Anyone going to Silverstone this year? This will my first GP event so really looking forward to going Any recommendations i.e best places to watch etc..........

isnt it one of the most expensive GPs to visit?

I'm going. Share your experience, please! For instance, what's the approximate travel time from Silverstone to Heathrow on Sunday after the race? My return flight leaves at ten past seven, and I have to deliver my rental car some time before that. Maybe this will be a bit tight?

Jodum No -not any more

RA - That is VERY tight.. though the traffic situation is vastly improved. Once you get on the M1 you 'should' be OK they are only 70 miles apart

I'll be heading to silverstone this year for the first time.

I'm planning on camping at Litchlake. Anyoen else gonna be around?

Thanks LB. Hmm, thing is, I can't change my return ticket.... It'll just have to go allright.

Hi Everybody,

I am planning on visiting Silverstone this year and this is going to be my first Grand Prix attendance!
I try to get some information on how to getting there. The thing is that I would like to stay in London since I can use a friendly home and could be overall cheapier for me (I will fly from Athens, Greece). Do you have any ideas what is the best way to get to the track on Friday, Saturday and Sunday? I would like to know if there is any public transportation for the racetrack or the only way is to rent a car?

Thanks in advance, information from anyone who have been to Silverstone will be extremely useful!

I haven't been to Silverstone before but i have done a lot of research on the options and spoken to some 'veterans' before making up my mind. That said, some of the others here will know something i don't on easier/cheaper ways to get to the track.

My tuppence for what its worth:

If you are absolutely set on staying in London on all three days i would recommend a hire car and buying a silverstone car parking pass (got to have more than 1 person in the car).

Public transport will tie you down to certain train times, meaning you can miss some good parts of the day, can be expensive and doesn't run at convenient times. I am advised that on Grand Prix weekends taxis from the station to the circuit can range from £15-£45 (not sure if this is true).

The nearest train stations are northamption and banbury. you can check train times on www.thetrainline.com or coaches on www.nationalexpress.com. The first train on a sunday leaves Marylebone at 8.40 and gets into banbury at 10.50. An open return ticket (so you can get on any train home) will cost around £60. You can get fixed time tickets for about £25. So with tickets and taxis you're perhaps looking between £40-£100 per day travelling expenses

If you decide to go down the hire car route remember London is 70 miles away from silverstone, so a fair amount of travel will be involved everyday and petrol is currently ranging between 90.9-99.9 per litre in the london/banbury areas.

Alternatively http://www.motorracinginternational.uk.com do coach trips to the circuit for race day and you don't have to buy your tickets through them. You pick up the coach at a pre determind point and they take you ino the circuit and home again. This is only for sundays though.

Silverstone does run a free park and ride bus from certain junctions of the M40/M1 where you park up at one of the services and they bus you in to the circuit. Sadly this is only for the sunday i think.

To be really honest i think it would be far cheaper for you to camp in or around the circuit for three days. Campsites vary between £60-100 for all three nights. Some people have said that some of the food vans in the camps are relatively inexpensive and there is a supermarket reasonably close by for you to stock up on nibbly foods and drinks.

Thanks smartie for all the useful information.

Since this will be my first Grand Prix I am keen on living the full 'race' experience. That means attending all three days of action and staying for the parties, the World Cup game screening etc. I sure would like to stay in London as well. It could be tiring but worth it!

Any other recommendations are welcome folks!

Hi I will also be going to the brittish gp for the first time. I am intrested in things to do and see
as this will also be my first visit to the uk. I would like to hear about all things involving motorsport
as well as the cheapest form of accomodation.
Your replies most appreciated.

What about the post-race party? Is that worth staying at the track one extra night for? (I'm not single.... :\ )

one word of advice

Camp

don't even think of anything else

Where? Which camp-site is the best? I suppose that's the one closest to the track...

theres a few round the track, we normally camp at litchlake which is beside the (old) jordan factory and across the main road from the entrance at luffield/woodcote

Thanks, I'll make enqueries on Tuesday.

Litchlake is the most convenient but it can get loud even in the "quiet field" Nothing like as load and raucous as Spa or Nurburgring but noisy enough. The good thing is that you can get free ear plugs at the track on all three days, given that you will be so far back from the F1 action you won't actuallly need them during the day, but they come in useful to help you sleep

As for travel like LB says don't! the Litchlake "village" has stock of most things you'll break or run out of so there's no worries there.

Getting back to Heathrow could be a bind, and personally I'd suggest heading south to the M40 as you join the M25 much nearer the Airport. But overall the traffic has improved loads in the last few years.

Looks like lots of virgins heading Silverstone way. Let SV know you are going as he's organising the M&G this year again I think try this link Could be a good meet look forward to seeing familiar faces and the new 7 weeks to go

Thanks, Philhitchings! Some useful tips there.

i cant believe that i have had no replies to my post. i have been led to believe that camping is the way to go. in south africa when we camp you need to take everthing with you . because of my situation i need to hire all the right stuff . ? is it available? and at what price?. and most nb where do you book ect. i realy want to enjoy all that thre is to experience this weekend but to all those that dont know our money has to be multiplied by ten .my time is running out as the tickets
/plane fair ect have allready been paid. lastly i luv gp racing and i think this weeks results are awesome.

Actually your original question has been answered more than once - the cheapest form of accomodation is camping.

I don't know of anywhere that hires camping equipment, i suggest you run a google search. Enquiries with the camp ground around the circuit indicate that they do not hire equipment. A list of the grounds round about can be found on the silverstone website. Some sites will accept advance bookings, others will not.

As for other things to do whilst in the UK, that depends on how long you are here for, when and where you are going to be based.

I can't access that link Would like to meet up with the group if possible.

PM Pit babe to get in. Or, PM SV to get him to do a RC thread