has anyone been to a previous GP at silverstone.

ive got plans to go, so any advice/experiences would be gratefully accepted.

i would be doing the full 3 days, so hints and tips for campsites too.

cheers!

Thats so far away, you will probably get more responses nearer to the event

I've done Silverstone a few times, but not since the Mansell era. You have like road access to the track these days!

My advise is, take pots of cash as everything is hugely expensive. There are plenty of famers fields that open up for camping and as you'll be around from the Thursday or Friday you should have no trouble finding a site just driving around the era. The farmers dont ask for much, they just move their cattle out and say "there you go, it's a field". Facilities are not exactly laid on and you've cow pats to dodge, but it's cheap! If your staying for 3 days though you might want to check out a B&B for one night to clean up or something.

On the way out of the circuit after the race it is massively busy, I gather they have improved the roads since I last went - but one way around this is after all the days racing is done head back to the carpark - unpack the barbeque from the boot of the car, and have a picnic with all the other racers loitering around and doing the same. As otherwise getting out is just a very long sit in traffic.

Also if you can, try and arrive early enough on GP day to get to a car park that is nice and near the silverstone exit ! One year my brother and I left the car at the campsite and walked the last few miles, it was a nice day and the track was easy to find we just followed the traffic jam.

Now in terms of where to watch from, back in my day you could get an infield pass for £13 and I gather you could go into the paddock back then, but I dont think they allow that any more. I did the infield thing once trying desperately to get a good vantage point as Mansell mania saw to it that it was hellah packed, the paddock walk about was pointless so near to the start of the race - so if they still do any infield pass type things dont do it unless you get there early enough to take advantage of it.

I like to watch from around the Luffield complex, you get to see a lot of the cars and that part of the circuit is usually home to some incidents and some overtaking.

I gather watching from the Vale is also a prime spot although i've not done that personally. Other parts of the circuit are not so spectator friendly, although you may have more personal space around you!

Always leave somebody in your group holding your perch! When the race starts suddenly the stands are teathing with people.

Dont be shy to pack some ear plugs, people might think your a twat, but when the field come by the first time they'll be looking at you going "I wish i'd thought of that".

sunblock......loads of it.

Take your own food, I know it's a bit inconvinent but the prices have got ridiculous, it was over £6 for a burger at a club meeting the last time I went! If you're going for 3 days you'll want some liquid refreshment, the Green Man (take the A43 Banbury way, then turn right across the dual carriageway after about half a mile) does quite good food, but you'll need to book in advance. The pubs in Silverstone village are much better for drinking in though and within easy staggering distance of the track.

Quote from JJ72 :

sunblock......loads of it.

What in Blightly...........don't be daft

I am maybe going (if i get the money :tilt

Quote from Mackie The Staggie :

What in Blightly...........don't be daft

Well i was there in 06 and it got me real bad.

if you want to watch f1 you better hurry because from 2010 the british f1 GP moves to donington park

hah yeah, and then you wont be able to get near the place for the traffic jams! I've been to Donington when there's been a huge crowd, and you may aswell sleep the night in the paddock before heading home!

thanks for all your comments.

becky, yours was very helpful.

ive been a few times to the track for testing, and even then the food? prices were not good.......so i shall be selfsufficent.

as far as ear plugs go.......i dont care how i look, (you should see my boatrace!)......and i did go to the camping 300 this year in the states, so i know how important they are, but thanks again.

nice one all

I went to the Canadian GP this year. Of course that venue is a lot different than Silverstone, but to some degree all F1 races are similar:

1) Becky's right - camping if the way to go, if you can do that. Find a friend with an RV or caravan or whatever you call it and invite him or her. If that fails, bring a tent. Drive to the track on Thursday evening. Park in a field as close as you can to your grandstand, then stake out your campsite. Put up a flag or something related to your favorite driver/team, break out the stereo and put on some good tunes, then break out the grill and the beer.

2) Bring a lot of beer. And some weed too, if you're into that. A lot of people in Montreal were smoking; we passed ours around quite a bit and everyone was grateful and very friendly.

3) Stuff at the track is expensive. Food was $6-10. A single 12oz beer can was $5.50. Avoid these prices by bringing a backpack full of beer and food with you to the track each day.

4) Bring some extra beer.

5) Make sure to bring earplugs and sunblock. Especially since 2006 with the switch to 2.4L V8s, F1 cars are extremely loud. It's literally staggering. At the beginning of first practice on Friday morning, I could only watch one of the Toro Rossos go by once before putting my earplugs in.

6) Make sure to bring enough beer.

7) I've never been to Silverstone (or anywhere in the UK, for that matter), but if I went I'd want to sit in the Stowe/Vale/Club area. The grandstand directly opposite the pits is usually hideously expensive and not worth the extra money. IMO, anyway.

8) Beer beer beer.

im going with a mate, who is going with his wife/kid. they are taking their caravan, but i shall be pitching next to them in a tent.

they wouldnt want me in with them at night......excessive snoring/farting.

im even considering getting my own portaloo, so i dont have the pleasure of using a crappa thats been "graced" by several thousand other backsides!

earplugs.....earplugs on a racetrack are like condoms. I always do without it.

More fool you JJ.

