Years Attended:
2010,11,12,13
Tickets:
International Pit Straight
Club Corner
General Admission
Price:
£170-£375
Accommodation:
Woodlands Campsite - Silverstone
(Around £60 each and a 10 minute walk from the circuit)
Days attended:
Thursday-Sunday
5 words to describe the circuit:
Exciting
Electric
Unpredictable
Friendly
Welcoming
Summary:
If you're after an F1 experience like no other, then make your way to Silverstone. This is a circuit where fans are so incredibly passionate about the sport and it shows! It's a circuit where nobody cares if you're looking glamorous or covered in mud, you're an F1 fan at the end of the day and you're welcome there. The British GP always throws up surprises, as we saw in 2013. There's always something to get excited about.
Silverstone is the birthplace of Formula 1 and for that reason alone, it's well worth a visit!
Atmosphere:
Personally, I've never known an atmosphere like that at Silverstone. The fans are just insane...But in a good way! I’ll never forget the first time I heard the crowd roar when the first car left the pits for FP1 in 2010. It was unbelievable. It gave me goosebumps. Be a part of that atmosphere, express your excitement and soak it all in. Silverstone is the birthplace of Formula 1 after all, so embrace that and enjoy it!
Tickets:
Silverstone tickets aren't cheap, but then again... none of the races are! Back in 2010 & 2011, me and my other half opted for International Pit Straight (now National Straight) and Club Corner tickets. I remember paying around £275 for Pit Straight tickets and around £350 for Club Corner tickets. Pit Straight tickets are fantastic for getting a closer insight into what goes on in each garage during the race, whilst Club Corner tickets offer the most incredible views of the circuit. (In my personal opinion) However, since then, the prices have increased, meaning we can no longer realistically afford a decent grandstand if we want to go on a holiday later in the year. As a result, we now opt for General Admission tickets, which isn't a bad thing! The atmosphere is equally as good, the views are fantastic (I recommend Vale) and it means you can do a full race weekend for less than £200! One of the bonuses of GA is that you can move around the track during the weekend and vary your views! Just don't forget to pack an umbrella and some wellies! This is Britain after-all... The weather doesn't know what it's doing most of the time! Prepare well.
Best Moment:
Watching Lewis Hamilton take pole position & seeing Nico Rosberg take the win in 2013, was so special. I’ll never forget the excitement I felt at that point. I was a very proud, emotional wreck after that race. It was incredible to see a Silver Arrow on the top step of the podium, and to see the hundreds of F1 supporters around me celebrating. There’s a level of respect in Formula 1 that you don’t see in other sports.
Top 10 Tips:
1. Don't forget your wellies, even if you're not camping. The weather at Silverstone can be so unpredictable, which is great for racing, but not for your feet!
2. Invest in a decent portable phone charger. Trust me, all those tweets are going to eat away at your battery! You can pick one up for around £10-15.
3. If you're camping, take a torch with you! The nearest toilets from your tent might be a 5 minute walk away. You'll want to see where you're going if you have to get up in the night.
4. Pack a few drinks and snacks beforehand. Circuit food and drink prices are incredibly expensive, so you might want to save a few pennies and take a packed lunch with you. Make sure you don’t pack any glass bottles as they are strictly forbidden.
5. Take cash with you! Whilst there are stands around the circuit where you can withdraw money, you will be charged to do so. Always carry a bit of money with you so you don't have to pay to get it!
6. If there's no chance of rain, wear your most comfortable footwear! I cannot stress this enough. My first F1 experience was incredible, but also painful on the feet. I never knew they were capable of blistering so badly. You'll be doing a heck of a lot of walking over the GP weekend, so look after yourself.
7. Don't be shy! We all love F1 & we are all there to cheer on our favourite teams and drivers. Don't be ashamed to scream and shout. You'll find yourself naturally doing so, as I found out! The atmosphere at Silverstone is just incredible, so be a part of it, and don’t be afraid to make conversation with the people around you.
8. Take sun cream! It’s not always grey and rainy at Silverstone. The sun has a habit of creeping up on you when you least expect it. I got terrible sun stroke in 2010 thanks to the sun, so be prepared!
9. Take a camera, spare memory cards and spare batteries. Make sure you capture the memories as they unfold over the weekend. A portable radio & headphones for Radio Silverstone would come in handy too! Most of the competitions held over the weekend take place over the radio.
10. Enjoy yourself!
Questions?
Leave them in the comments section and I'll do my very best to answer :)