Comparing Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes to 1950 F1 Alfa Romeo

Formula One returns to Silverstone this weekend for its 70th Anniversary race.

The first World Championship race was held at the circuit in 1950 and won by Italian Giuseppe Farina.

Here, the PA news agency compares the Mercedes car driven by reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton to Farina's Alfa Romeo 158 Alfetta.

Weight

With a sturdy tubular steel chassis, the Alfa Romeo driven by F1's maiden world champion Farina was more than a tonne heavier than Mercedes' AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance model. Hamilton's car, constructed of moulded carbon fibre, weighs just 746kg, in comparison to the 1,786kg of the Alfa Romeo.

Design

Farina's Alfetta was shorter than the Mercedes and featured an open cockpit, while he sat on corduroy seat covers. In contrast, Hamilton races beneath a Halo safety device. The Briton's seat is removable and made of "anatomically formed carbon composite". Both cars use tyres manufactured by Pirelli.

Power

Mercedes' car uses a 1.6 litre V6 turbocharged hybrid engine, with a fuel tank capable of holding 110 litres. The Alfa Romeo could carry more than three times as much fuel, having a capacity of 331 litres. It was powered by a 1.5 litre supercharged straight eight engine.

Maximum speed

Hamilton's team-mate Valtteri Bottas has recorded the top speed in Mercedes' current model, clocking 330kph during free practice at Silverstone last weekend. In comparison, the Alfa Romeo was around 40kph slower, managing maximum speeds of around 290kph.