Silverstone fairs well as a place to watch live motorsports and having been host to packed grandstands of fans since 1950 the circuit has a sense of history matched only by its atmosphere.
General Admission at Silverstone is a great option if it’s your first Grand Prix and you just want to get a feel for it and maybe check out some grandstands for another year. It’s also great value for families.
More serious fans might be disappointed and if you can stomach the price should consider a grandstand ticket.
Best Grandstands at Silverstone
Club B
There’s never a dull moment in the Club Corner Grandstand. This grandstand above any other at Silverstone offers a perfect balance of views of the main straight, for a feeling of being in the heart of the action and views of the last sequence of corners to keep things interesting during track sessions.
Before the race enjoy some people watching as teams prepare for the start. Bring a pair of binoculars and see how many famous faces you can spot before lights out.
You’ll see the race get underway and 90 minutes later see the winner take the chequered flag. In between you can watch the pitstops – the top teams have their pit boxes at this end of the pitlane.
On track watch the cars take of the sharp left of Vale before feathering the throttle around Club corner, eager to launch onto the start / finish straight.
When the winners take to the podium you have a choice. Queue up for the track invasion at gates just to the left of the grandstand, or watch the madness unfold from the comfort of your seat.
HIGH BUDGET TV SCREEN COVERED RESERVED SEATS F1S CHOICE
Stowe A and Stowe B
Silverstone has certainly changed over the years but Stowe remains mostly unchanged since the day when Nigel Mansel famously sold Piquet a dummy to take first place, much to the delight of the British fans who were sat here in 1987.
The corner at the end of the Hanger Straight is a Silverstone classic – a fast, sweeping curve that beautifully shows the immense speed and downforce of an F1 car.
Stowe A and B both offer great views of this and a distant view of the following Vale and Club corners.
LOW BUDGET TV SCREEN COVERED RESERVED SEATS
Woodcote A
Fans in the Woodcote Grandstand enjoy an expansive multi corner view.
You’ll see the cars emerge from the Wellington Straight and braking into Brooklands. Then watch as they negotiate the long, drawn out Luffield corner, gradually accelerating as they exit and are flat out by the time they enter the slight right of Woodcote, disappearing from view onto the National Pits Straight.
Seats in Woodcote A are an excellent choice for seeing the cars under various conditions and speeds and the well placed giant screen opposite is the cherry on top of what is one of Silverstone’s best grandstands.
MID BUDGET TV SCREEN COVERED RESERVED SEATS
Village A
Village A is a good choice for views of Village – the first tight corner after the start – and The Loop that precedes the Wellington Straight. Its a thrilling vantage point for the first lap as 20 or so F1 cars get hard on the brakes and try to squeeze around this tight section of track without incident.
It’s (slightly) less ideally placed than neighboring Village B Grandstand but being uncovered has certain advantages as there are no support posts holding up the roof to spoil your photos.
If you’re willing to endure the inevitable soaking for some Instagram worthy shots, this could be the grandstand for you.
LOW BUDGET TV SCREEN COVERED RESERVED SEATS
General Admission at Silverstone
Silverstone has a very broad choice of general admission view with areas stretching all the way around the track. Some of the most popular general admission spots are outlined below but do take a walk around the circuit and see for yourself which areas you think have the best views. It’s a great opportunity to see F1 cars under various conditions.
On race day the gates usually open at 6am but for the most prized positions you’ll need to start queuing up well before that time.
One of the general admission areas with the best view is between Stowe and Vale which lets you watch the cars on their approach down the Hanger Straight to Stowe, taking the corner and accelerating off towards Vale. You’ll curse the catch fencing when you review your photos but when watching the live racing it’s easy to forget about it.
At Luffied, just in front of the Luffield grandstand, is a raised area that offers good views and because of the incline you can still see quite well when it’s crowded. A good option if you slept through your alarm.
Silverstone Track Invasion
Silverstone’s track invasions are almost as legendary as Monza’s. Who could forget Mansell being mobbed by an ecstatic crowd in 1992, or an equally excited bunch of fans helping Lewis Hamilton to become the first crowd surfing F1 driver in 2016.
Just don’t mention anything about a deranged Irish priest and leave your on-track excursions until the end of the race.
Gates will open around the circuit but the podium at Silverstone is near Club corner (the last corner of the lap), at the entry of the pitlane.
Between Club B and the International Pit Straight grandstands there are a number of entry points and to be anywhere near the champagne it’s advisable to make your way here on the closing laps of the race and be ready to run like Kimi Räikkönen chasing an ice-cream van.
I’m Danny, an incurable Formula 1 fan for over 25 years and founder of The F1 Spectator. My aim is to inform and inspire, arming you with helpful tips and advice for your next F1 trip.
