Latest news with #SilverstoneCircuit
BBC News
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
F1: The Movie's Callie Cooke did real British Grand Prix pit stop
One of the stars of F1: The Movie said it was "mad" she got to perform a real pit stop during last year's British Grand Cooke plays Jodie for Brad Pitt's fictional APXGP production had a fully operational garage situated in a real F1 pit lane at the Silverstone Circuit, in Northamptonshire, during the 2023 and 2024 grand who grew up in Northampton, said: "Because of the Northamptonshire-Silverstone connection, it feels so special and so real, it's just been the coolest thing." Pitt, 61, plays fictional veteran driver Sonny Hayes, a former star returning to the grid after a long film opened at the end of last month and has been an international box office hit. As well as filming during the grand prix races, Silverstone was also used for driving training and much of the first half of the 31, said Pitt "loved working in Northamptonshire and Silverstone".She told BBC Radio Northampton's Bernie Keith: "It was our home for at least a year. We were pretty much living there. "[Pitt] loved it and he loved the crew and he has such a British sense of humour." The actress, who has previously starred in Doctor Who and Netflix drama The Stranger, said her final audition was at Carlin Motorsport in Farnham, said: "I spent the day there and I was changing the tyres and I was changing the oil, changing the wing of the car, and just seeing if I could exist in the world of a garage."I think it did kind of help growing up in Northampton and not far from Silverstone because I do know a lot of people that work with cars, and I just got stuck in that garage."I knew that if I was going to play a woman in this male-dominated industry, I was just going to have to hold my own and get stuck in, and I think maybe that's how I got the job." Cooke then trained to be part of the team and said she was "the only actor in the pit crew and all of the other guys were mechanics or engineers or worked in motor sports or stunt guys". She said at the British Grand Prix in 2024: "We did a real pit stop in between Mercedes and Ferrari, and we did it as quick as the other teams."It was just mad. I don't know how they ever let us get away with it, to be honest."Cooke said working in and around real F1 teams and at real grand prix races was a "once-in-a-lifetime experience" for the cast and crew."It was one of the best experiences of my life." Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
George Russell talks us through a lap of Silverstone ahead of British Grand Prix
George Russell took pole position for last year's British Grand Prix. Here, ahead of his home race, the Mercedes driver takes the PA news agency on a lap of Silverstone. Abbey and Farm Curve Russell in action during the 2024 British Grand Prix at Silverstone (Andrew Matthews/PA) A qualifying lap at the British Grand Prix is one of the most exhilarating of the year. It is probably only beaten by Monaco. In a Formula One car, the first two corners are flat-out at 190mph. I could even do them with one hand. Advertisement Village and The Loop I brake about 60 metres before Village, which means it is a fast entry, before swinging back over to the other side of the track for the left hander at Loop – the second slowest corner on the track. A good slingshot on the exit is pivotal as the Aintree kink takes us on to the long Wellington Straight. Brooklands, Luffield and Woodcote Silverstone can be windy because it is built on the site of a World War II Royal Air Force bomber station. It is very flat, too, so I am always watching out for the flags. On the top of the British Racing Drivers' Club building at Brooklands there is a Union Jack. I know if the flag is flying strongly, I can go in hotter because there will be a ton of downforce and the grip will be immense. But if the flag is drooping, I will have to bring it back a touch – braking maybe just two metres earlier – because there is a chance the car might snap and the likelihood of a mistake is greater. Advertisement The subsequent long-righter hand through Luffield and Woodcote is probably my least favourite on the track. It goes on forever, but is crucial because it sets me up for the old pit straight and Copse. Copse Corner I remember the first time I ever drove at Silverstone, I was in a Formula Four car and I would approach Copse at 130mph before braking and shifting down the gears. But in Formula One, I take it on at 190mph, and the minimum speed through the bend is more than 180mph. It is insane. Imagine you are in a rugby scrum and everybody is trying to push you in one direction. It is a constant force, but its abruptness means it can also feel like a rugby tackle which goes on and on. Advertisement My legs are flying one way, my bottom is clenching, and my neck, which is being exposed to 50 kilograms of G-force, just wants to fly off. I might be in and out of the corner in a second, but in that brief moment I tense and I don't breathe. Maggots, Becketts and Chapel Curve Lewis Hamilton won the British Grand Prix for a record-extending ninth time in 2024 (Matthew Vincent/PA) This is the best sequence of corners in the world and the most impressive place ever to watch an F1 car. I approach at 195mph and decelerate to 145mph through the left-right-left sequence. It feels like a slalom with such incredible flow but I know the tiniest of errors will cost me. Hangar Straight and Stowe Stowe is my favourite part of the circuit and one of five corners in F1 that never ceases to amaze me. The car just feels alive. The right hander is so wide it allows me to attack it at more than 190mph. My speed drops to about 150mph as I rise over a small crest where I am aware of the thousands of British fans on the exit. Advertisement Vale, Club Corner and Hamilton Straight I come into the final two corners knowing this is my last chance in the lap. Braking earlier at Vale allows me good momentum on the exit of Club and on to the Hamilton Straight. This approach will not compromise turns one and two which is ideal for the race. But in qualifying, where the finish line arrives earlier, I can carry more speed on the entry to Vale because I do not need to worry too much about my exit and the following lap.
