Track Guide - Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit

Silverstone has undergone some major changes over the last few years. After Donington failed to secure the British Grand Prix, a huge renovation began to regenerate the track and facilities. In 2011, work on the new Pit and Paddock complex was completed and the starting grid was moved from its old position in front of, what was, the pitwall to the new ‘Wing’.

​The old garages are still used for Formula One support races as well as testing and racing on the National Circuit layout, while the old Southern Circuit has now made way for the new International loop.

Silverstone uses the classic British track formula. An old wartime airfield that was converted into a race track, it became the home for the first post-war British Grand Prix in 1948 - the circuit was laid out using oil drums and straw bales.

The Old Grand Prix layout was a favourite for track day goers but that has now made way for the new Grand Prix and International Circuits. Seeing as we were one of the first to ever race on the International Circuit at its inaugural race weekend in 2011, you’re in good hands.

Abbey

The first corner used to be the very fast right-hander of Copse and this remains the first corner of the National Circuit but the Grand Prix and International layouts now start at Abbey. What used to be a left-right chicane is now a fast right-hander but for your first time out of the pits, you will join the circuit mid-corner so be careful if there’s another car already on the circuit doing a fast lap.

You won’t be able to see any of the other cars that are already on the track because the new pitlane is set much lower with a huge pit wall on your left. The pit exit is uphill and you will find yourself heading onto the circuit on the outside of Abbey.

When you head onto the pit straight for your first flying lap you will be on the left-hand side of the track and heading down into Abbey for the first time at full speed. As the pit wall makes the corner blind, it is easy to brake too early but it is important to remember that this is a quick corner.

If you’re in a car with slick tyres, track brakes and downforce you will only need very slight braking, if any, as you will be able to carry more speed through here than you think but with road tyres and brakes you will probably need a bit more braking and a downshift. Don’t stand on the brakes and shift too early though, otherwise you’ll find yourself pointing the wrong way with cars approaching at full speed. You can get on the power earlier than you think as the corner runs wide and the sweeping left-hander that follows (Farm Curve) is flat-out.

Village

One of the newer corners, Village can very frustrating. It is one of the tightest and slowest on the track but has a very wide entry. In some ways, it breaks up the flow of the track because it doesn’t seem to fit the standard layout of fast, sweeping corners that Silverstone usually incorporates.

Get over to the left-hand side of the track and brake hard. The track dips down at the apex and it can be tempting to turn in too early but be careful because it levels out again on the exit and it’s easy to run wide - which will ruin your whole lap because it will compromise your entry into The Loop.

The Loop and Aintree

​You need to bring the car back over to the right-hand side of the track for the entry into to the Loop. The name is very apt because the track continues to arc round to the left and incorporates the Aintree corner as well. Position the car around the mid-point of the track but slightly to the right, take the obvious apex and let the car run out the exit kerbing. Even though the track continues to curve to the left, staying wide to the right on exit will allow you to settle the car’s balance and get a better entry to Aintree.

Aintree is flat-out and you can take a lot of kerb on the inside but avoid any painted areas if it is wet and be careful if you run wide. The artificial grass on the outside of the kerbs is fine in the dry but becomes incredibly slippy in the rain. You’ll find yourself on the flat-out blast down what was the National Straight but is now known as the Wellington Straight.

Brooklands

​This is where you re-join the old track. The corner is exactly as it has always been on the National Circuit but for those who have only driven the old Grand Prix layout, Brooklands has a much wider entry than in its previous form.​

The track is very wide down the straight- enough for three cars never mind two - so this is a good place to get some overtaking done. The wide entry to the corner and the clumsiness of Luffield that follows means a tight entry won’t harm your lap too much so you can afford to leave braking late to get that last minute lunge down the inside in the braking zone.

As you approach Brooklands there is some red and white kerbing on the right-hand side. You can use this to judge your braking and turn-in point. Turn into the corner as the kerbing ends but have a quick look in your mirrors in case another car has decided to commit to the inside. You can take a lot of the kerb on the inside and it will usually help you through the corner as it is very easy to run wide over the kerbs on the exit which will ruin your entry into Luffield.

