Silverstone Circuit sits on the border of Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire, England, built on the runways and perimeter roads of a former Royal Air Force bomber station. It opened in 1948 and hosted the very first race of the Formula 1 World Championship in 1950, a milestone that cemented its place as one of motorsport’s most historic venues.
Owned and operated by the British Racing Drivers’ Club through its subsidiary Silverstone Circuits Limited, the track has been reshaped many times over the decades, most notably in a major 1990-91 redesign and the 2010 Arena extension that created the current Grand Prix layout. Today it stands as a permanent fixture on the Formula 1 calendar and one of the sport’s fastest, most demanding circuits.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Northamptonshire/Buckinghamshire border, England
- Opened: 1948
- Owner: British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC)
- Capacity: About 175,000
- Circuit Length: 5.891 km (3.660 mi), Arena Grand Prix layout
- Turns: 18
- Home Event: British Grand Prix (permanent host since 1987)
- Lap Record: 1:27.097, Max Verstappen (Red Bull RB16, 2020)
The Race Weekend Experience
A weekend at Silverstone means grandstands packed shoulder to shoulder along high-speed sweeps like Copse, Maggotts, and Becketts, corners regarded among the most challenging in Formula 1 for the speed and commitment they demand from drivers. With capacity for roughly 175,000 fans across the full event, the British Grand Prix is consistently one of the best-attended races on the F1 calendar, drawing a crowd known for its enthusiasm regardless of weather.
A Circuit Built on History
Silverstone’s runways-and-perimeter-track origins as a WWII airfield gave it the wide, flowing layout that still defines the circuit today. It hosted the inaugural round of the 1950 Formula 1 World Championship in front of King George VI, the first reigning British monarch to attend a motor race, and it has remained a fixture of world motorsport ever since, also hosting MotoGP, the British Touring Car Championship, and endurance racing events like the 6 Hours of Silverstone.
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Silverstone Circuit FAQs
When did Silverstone Circuit open?
Silverstone opened in 1948 on the site of a former Royal Air Force airfield in Northamptonshire, England.
Who owns Silverstone Circuit?
The circuit is owned and operated by the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) through its subsidiary, Silverstone Circuits Limited, which purchased the track in 1971.
What is Silverstone’s capacity?
Silverstone can host around 175,000 spectators across its grandstands and general admission areas during a British Grand Prix weekend.
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Photo: Antoine266 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.