Daily Mail
06-07-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Lando Norris wins chaotic British Grand Prix to close gap on Oscar Piastri as FIVE drivers retire in opening laps
An opportunity of a British lifetime opened itself to Lando Norris in the most unexpected manner in a rain-punctuated race at Silverstone, handed him by his hitherto dominant team-mate Oscar Piastri. It was a chance the faultless Norris claimed, winning his home race for the first time in front of a 160,000-strong crowd that had painted their affections for him in the orange of McLaren that was the dominant colour in the stands, at least underneath the ponchos. It was the Bristolian's fourth victory of the season, his first ever consecutively, burying a hoodoo, and put him just eight points of Piastri, who finished runner-up, at the world championship summit. 'Beautiful,' said Norris, his voice thin, putting triumph in the Midlands ahead even of his delight in Monaco in May. His unexpected break delivered itself as the safety car prepared to turn in on lap 22. Piastri led, a brilliant leader in fact until now, his speed way superior to Norris's. But the Australian jammed on the anchors on the Hangar Straight, going into Stowe. He went from some 130mph to a bus-lane crawl. You'd have put on your hazard lights on the motorway, but here even quicker reactions were called for. Max Verstappen, then immediately behind Piastri, had to steer out of his path. 'Woah, mate,' exclaimed the Dutchman. 'F***. He suddenly slowed down.' An investigation was launched. The stewards did not sit in judgment long. They imposed a 10-second penalty. At this point, Piastri's lead over Norris (who had jumped into third after Verstappen span as the race restarted) stood at 3.6sec. All – all! – Norris had to do was keep it clean and wait for the penalty to play out. The race would be his, making him the 12th driver from these shores to win the British Grand Prix, and lift the gold Grand Prix Trophy, transported from the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall for the ceremonies. Names dating back to Moss, including Clark and Stewart, Mansell and Hill, and up to Hamilton, adorn it. It had not looked likely to be Norris's day. He started third, behind Piastri with Verstappen on pole. The defending champion Verstappen's pole lap was supreme, but the last element he wanted as he tried convert that supremacy into victory was rain, and it was soon apparent that Piastri's McLaren was faster. Piastri passed Verstappen, who ran wide at Stowe, seven of 52 laps into the action. Stowe, of ironies, is where the 'Lando Grandstand' housed 10,000 of the faithful. Still, a cheer went up for Piastri, Verstappen being the pantomime villain right there. At this stage, the action was stop-start. Two virtual safety car and two actual ones came out in the first half of the race. The biggest shunt saw Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar catch the back of Mercedes' unsighted Kimi Antonelli in the spray. Hadjik careered off into the gravel at Copse, though thankfully the pebbles took the worst of the sting out of it. He retired, as did Antonelli later. 