Luffield

Of all the corners on any of Silverstone’s layouts, Luffield is probably every driver’s least favourite. It is very clumsy, slow and the ideal approach can be very dependent on your car. One of the most favoured methods is to just hug the inside kerb and enjoy the sling shot on the exit - this is probably the best approach if your car tends to understeer.

However, in a more powerful car you may find you get a better exit if you turn-in early. The car will begin to drift out wide mid-corner but as the radius is so tight, you will scrub off speed and then be able to turn in again (almost like a double-apex corner). This later apex will then give you a good exit which is important for the long run through Woodcote and down to Copse.

Woodcote

It is hard to classify Woodcote as a corner. It is more of a flat-out right-hand curve but the entry to the old pitlane and hospitality suites makes it impossible to see the old pit straight. Turn-in when you see the kerbing and bollards on the right and hold the throttle open throughout the corner, aiming for an apex around where the steel barriers that surround the pitlane entry curve round to meet the track.

Copse

After a short blast down the old pit straight you find yourself at, what used to be the first corner, Copse. This is a very fast right-hander but your approach to this corner will be very dependent on your car and its setup. In full race trim this is almost flat-out, with just a slight stab of brakes and maybe downshift to keep the engine in the best rev range but most track cars will require slightly more braking.

​The apex is blind thanks to the end of the old pit-lane and scrutineering bay. There is plenty of room on the exit which is fine in the dry but unbelievably slippy in the wet. If you have only ever driven at Silverstone when it has been raining (which let’s be honest, is quite likely) it can be difficult to trust that you won’t go spinning off towards the barriers if you get slightly wide on the exit - either way it is better to not rely on using this as a run-off.

Carrying speed through Copse is important as the blast up to Maggots and Becketts is quite long.

Maggots, Becketts and Chapel

​You’ve got nothing to worry about with the first left-hand part of Maggots - it can be a little daunting carrying a lot of speed through here but it in many cars you will be flat-out or just easing off the throttle slightly.

As soon as you are through the left-hander at Maggots, take as late an apex as possible for the right-hander. This will mean you can exit more to the right-hand side of the track for the more important second half of the corner. Control the throttle through the left-hander, running the car along the kerb to open up the entry to the right-hander. Be patient, as it has a tight radius. Aim for an apex around half-way through the corner, slowly feeding the power.​

Don’t get on the power too early otherwise you will run wide and compromise your speed through Chapel. If you get a good exit out of Becketts, Chapel should be flat out and will lead you on to the long Hangar Straight.

Stowe

​You will have plenty of time to ease the car over to the left-hand side of the track for the entry into Stowe so don’t compromise your acceleration by being too eager with the steering wheel.

Stowe would be a very straightforward corner if weren’t blind on entry. The corner turns through more than ninety degrees and the apex is just out of sight below a crest.

The biggest mistake you can make at this corner is going too slowly. Drivers of limited experience will tend to take fast corners too slow and slow corners too fast - the next few corners at Silverstone were always the illustrating point for this.

Leave your braking late - it needs to be long and firm but you want to turn-in very late, almost when you don’t have a choice because you run out of track. As soon as you can see the exit, get back on the power and let the car run out the kerbing, even taking a lot of the kerb if you need to.

Vale

​Vale isn’t really a corner and unless you know the track you will struggle to even recall its existence after a few laps. It is the slight left-hand kink as you exit Stowe and it should be used to bring the car over the right-hand side for the entry to Club.

Club

This is not the same corner that is used to feature on the old Grand Prix Circuit. It has been altered slightly to allow for the new pitlane entry. You will need to brake very hard but watch out for locking wheels - slow the car down and turn-in late, compromising your speed through the first part of the corner to get a better exit onto the very long sweeping right-hander that leads onto the pit straight.

Ease the throttle through the first apex, letting the car run wide to the kerbing and then open it up fully, keeping your foot down through the right-hander onto the pit-straight. You can afford to run wide on the exit as there is plenty of run-off but be careful not to run out onto the artificial grass if it is wet.