Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone is the old wartime airfield in the English countryside that hosted the very first round of the Formula 1 World Championship in 1950, and it’s still the home of the British Grand Prix. It’s fast, it’s flat and it’s built around corners like Copse, Maggotts and Becketts that drivers talk about for the rest of their careers. Here’s everything you’ll want to know before you watch a race, book a track day or try it in a sim: the name, the history, a corner-by-corner lap, the lap records, what races there and how to visit.
Silverstone at a Glance
Length 5.891 km / 3.660 mi Arena Grand Prix circuit, used since 2011
Turns 18 run clockwise
Terrain Former airfield mostly flat, laid out on the runways of RAF Silverstone
Opened October 2, 1948 Luigi Villoresi won the first RAC Grand Prix in a Maserati
Location & owner Silverstone, England on the Northamptonshire–Buckinghamshire border, owned by the British Racing Drivers’ Club
Race lap record 1:27.097 Max Verstappen, Red Bull, Formula 1, 2020
Where Silverstone and Its Corner Names Come From
The circuit takes its name from Silverstone, the village right next door, and Turn 3 (Village) is named after it too. There’s no sponsor in the name, which is unusual these days. On tickets and TV it’s simply Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix.
The corner names are where the history hides. Abbey and Luffield refer to the remains of nearby Luffield Abbey. Becketts and Chapel recall a medieval chapel of St. Thomas Becket that stood on the site until it was demolished in 1943 to build the airfield, and Maggotts comes from Maggots Moor. Copse is named for the small groups of trees around the track, Hangar Straight for the aircraft hangars that once stood beside it, and Wellington Straight for the Vickers Wellington bombers that flew from the runway.
Other corners tip their hats to British racing’s past. Brooklands is named for the Surrey banked track that held the first British Grands Prix, Aintree for the Liverpool circuit that shared the race with Silverstone in the 1950s and early ’60s, and Woodcote and Club for the Royal Automobile Club’s Woodcote Park estate and its London clubhouse.
Silverstone History
Silverstone started life as a hastily built World War II bomber base, and you can still see the airfield in the layout: long straights and big, fast corners on flat ground. Racers took it over almost as soon as the war ended, and it has been the center of British motorsport ever since, from the first world championship Grand Prix to today’s sold-out race weekends.
- 1943 RAF Silverstone opens as a wartime bomber base. After the war, local drivers start racing informally on the empty runways.
- 1948 The Royal Automobile Club leases the airfield and holds the RAC Grand Prix on October 2. Luigi Villoresi wins in a Maserati.
- 1950 Silverstone hosts the first race of the new Formula 1 World Championship. Giuseppe Farina wins for Alfa Romeo.
- 1952 The British Racing Drivers’ Club takes over the lease. It announces the purchase of the freehold in 1971.
- 1955–86 The British Grand Prix moves around, sharing the race with Aintree and then alternating with Brands Hatch from 1964.
- 1987 The Grand Prix settles at Silverstone for good. Nigel Mansell slipstreams Nelson Piquet down Hangar Straight and passes him into Stowe with two laps to go.
- 1990–91 A major redesign creates Luffield and reshapes Becketts into the high-speed sequence you see today.
- 2009 The Grand Prix is due to move to Donington Park from 2010, but Donington’s funding falls through and the race stays put.
- 2010–11 The Arena section arrives and MotoGP returns. In 2011 the current layout and the Silverstone Wing pit and paddock building open.
- 2019 The track is resurfaced, and the Silverstone Experience museum opens in a wartime hangar at the main entrance.
- 2020 Silverstone hosts two Formula 1 races in a row, including the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix won by Max Verstappen.
- 2024 Lewis Hamilton wins a record ninth British Grand Prix. A new contract keeps the race here until 2034.
- 2025 Lando Norris wins the British Grand Prix in front of a weekend crowd of 500,000. The Silverstone Festival holds its final edition in August.
- 2026 Charles Leclerc wins the British Grand Prix on July 5 for Ferrari. In August Raúl Fernández wins MotoGP, the 12th different winner in 12 MotoGP races at the track. The WEC’s 2027 calendar brings the 6 Hours of Silverstone back in April.
Maggotts, Becketts and Chapel
If you only watch one part of a Silverstone lap, make it this one. You arrive at Maggotts flat out from Copse, flick left, then right, then left again through Becketts and out through Chapel, changing direction so fast that the car barely settles between corners. In a modern Formula 1 car it’s one of the most demanding sequences anywhere, with enormous g-forces from side to side. Lewis Hamilton once compared a flat-out lap here to flying a fighter jet, and this is the section he was talking about.