'I'm OK,' said Hadjar. It brought out the fateful safety car for which Norris could be so grateful. Norris grasped this twist of fortune, needing to stay within 10 seconds of Piastri to land glory. Indeed, he narrowed the gap. There was 1.3sec in it with 10 laps remaining. On the pit wall McLaren chief executive Zak Brown told Sky they would consider appealing the Piastri sanction – what, and deny his other driver victory at home in front of fervid fans? Surely not. Piastri asked if the McLaren pair could be switched over if it was thought his punishment unfair. Try that one, chaps. You may not get out of Northamptonshire with your lives. They didn't, clearly. Elsewhere, Lewis Hamilton had a day of nearly doing it, but not quite. He made some sweet moves, passing George Russell and Esteban Ocon in one pass. He was bang in contention for a podium but ran wide after his final stop and that left him with too much to do to catch Sauber's Niko Hulkenberg for third place, the 37-year-old German's first podium in 239 attempts. Well driven. Verstappen finished fifth complaining of an undriveable Red Bull. George Russell, who never quite found his feet in the wet conditions and moved too early on to slick towards the end, and slipped off, finished 10th. The final Brit, Ollie Bearman, survived the cull of the rookies to finish a highly credible if not entirely uneventful 11th for Haas. All – all! – Norris had to do was keep it clean and wait for the penalty to play out. The race would be his, making him the 12th driver from these shores to win the British Grand Prix, and lift the gold Grand Prix Trophy, transported from the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall for the ceremonies. Names dating back to Moss, including Clark and Stewart, Mansell and Hill, and up to Hamilton, adorn it. It had not looked likely to be Norris's day. He started third, behind Piastri with Verstappen on pole. The defending champion Verstappen's pole lap was supreme, but the last element he wanted as he tried convert that supremacy into victory was rain, and it was soon apparent that Piastri's McLaren was faster. Piastri passed Verstappen, who ran wide at Stowe, seven of 52 laps into the action. Stowe, of ironies, is where the 'Lando Grandstand' housed 10,000 of the faithful. Still, a cheer went up for Piastri, Verstappen being the pantomime villain right there. At this stage, the action was stop-start. Two virtual safety car and two actual ones came out in the first half of the race. The biggest shunt saw Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar catch the back of Mercedes' unsighted Kimi Antonelli in the spray. Hadjik careered off into the gravel at Copse, though thankfully the pebbles took the worst of the sting out of it. He retired, as did Antonelli later. 'I'm OK,' said Hadjar. It brought out the fateful safety car for which Norris could be so grateful. Norris grasped this twist of fortune, needing to stay within 10 seconds of Piastri to land glory. Indeed, he narrowed the gap. There was 1.3sec in it with 10 laps remaining. On the pit wall McLaren chief executive Zak Brown told Sky they would consider appealing the Piastri sanction – what, and deny his other driver victory at home in front of fervid fans? Surely not. Piastri asked if the McLaren pair could be switched over if it was thought his punishment unfair. Try that one, chap. You may not get out of Northamptonshire with your lives. They didn't, clearly. Elsewhere, Lewis Hamilton had a day of nearly doing it, but not quite. He made some sweet moves, passing George Russell and Esteban Ocon in one pass. He was bang in contention for a podium but ran wide after his final stop and that left him with too much to do to catch Sauber's Niko Hulkenberg for third place. Hamilton finished fourth with Lance Stroll a great fifth for Aston Martin, who operated in their glistening £200million factory by Silverstone's gates. Verstappen finished sixth complaining of an undriveable Red Bull. George Russell, who never quite found his feet in the wet conditions and moved too early on to slick towards the end, and slipped off, finished 10th. The other Brit, Ollie Bearman, survived the cull of the rookies to finish a highly credible if not entirely uneventful 11th for Haas.
