems to be no contemporary report to support it.

Difficult to say for sure. The account I have is from Christopher Hilton  Nuvolari 2003. He writes that  "Nuvolari instructed Campagnoni, his mechanic to go to the pits and look in his case, where he would find a gramophone record of it" (the Italian Anthem). Stories of Nuvolari include quite a few myths, but Hilton attempts to separate them out.

Denny Hulme would I think have heard both NZ National Anthems. Up to 1977 it was officially God Save the Queen. After that date it became God Defend New Zealand.

I would imagine the TT win in 1986 should have had the second one played.

I've not heard that one - although Alan Jones, after winning in Austria in 1977, was played Happy Birthday.

There was some guy blowing various tunes on a trumpet during the interviews, but then they played Advance Australia Fair during the ceremony.

I've not heard that one - although Alan Jones, after winning in Austria in 1977, was played Happy Birthday.

That’s a myth. That ceremony is recorded on video. Might be on YouTube. It never happened.

I’m surprised this topic came up now when we made quite a fuss about it when Russell won in Brazil. But I was trying to confirm the previous one to George and the obvious one was Seaman. But were there any significant enough Grands Prix won by Brits between the Second World War and Feb 1952 that national anthems would have been played for the winner?

I’m surprised this topic came up now when we made quite a fuss about it when Russell won in Brazil. But I was trying to confirm the previous one to George and the obvious one was Seaman. But were there any significant enough Grands Prix won by Brits between the Second World War and Feb 1952 that national anthems would have been played for the winner?

Possibly Leslie Brooke's win at Chimay in 1946. He won a minor hillclimb at Retich in Luxembourg the next day as well.

Maybe even Jock Horsfall in the Belgian Sports Car GP 2-litre race in Brussels, also 1946?