T10–14
Five corners, one rhythm
Maggotts, Becketts and Chapel run together as one long left-right-left-right sequence with almost no straight between them.
Front left
The tire that suffers
The constant direction changes load up the front-left tire, which has failed here in the past. Teams watch it all weekend.
Hangar Straight
Where it pays off
A clean exit from Chapel decides your speed down Hangar Straight and into Stowe, one of the best passing spots on the lap.
The trick is that you can’t attack every corner. Go in too fast at Maggotts and you’ll be off line all the way through, so drivers sacrifice a little speed in the middle to get the best possible exit onto Hangar Straight. It’s also the best place to watch, because you can see in a few seconds whose car is working and whose isn’t.
Silverstone Track Guide: A Lap, Corner by Corner
The Grand Prix circuit runs clockwise for 5.891 km (3.660 mi) with 18 numbered turns. Since 2011 the start-finish line has sat between Club and Abbey, beside the Wing. The lap mixes slow, technical corners in the Arena section with some of the fastest corners in Formula 1, and the long straights give slipstreaming cars a chance to fight. Here’s how it goes, with the names you’ll hear on TV.
T1
Abbey
A fast right just after the start line. It’s flat out in most cars, but on the first lap it’s crowded.
T2
Farm
A quick left that follows straight on from Abbey. Keep it smooth and set up for the braking zone.
T3
Village
A tight right at the end of a short straight and a good overtaking spot. Brake hard and don’t overshoot.
T4
The Loop
A slow left hairpin. It’s all about getting the car turned and pointed early onto the next straight.
T5
Aintree
A fast left kink that leads onto Wellington Straight. Exit speed here counts for the whole straight.
WS
Wellington Straight
Named for the wartime bombers that used this runway. It’s a slipstreaming zone and sets up the passing chance at Brooklands.
T6
Brooklands
A long, slow left. Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer calls it the hardest corner on the lap, and it’s a favorite place to make a move.
T7
Luffield
A long right-hand hairpin where you wait, wait and wait for the throttle. Patience pays off down the next stretch.
T8
Woodcote
A fast right onto the old pit straight. You’re accelerating hard toward Copse.
T9
Copse
A very fast right that rewards commitment. Mistakes here are expensive, because there’s little time to correct them.
T10–14
Maggotts, Becketts, Chapel
The famous high-speed sequence of rapid changes of direction. Sacrifice a little entry speed for a clean exit.
HS
Hangar Straight
The fastest part of the lap, where Mansell got the tow on Piquet in 1987. Top speed decides who attacks into Stowe.
T15
Stowe
A fast right at the end of Hangar Straight and a classic passing spot. Late braking wins places here.
T16
Vale
A short dash down to a heavy braking zone into a left. Easy to lock a wheel.
T17–18
Club
A right-hand sequence that takes you back onto the start-finish straight. A good exit carries you all the way to Abbey.
Silverstone Lap Records
Only laps set during a race count as official lap records, which is why the fastest lap ever driven at Silverstone isn’t the record. Both numbers come from 2020, when the cars were at their quickest on this layout. Here are the times people usually ask about.
1:27.097
Race lap record
Max Verstappen set the official race lap record in a Red Bull RB16 in 2020, and it still stands.
1:24.303
Fastest lap ever
Lewis Hamilton took pole for the 2020 British Grand Prix in a Mercedes W11. Qualifying laps don’t count as official records.
1:28.111
2026 Formula 1 pole
Kimi Antonelli’s pole lap for Mercedes in 2026 shows how much slower the new-rules cars are around here.
1:58.457
MotoGP lap record
Raúl Fernández set this time on an Aprilia RS-GP in 2026, on the slightly longer 5.900 km motorcycle layout.
Races and Events at Silverstone
Silverstone is busy almost every weekend from spring to fall, with club racing, track days and car shows between the big events. Dates change every year, so check the official calendar before you book. Here’s what usually runs, with 2026 results and dates for reference. New to the series? Our guides to Formula 1 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans explain the basics.
July
British Grand Prix
Formula 1 F2 and F3 support
The biggest weekend of the year at Silverstone, with a crowd of around half a million. In 2026 Charles Leclerc won on July 5, his first win here, ahead of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. The 2027 race is provisionally set for July 2–4.
August
British Motorcycle Grand Prix
MotoGP Moto2 Moto3
MotoGP has raced here again since 2010. Raúl Fernández won the 2026 race on August 9 for Trackhouse Aprilia, making him the 12th different winner in 12 MotoGP races at Silverstone. The 2027 date hasn’t been announced.
