Pound sterling (£) - GBP
In spring 2022, shortly after signing for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, George Russell was taken to the legendary Silverstone Circuit by Sky Sports F1 for a unique driving challenge. To test his skills, Sky lined up a collection of iconic British vehicles — a red Routemaster bus, an ice cream van, a London black cab… and then the pièce de résistance: the world’s smallest production car, the Peel P50.
The question was simple — did the new Mercedes F1 star have what it takes to master the tiniest machine on track? Alongside him was Formula 1 legend Johnny Herbert, putting the little P50 through its paces in a series of fun but surprisingly tricky challenges. Watching on with a smile was Lewis Hamilton, clearly enjoying the sight of a microcar stealing the show at one of the world’s most famous circuits.
It was proof once again that the Peel P50 isn’t just about size — it’s about pure fun, character, and unforgettable moments. From the world of microcars to the pinnacle of motorsport, the smallest car on Earth held its own among racing legends. Now we just need to get Lando, Max, Lewis and the rest of the F1 grid involved… hands up for a Peel P50 Formula One Championship?
It was Alex’s very own Peel P50 that starred in the challenge — fresh off the back of nearly 1,500 miles (2,250 km) of his epic John O’Groats to Land’s End journey. One of the funniest moments came when Alex arrived at Silverstone and, while chatting away to Johnny and George, casually mentioned that “apparently some racing driver is going to have a go in it,” completely unaware he was talking to George Russell himself (Alex isn’t a F1 fan).
After all those miles across Britain — bar the famous door incident and a few tyre changes — the little P50 had come through Alex’s adventure largely unscathed. Hand it over to professional racing drivers, however, and it was a different story altogether. We ended up rebuilding the entire rear axle afterwards. It turns out racing drivers have just one gear: flat out. They’re paid to push machines to the limit — and the Peel P50 definitely felt more of a sting from Silverstone than it ever did from Alex’s 1,500-mile trek across the UK.