Silverstone Circuit

Jump to: History – Tickets – This Year
Top Tips – Getting There – Methods of travel
Hotels Nearby – Things to Do

A Brief History of Silverstone Circuit

Silverstone Circuit, home of the British Grand Prix, sits across the border between Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire. It is built on the site of RAF Silverstone, a Royal Air Force bomber station from World War II.
It first hosted the British Grand Prix on October 2nd, 1948, when the circuit was 3.7 miles long and was marked out with straw bales and oil drums. The race was won by Luigi Villoresi in a Maserati. After that, the race was rotated between Brands Hatch, Aintree and Silverstone until 1987, when Silverstone became the permanent base.

Silverstone was also the location of the first Formula One Grand Prix, which was held in 1950. In 88 years of the Grand Prix, it has been won by 12 British drivers. Jim Clark is the most successful British Driver, winning four British Grand Prix, two of which were at Silverstone in 1963 and 1965.

Ticket Information

Tickets are sold for individual events, and the prices for these events differ. The main event in 2021 is the British Grand Prix, which will be held from July 9th to 11th. The total capacity is 150,000. There are a number of grandstands including International Pits Straight, Copse, Woodcote, Luffield, Becketts and Club Silverstone, Club, National Pits Straight, Stowe, Abbey, Vale and Village. Some seats are covered, but many are not. There is a range of ticket options to choose from, including an allocated seat in a chosen grandstand for the whole three days, or a ticket for one day in your chosen grandstand. Children’s tickets are available for 15s and under, but children aged 10 and under can go free on a General Admission ticket. You can find the prices below:

The price for an adult General Admission ticket on Sunday (race day) starts from £175.
A ticket for Friday, which is the qualifying day, costs as little as £79.
Whole weekend tickets can be purchased starting at £195 to £580 depending on the ticket type.
You can buy your tickets direct from the official Silverstone website.

Top Tips when Visiting Silverstone

There are many tips to keep in mind when you visit Silverstone Circuit to get the most out of your trip. These include:

Take a portable radio with you to follow all the action that you cannot see.
Take a pair of binoculars, which makes it much easier to see what is happening.
Take some good earplugs, or buy them when you arrive. The noise is amazing, but you will want some plugs after a while.
If you are not in the grandstands, make sure you get there early to get a good place.
Dress appropriately for any weather conditions because most areas are not covered.

Getting There

There are many ways to get to Silverstone. Here is a guide to the main methods of transport.

Bus

You can take the Megabus to Silverstone from dozens of towns and cities all over the UK. This is one of the cheapest ways to travel to the circuit.

Park and Ride

There are three Park and Ride sites. Hinton Airfield is located off the M40, and a further two are located off the M1. They are operated by Silverstone, and you can buy a one-day pass. The bus journey to the circuit lasts about 20 minutes.

Car

If travelling to the circuit by car, try to leave early to avoid queues. The roads around the circuit are small and they can become very slow.
If you are arriving from the M1, leave the motorway at Junction 15A and get onto the A43. Head towards Towcester and then follow signposts to the car park.
If you are arriving from the M40, leave at Junction 10 and get onto the A43. From here, follow the signposts to the car park.
You can park at the circuit if you have bought two or more tickets. You have to buy a vehicle pass when you buy your ticket, or by calling the ticket line.
If you require disabled parking, you must send a copy of your blue badge to receive a disabled access pass, and you should then display your pass and your blue badge when you arrive. The disabled area is located at car park 50

Train

Head to Milton Keynes, Banbury or Northampton stations if you travel by train. You can book your tickets in advance using thetrainline.com, and by doing this you can save money off the ticket price! From the stations, you can catch a Stagecoach bus or take a taxi, and the journey to the circuit lasts about 30 minutes.

Getting to Silverstone from Luton Airport

Method of transport	Approximate journey time	Approximate cost
Car	1 hour	£7.35
Bus	2-4 hours	£24
Taxi	1 hour	£60
Train (requires taxi from station)	1hr 57mins	£15.30

Please note that journey times may be affected during rush hour and on race days. Whilst travelling by car to Silverstone works out at the cheapest option (in petrol), if you need to rent a car, further charges will be incurred. For a list of taxi companies operating from Luton, visit our Luton Airport Taxis page.

Hotels Nearby

There are a number of accommodation options to choose from. Some of the hotels located near to Silverstone include:

Park Inn by Radisson Northampton 13 miles from circuit

Hellidon Lakes Golf and Spa Hotel 15 miles from circuit

Chesford Grange 35 miles from circuit

Stratford Manor 35 miles from circuit

Camping Around the Area

Many visitors prefer to camp nearby, and there are a number of campsites located within walking distance from the circuit. These include:

Silverstone Woodlands Campsite, which is one of the closest to the circuit. This opens on Wednesday July 1 and closes on Monday July 6 for the BGP.
Litchlake Farm, which is located just one minute away by foot. There are no requirements for minimum stays, and security is provided 24/7.
Dadford Road, which is a five-minute walk from the circuit.

Things to Do Nearby

There are many things to do in the area when you visit Silverstone if you don’t want to limit your trip to just the racing!
The main towns to visit include Towcester, Milton Keynes, Stowe and Buckingham.

In Towcester, you could visit:

Towcester Museum, a fun museum that is great for kids
Towcester Centre, a wave pool with slides

In Milton Keynes, you could visit:

Pirate Island Adventure Golf
Milton Keynes Museum, a museum for the whole family with lots of things for kids to touch
Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre, which is popular for days out
Planet Ice Milton Keynes, a popular ice-skating rink

In Stowe, one of the main attractions is Stowe Landscape Gardens. These beautiful gardens are popular for days out, and free activity packs are provided for children.
In Buckingham, you could visit the Buckingham Old Gaol Museum and discover more about the history of the area as well as seeing the original prison cells.