September
British Touring Car Championship
BTCC
Britain’s touring car series brings its door-to-door racing to Silverstone late in the season. In 2026 it ran September 26–27 as the penultimate round, before the finale at Brands Hatch.
April 2027
6 Hours of Silverstone
World Endurance Championship European Le Mans Series
The WEC raced here from 2012 to 2019 and returns on April 23–25, 2027. In the meantime, the European Le Mans Series has run a four-hour race here since 2025; the 2026 edition was September 12–13.
All season
Historic and club racing
BRDC Classic Walter Hayes Trophy
Silverstone is a big stop for historic racing, from the BRDC Classic in July (July 24–26 in 2026) to Motor Racing Legends in October. The Walter Hayes Trophy for Formula Ford cars closes the year on the National circuit, October 31–November 1, 2026.
Silverstone Race Calendar: 2026 and 2027
Here are the main public race weekends at Silverstone, so you can plan a trip around what you want to see. Club racing, track days and testing fill in most other dates. Dates marked TBA haven’t been announced yet, and it’s always worth checking the official Silverstone calendar before you book.
2026 season
| Dates | Event | Series | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25–26 | Silverstone 500 | British GT Championship | Done |
| Jul 2–5 | British Grand Prix | Formula 1 | Done |
| Jul 24–26 | BRDC Classic | Historic racing | Done |
| Aug 7–9 | British Motorcycle Grand Prix | MotoGP | Done |
| Aug 28–30 | CarFest | Car and music festival | Done |
| Sep 12–13 | 4 Hours of Silverstone | European Le Mans Series | Done |
| Sep 26–27 | BTCC at Silverstone | British Touring Car Championship | Done |
| Oct 17–18 | Motor Racing Legends | Historic racing | Done |
| Oct 24 | Birkett Relay | 750 Motor Club | Upcoming |
| Oct 31–Nov 1 | Walter Hayes Trophy | Formula Ford | Upcoming |
2027 season
| Dates | Event | Series | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 23–25 | 6 Hours of Silverstone | World Endurance Championship | Upcoming |
| Jul 2–4 | British Grand Prix | Formula 1 (provisional) | Upcoming |
| TBA | British Motorcycle Grand Prix | MotoGP | Date TBA |
| TBA | BTCC at Silverstone | British Touring Car Championship | Date TBA |
| TBA | Silverstone 500 | British GT Championship | Date TBA |
Silverstone Weather by Season
Silverstone sits on an exposed plateau in the English Midlands, so it’s often breezy and the weather can change quickly. The numbers below are Met Office 1991–2020 averages for Oxford, the nearest long-running station, so treat them as a guide rather than a forecast.
11–18°C
Spring · Mar–May
Daily highs of 11–18°C (52–64°F) and lows of 4–8°C (38–47°F), with about 43–57 mm (1.7–2.2 in) of rain a month. Early-season events such as the British GT race in April can be chilly and damp, so bring a warm, waterproof jacket.
21–23°C
Summer · Jun–Aug
Daily highs of 21–23°C (69–74°F) and lows of 11–13°C (52–56°F). This is Grand Prix and MotoGP season, and it’s usually pleasant, but showers can arrive any time. Pack sunscreen and a rain layer, and expect mud in the campsites if it rains.
11–19°C
Fall · Sep–Nov
Highs drop from about 19°C (67°F) in September to 11°C (52°F) in November, with lows of 5–11°C (41–51°F). October is the wettest month, at about 73 mm (2.9 in), which is worth remembering for the BTCC and historic meetings.
8–9°C
Winter · Dec–Feb
Daily highs of 8–9°C (46–47°F) and lows around 2–3°C (36–37°F), with about 47–66 mm (1.9–2.6 in) of rain a month. There’s no big racing, but track days and testing carry on when it’s dry.
Visiting Silverstone: Tickets, Getting There and Camping
Silverstone is a big, open site with room for up to 175,000 people, so it works best if you treat a race day like a day hike: comfortable shoes, a plan for where you’ll watch, and layers for the British weather.
Where to watch
- Maggotts, Becketts and Chapel. The fastest, most dramatic part of the lap. This is where you see how good a car really is.
- Copse. Watch cars arrive at full speed and commit to a very fast right-hander.
- Stowe and Hangar Straight. Slipstreaming down the straight and late braking into Stowe make this a top passing spot.
- Village and Brooklands. Slower corners in the Arena section, where cars race side by side and overtakes happen.
- Luffield. A long, slow right where you can watch cars for a long time and see the start-finish area nearby.