BBC News
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Silverstone replica mown into historic Stowe Gardens
A replica of Silverstone has been mown into parkland at a nearby National Trust property as part of a new partnership between the circuit and the historic Gardens in Buckinghamshire and the Northamptonshire motorsport venue are undertaking a three-year project to "fast-track" nature conservation and boost biodiversity in the at this weekend's British Grand Prix will be encouraged to donate towards the scheme, which will see upgrades to a four-mile (6.5km) parkland Trust Stowe's general manager Tanya Brittain said the eventual aim was to have a "nature superhighway connecting the two sites". Silverstone Circuit is three miles (4.8km) from Stowe Gardens and was once part of the 18th-Century estate belonging to Stowe replica of the circuit was mapped using GPS by volunteers from Silverstone, and mown by the gardens' ranger part of the collaboration, the National Trust will have a presence at Silverstone during the F1 British Grand Prix, Silverstone Festival and MotoGP weekends over the next three biodiversity, the partnership also hopes to boost active travel, such as walking and cycling between the two Bazire from Silverstone said: "Our ambition is to be connected to the ecosystem of the wider Silverstone community, working collaboratively with our neighbours to make Silverstone a sustainable business and leisure destination." Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
New York Times
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- New York Times
Silverstone track breakdown: The British GP makes F1 drivers feel like jet pilots
The British Grand Prix offers one of the most iconic tracks on Formula One's calendar, rich in history and a thrilling high-speed drive. Nestled in the heart of the UK's motorsport valley where seven of the 10 teams are based, as well as the coming Cadillac squad, Silverstone Circuit hosts the home race for four drivers: Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Lando Norris and Ollie Bearman (Alex Albon is British-born but races under the Thai flag). It's had epic showdowns over the years, such as Michael Schumacher vs. Ayrton Senna in 1993, Rubens Barrichello vs. Schumacher in 2003, Sebastian Vettel vs. Valtteri Bottas in 2018, and Sergio Pérez vs. Charles Leclerc vs. Hamilton in 2022. Advertisement 'That was very reminiscent of the karting days,' Hamilton said of the battle after the 2022 grand prix that was eventually won by Carlos Sainz. 'And I feel that that's Formula One at its best. The fact that we were able to follow and dice like that, lap on lap, is a testament to the direction I think that we're now in.' This circuit, built on a former Royal Air Force base, is known for its high-speed nature. So much so that Hamilton once said, 'The faster this track gets, the better it gets. It has to be the best track in the world, it feels like driving a fighter jet around the track.' Wind is a fairly significant factor, given how open the circuit is. Albon noted, 'It changes the (car) balance so much, so to be on the limit throughout the whole corner, it's very easy to underdrive a part of the corner which has a bit of a headwind, and you can use a little bit of that wind to push a little bit more into a corner.' The track, which crosses the county line between Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire, has had several layout changes over the years, but the character has remained. New names for new corners and straights have been added to pay homage to Silverstone's heritage and culture. Here's what to expect from Silverstone Circuit as the British Grand Prix kicks off in 2025. Before it became a racing circuit, Silverstone operated as an RAF base during World War II. The airfield opened in 1943 and served as the base for Wellington bombers. When the war ended in 1945, the United Kingdom was left with a surplus of airfields, and RAF Silverstone was converted into a race track. The Royal Automobile Club hosted the first British Grand Prix in Oct. 1948, with around 100,000 spectators in attendance. When the F1 World Championship began in 1950, Silverstone kicked off the calendar. Advertisement Another notable fact about the first world championship race: It's the only time a reigning monarch attended a British motorsport race. King George VI attended with then-Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, as well as Lord and Lady Mountbatten. And the royalty extended onto the track too, with a Thai prince and a Swiss baron competing in the race. One of the Silverstone's unique aspects is that nearly everything on this track has a name, but do the drivers remember them? Ex-F1 driver Kevin Magnussen said in 2023, 'I always forget the names. There's a couple of them I know, but I always forget.' Here's your crash course on what numbers correspond with which name and how we got here. This right-hander is named after Luffield Abbey, founded before 1133 and with remains discovered near the corner. Drivers approach this turn flat out in a modern-day F1 car, which can become dangerous, as seen by Zhou Guanyu's 2022 wreck at the start of that