Quote from JJ72 :

earplugs.....earplugs on a racetrack are like condoms. I always do without it.

you must be the guy thats always going in the clapp clinic then..............and in 20 years from now you will be picking up your hearing aid!

Quote from JJ72 :

sunblock......loads of it.

You never really need sunblock in Britain. British weather is just usually rain.

Quote from Becky Rose :

I've done Silverstone a few times, but not since the Mansell era. You have like road access to the track these days!

That was the last time I went also. Mansell in a Ferrari overtaking for 3rd place coming into Stowe. Massive cheer from the crowd. I was on the grass bank next to a stand at Stowe, but the view from there was good.

We parked some 3 miles away from the circuit on the grass verge, having first turned the car around. At 7am that was where the queue was backing up to. We walked into the circuit quicker than those sitting in the queue, and considerably quicker after the race. I think there's more 1 way roads these days.

Quote from JJ72 :

sunblock......loads of it.

LoL I was just remembering that a year ago I saw the redbull f1 road show here, it wasnt even a GP and the sun burned me to death xD

I haven't been since the Mansell days either. We bought 1 general ticket and 2 Grandstands (Copse) for the three of us. First two of us went into the grandstand, then one went out taking both tickets and he came back in with the guy who only had the general ticket.

There was a samba band at the front of the grandstand all cheering for Senna of course. Some Mansell fans didn't like them taking over the place so one nipped out and came back with a stick and some string whilst another bought a Senna doll. Hey Presto - one Senna Hangman Noose. It drove the samba band potty, but not half as much as watching Mansell win whilst Senna ran out of fuel.

Take your own sandwiches and a laptop to while away the hours waiting to get out of the carpark.

Fully agree with everything Becky said. Luffield's a great area for spectating, the section just before Bridge is pretty good now too. I'd say on the Friday (as it won't be too busy), just travel light and spend the day walking around the circuit stopping at different sections for each support race etc. Then you'll get a feel for where you'd like to be sat, and it's worth seeing the whole place anyway.
Have you got Grandstand seats? If not take deck chairs and get there for when the gate opens if you wanna be able to choose where you sit / be near the front.
Have had many a car-park BBQ to let the traffic ebb away, although the road improvements over the last couple of years have made a considerable improvement.
The campsite near the circuit is handy but don't expect much sleep. I didn't mind people sitting up having a drink and laugh but the a$$-holes setting off fire-works and air-horns at 3 in the morning really got on my tits! I think the further out campsites are supposed to be quieter, although you've then got a walk / to take the car anyway.
Good tip is to take a radio with ear-phones so you can hear the commentary throughout the race (the cars drown out the tannoy) and then put a set of big ear-defenders on over the top.
Have fun.

Ps. Might be there myself, I'm currently in 2nd place in a fantasy F1 competition. 1st place is a trip to the Spanish GP, 2nd-4th get tickets to the British GP! 3 Races to go, come on!!!

We went this year. It persisted down with rain, and was bloody freezing cold. We were at the Farm enclosure, so we could see Bridge too. Actually, the rain made it quite a fantastic race in the end.

Ear plugs aren't needed unless you are sitting in a relatively enclosed portion of the track. At Bridge, you had to wear ear plugs, because your ears nearly bleed from the engine notes reverberating off the walls. Apart from this, Silverstone is quite a well "ventilated" track, so sound dissipates quite well.

If you plan on taking a camera (still or video) get yourself a monopod, or you will not be able to take a single decent shot.

Bus links to and from the circuit are fantastic, from either the M1 or the M40. We arrived at the circuit via shuttle bus at 06:30ish, and spent the whole day mooching around until the F1 started.

Don't bother with the Kangaroo TV things - they are a waste of money, they stop working with even the smallest amount of cloud cover.

Soak up as much as you can, it's quite a fantastic day, thoroughly recommend it

I went this year too and yeah, it pissed it down with rain at it was freezing. It was worth getting cold and wet for though. I was at the exit of Club on the banking. It was quite a nice spot because you could see the cars coming through Stowe, through the Vale and up to Abbey.

Going on friday is a must because you get 3 hours of F1 which is more than the race. Most of the grandstands are open on a friday too.

The cars are very loud now since the introduction of the 2.4L V8s. You can hear the cars coming for miles before they get to you. During the race this year the field spread was so large our ears were constantly being assaulted, it was fun though.

Make sure you get there very early if your going for general admission. Especially on the Sunday. Although Friday and Saturday were quite busy this year. I got there at around 7:30 and was very lucky to get a spot on the banking at Club. Once you get there it can be a bit of a wait because the first FBMW support race wasn't until 8:30.

After the race has finished I would strongly urge you to watch the rest of the support races. Once they have finished (about 4:30) go and hang around by the pit straight and you will be eventually allowed onto the track. You can see over the pit wall and into the garages which is cool. The cars are usually being taken apart at that time and you may see someone you recognise. We saw Pat Symonds (Renault) who talked to us through the fence on the pit wall. Mclaren had their trophies and champagne bottles on display inside the garage.

After the race you will also be allowed into the centre of the track. You won't be allowed into the F1 paddock but there are numerous fences at the entrance you can look through. If you time it right you will see some drivers leaving the paddock. We saw Hamilton, Heidfeld, Jackie Stewart, Nakajima and a few of the engineers.

Enjoy it while you're there because it is a fantastic weekend.