Tickets
For the British Grand Prix, General Admission gets you into the Fanzone, the evening concerts and the Silverstone Museum, and lets you watch from spots such as Chapel, Hangar Straight, Luffield, Becketts and Village. Inner track access costs extra, and grandstand seats give you a fixed view with somewhere to sit. Smaller events such as BTCC and historic meetings are much cheaper and far less crowded.
Getting there
The circuit sits off the A43 between Towcester and Brackley. On Grand Prix weekend, shuttle buses run from Milton Keynes Central (about 50 minutes), Northampton (about 40), Banbury, Oxford Parkway and Coventry stations, and there are park-and-ride sites at Sixfields, Hinton and Bicester. Traffic around the circuit is heavy, so arrive early or let the bus deal with it.
Camping and the museum
For the Grand Prix you can camp on site at Woodcote Fields, Abbey Meadows or Golf Club Camping, or go upmarket with glamping. If you have time, the Silverstone Museum (opened in 2019 as the Silverstone Experience) sits in a wartime hangar at the main entrance and tells the story of the airfield and British racing.
Can You Drive Silverstone?
Yes. Silverstone runs its own track days, where you bring your own car onto the Grand Prix, National or International layouts. The drive-by noise limit is 102 dB(A), and you need to be at least 17 with a full UK manual driving license. Grand Prix circuit days cost more than National circuit days, so check prices before you book.
If you’d rather not use your own car, Silverstone Experiences offers drives in supercars and single-seaters, and the Porsche Experience Centre next to Hangar Straight runs coached sessions on its own handling tracks.
You can also drive it at home. Silverstone is in the official Formula 1 games, Forza Motorsport, iRacing and Assetto Corsa Competizione, so it’s easy to learn the braking points for Stowe and Vale before you try them for real.
Talk Silverstone With Other Enthusiasts
Going to the British Grand Prix, booking a track day or chasing a better lap through Maggotts and Becketts in the sim? Share what you’ve learned, ask questions and find people going the same weekend in the AutoGathering community.
- British Grand Prix trip planning
- Best General Admission spots
- Camping at the Grand Prix
- MotoGP weekend meetups
- BTCC and club racing
- Silverstone track days
- Historic racing
- Sim racing setups for Silverstone
Silverstone FAQ
How long is Silverstone?
The Grand Prix circuit is 5.891 km (3.660 miles) long with 18 turns. Formula 1 races are 52 laps, or 306.198 km.
When was the first race at Silverstone?
The first RAC Grand Prix was held on October 2, 1948, and won by Luigi Villoresi. Silverstone then hosted the first-ever Formula 1 World Championship race in 1950.
Who owns Silverstone?
The British Racing Drivers’ Club owns the circuit. It took over the lease in 1952 and later bought the site.
What is the lap record at Silverstone?
The official race lap record is 1:27.097, set by Max Verstappen in a Red Bull in 2020. The fastest lap ever is Lewis Hamilton’s 1:24.303 pole lap from the same year, but qualifying laps don’t count as records.
Who won the 2026 British Grand Prix?
Charles Leclerc won the 2026 British Grand Prix for Ferrari on July 5, ahead of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.
When is the 2027 British Grand Prix?
It’s provisionally scheduled for July 2–4, 2027. Formula 1’s contract with Silverstone runs through 2034.
How do you get to Silverstone for the Grand Prix?
Shuttle buses run from Milton Keynes Central, Northampton, Banbury, Oxford Parkway and Coventry stations, and there are park-and-ride sites at Sixfields, Hinton and Bicester. The circuit is off the A43 between Towcester and Brackley.
Can you drive your own car at Silverstone?
Yes. Silverstone runs track days on its Grand Prix, National and International layouts. The noise limit is 102 dB(A), and drivers must be 17 or older with a full UK manual license.
Explore More Racing Circuits
Silverstone is one of 40 tracks in our European racing circuit directory. If you’re touring English circuits, Brands Hatch in Kent hosts the BTCC finale and plenty of club racing.
Photo credits
- Header image: Jen Ross, CC BY 2.0, cropped and resized.
- A Mercedes Formula 1 car during the…: Jen Ross, CC BY 2.0, cropped and resized.
- Two MotoGP bikes through Maggotts during practice…: Radi1981, CC BY 3.0, cropped and resized.
- Track map of the Silverstone Grand Prix…: Antoine266, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- MotoGP bikes through The Loop at the…: Radi1981, CC BY 3.0, cropped and resized.
- British Touring Car Championship cars racing at…: Peter Taylor, CC BY 2.0, cropped and resized.
- A Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 car exiting…: Mark Seymour from UK, CC BY 2.0, cropped and resized.
- A 1983 Tyrrell 012 Formula 1 car…: David Merrett from Daventry, England, CC BY 2.0, cropped and resized.