year's race. Still in full throttle, drivers hit a slight kink to the left, more of a lazy bend. The origins of Farm aren't complex: The cars used to zip past a nearby farm back when it was a straight between Abbey and what was Bridge Bend. This corner entered the layout in 2010, named after Silverstone Village just north of the track. Drivers have to brake hard for the 45-degree right-hander, and they'll need to keep to the right for the left-hander ahead. Welcome to a hairpin, one of the slowest points on Silverstone Circuit. It is the only point on the track named for its shape. Drivers go flat out through this left-hander onto the next straight. Aintree has racing origins, both for motorsports and horses. Not only is it the home of the Grand National steeplechase, but Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool also hosted the British Grand Prix for five years. Kimi Räikkönen crashed his Ferrari spectacularly coming out of Aintree during the 2014 British Grand Prix , which was a tad amusing given the nickname for the Italian team is the Prancing Horse. Advertisement Formed from one of the old RAF runways, this straight is named after the Wellington bombers. It was initially called the National Straight until the track layout was changed, and it was renamed in 2010 as part of this. Out near Weybridge in Surrey rests the old guard of British motorsport. Brooklands opened in 1907 and also served as one of the country's first airfields and an aircraft manufacturing facility. Its last race was held in 1939, but the track's legacy lives on in the form of Brooklands Museum (which sits on part of the track) and as part of the British GP — at least in name. This is a mid-speed left-hander. Another long right-hander with a similar history to Turn 1. This one is named after Luffield Chapel and entered the circuit layout in 1987. Initially, it was two separate turns — giving off Dr. Seuss vibes with the names of Luffield 1 and Luffield 2. This corner serves as an ode to the RAC, specifically the Surrey-based club of Woodcote Park because the RAC used to organize the track's races in its early days. Though it is now a flat-out right turn, this original corner previously ended the layout. A significant pileup happened here during the 1973 grand prix, when an opening lap accident triggered by Jody Scheckter led to nine cars being knocked out of the race and injuring a driver. Named in honor of the surrounding woodland, this corner isn't known for a peaceful nature similar to the English countryside. Back in 2021, title contenders Hamilton and Max Verstappen collided here, a moment that sent the Red Bull into the barriers at the exit of the high-speed right-hander and landed the Mercedes driver a time penalty. It became a defining, controversial moment in their championship battle. Iconic is a fitting word for this high-speed, twisty sequence. It begins with a full-throttle left-to-right zig, and the track gets tighter as speed only slightly decreases. The cars navigate another left-to-right sequence before launching onto the Hanger straight. These used to be three distinct moments, but now, they're far too interlinked. Advertisement As for the history of the names, Maggots is in honor of the marshy wetland Maggot Moor. Meanwhile, Becketts and Chapel come from the medieval church honoring Saint Thomas à Becket, the murdered Archbishop of Canterbury. The buildings, though, were torn down when the airfield was built. Hanger straight gets its name from the aircraft hangers of RAF Silverstone. With his DRS wing open down the Hangar Straight in 2022, Pérez got right on the rear of Leclerc's Ferrari and moved side-by-side as they rounded this hard right-hander. It's a tricky corner, coming at the end of a DRS zone. Like a good portion of the track, Stowe's namesake is said to have come from a nearby landmark — a school. How have we only just seen the helicam footage from this epic passage of racing at Silverstone last year 🤯 — ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) July 7, 2023 In 2022, Pérez and Leclerc were wheel-to-wheel with Hamilton hot on their tails as the cars barreled through this left-hander. Its namesake isn't as apparent, but some point towards this section of the track is in the Aylesbury Vale district. Like Woodcote, this final stretch tips a hat to the RAC and its clubhouse in London. But more modern-day fans may recall the appearance of this portion thanks to Sky Sports' David Croft saying in 2022, 'Through goes Hamilton!' as the battle with Pèrez and Leclerc continued and the then Mercedes driver slipped past the Red Bull and Ferrari in the track's final corner. Silverstone's high-speed nature means Pirelli usually brings its hardest tires here to try and avoid the blowouts that blighted races in 2013 and 2020. But, in 2025, the Italian tire manufacturer is bringing its C2, C3 and C4 tires in a bid to increase the number of pitstops drivers complete in the race. As ever in Britain, the fickle Silverstone weather can increase these naturally. (Track video courtesy of EA Sports F1 — learn more about 'F1 25″ here.) Top photos: Alessio Morgese/NurPhoto visa Getty Images; Design: Drew Jordan
