Silverstone hosted in the second half of July the eleventh race of a 2003 season that consisted of 16 grand prix.
Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) arrived there as world leader, taking 8 points from Kimi Raikonnen (McLaren) at a time when victory was worth 10 points and second place, 8. In the classification, the German could only be fifth, while his rival achieved the third best position.
Schumacher’s teammate, Rubens Barrichello, had taken pole with the other Ferrari ahead of Jarno Trulli’s Renault , and between the two candidates for the title, Ralf Schumacher slipped in fourth.
Trulli and Raikkonen surprised Barrichello at the start, although the Ferrari driver managed to account for the Finn from McLaren on lap 11. Earlier, on lap 7, the first Safety Car had appeared due to a strange problem: the headrest of his car. Other than that, the race was running smoothly until on lap 13 of 60 one of the spectators that packed the Silverstone stands stormed the track. Specifically, it was a guy dressed in an orange kilt and tights, green vest, tie and beret, and a Star of David painted on his forehead.
It was about Father Neil Horan , a radical Irish priest who lived in Clapham, London, and who wanted to alert the world about the development of a series of events in the Middle East that would lead to a third World War that could bring about the end of the world.
Horan scaled the fence surrounding the track before racing onto the circuit on the Hangar Straight as cars whizzed by at over 270kph trying to avoid him. He carried a banner that read ‘Read the Bible, the Bible is always right’.
The race quickly went into a Safety Car period, as Horan raced towards the exit of Beckett’s corner sequence before he was tackled and then stopped by Steward Stephen Green. He was charged with aggravated trespassing by Northamptonshire Police and sentenced to two months in prison.
Scotsman Neil Horan became known as ‘The Grand Prix Priest’, with fans choosing that 2003 British GP race as one Formula 1 replayed for free to entertain the world during the coronavirus pandemic. in 2020.
The race would end up being won by Rubens Barrichello, ahead of Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Raikkonen , who could only cut one point from Michael Schumacher who was third and who, at the end of the year, would become six-time world champion by just two units.
(Click here or on the image to enjoy the photos of that race before continuing reading)
That deranged man was a repeat offender, and in the 2004 Athens Olympics he ruined the career of the Brazilian Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima , who was leading the marathon on his way to gold. After the assault by the priest, who threw the athlete to the ground, Vanderlei Lima ended up having to settle, through tears, for the bronze medal.
He also wanted to appear with a Nazi salute at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, but fortunately the police neutralized him in time.
(F1 history lover? Here is a list of articles and historical moments in the category)
Do you want to read our news before anyone else and for free? Follow us here on our Telegram channel and you won’t miss a thing. All the information, at your fingertips!
