Thinking of visiting the British Gran Prix at Silverstone and not sure what to expect? Here are twelve things you need to know before you go that will make your visit a fantastic experience.
It may be the middle of summer and the area around the track may look flat but it’s actually the high point and catches all the weather , so you need to pack for all eventualities. You will need a light weight wind and water proof outer layer and something warm to wear when out of the sun, such as a hoodie because it can be really cold, even in the covered stands, when it’s sunny. If you’re lucky it will be bright and sunny so make sure you have some thing light and comfortable as your base layer, such as Shorts and a T-Shirt. Keep everything your not wearing in a shower proof backpack then if you get wet you have dry clothes to change into.
Drinking water is essential at all times but at the track water is really expensive to buy. Because of this it’s a really good idea to take your own refillable water bottle. There are drinking water points all round the track which are free to use so don’t waste your money and use these over the weekend and you will save a small fortune.
Wearing the wrong footwear will over a weekend make your life a misery as some areas of the track perimeter are very stoney and rough and its a five mile walk to circumnavigate the full track. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes or boots that support your feet with a sole, firm enough to absorb the rough terrain. This will keep your feet happy. I tend to wear my walking boots, they are designed for this purpose and you can always take them off when you’re sat on the grass.
Silverstone is in the middle of a big farming area where cereal crops are grown because of this I alway try to avoid wearing bright colours such as Lime green and bright yellow or orange. These attract the insects and sometimes you can end up being hounded by swarms of them, attracted to your colourful clothing.
If you want to avoid getting crispy make sure you take plenty of suncream and a hat. You don’t realise when you’re watching the racing that you’re catching the sun and after a long day at the track, perhaps over twelve hours if you’re there early, you will burn. Don’t let this happen to any of your party as it will make your life an absolute misery. I know I’ve been there! Slap on the Factor 50 and save yourself the pain.
When you get onto the track, if you’re General Admission, you will only have the ground to sit on. Take light weight camping chairs and a blanket. You can then find your spot to watch the race and set out your chairs and enjoy the action. It can be a good idea even if you have stand tickets as these are only reserved on the Sunday and theres very little seating in the entertainment zone.
This may seem like a obvious one but take it from me it’s worth a mention. With one hundred & forty thousand people there on race day it will come in handy. It’s also worth mentioning that everybody wants to go at the same time, when theres nothing happening on track, so don’t leave it too late or it could get serious. You could be queuing for thirty minutes or more!
Keeping all your phones and gadgets charged as without access to a plug socket can be a problem. Get yourself a power bank so your covered if you start to get low on power.
If you haven’t got a stand ticket you will need to find a place to watch the race from. It’s not like watching on the telly, when watching live you only see the cars go passed you once per lap. So you need to find yourself a spot where you can see the track and one of the big screens. If you’re there for the weekend use the Friday to scope out your spot then on race day you have to be up and in the queue when the gates open at six and make the mad dash to secure your chosen area.
Dotted around the track there are various stalls selling team merchandise so no matter what team or driver you are following their merchandise will be on sale. Shopping on the Friday can be so much quieter and gives you a better opportunity to browse the different vendors as there aren’t as many people in the track. It also means that you’ve a better chance of getting the style and size that you want. Come Sunday when the track is full the merchandise queues can be long and they may have run out of certain sizes and styles. Also prices for some items increase as the weekend progresses so another reason to shop early.
Silverstone Camping Guide is a Facebook group that has been set up specifically to help people with questions about camping at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone for the F1 and other events throughout the year. We joined the group when we first attended the F1 as it was a good source of information about the campsites surrounding the track at Silverstone. The group is really friendly and welcoming. Join up here and take a look
Last but not least remember to have fun take it all in chill out and enjoy the experience. Be nice to people we are all there for the same reason and don’t forget your camera take plenty of photos. Let us know here at Andiamo Amigos how you got on and if you found this Guide useful. See you there!
We have always tended to use Booking.com having said that if your on a tight budget another good site to try as a comparison is Hostelworld, If your looking to compare different sites you can do that on Hotellook, we tend to look on here first to make sure we are getting the best deal.
You can book your visits as you go at the entrance to your chosen attraction or site. Or you could use the following links to book in advance or just to find out what your choices are in the area. GetYourGuide and Tiqets are our go to choices you could try Viator to see how they compare.
For a full list check out our resources page. Don’t forget always shop around to find the best deal for you. What works for us should be good for you but it’s always reassuring to check.
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So you have always had a notion to visit the Italian Grand Prix. Perhaps you’ve seen it on the telly or may be you’ve attended other Grand Prix and you fancy trying somewhere new. We have now been three times and over the years have gained some experience that will hopefully make your visit more memorable.
Silverstone is one of the classic circuits on the F1 calendar and, in my opinion, is one of the best race weekends to attend.
The Belgium F1 Grand Prix is in the town of Spa, or just outside really in the middle of the Ardenne Forest. We travelled in our campervan Bob from home, in the UK to our campsite near the track.
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