The self-styled home of British motor sport celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. For 30 years from the mid-1950s, Silverstone shared the honour of hosting the British Grand Prix, first with Aintree and then with the far more inspiring Brands Hatch. Brands remains beloved for both racing drivers and fans, but let’s face it, even by 1986 standards Formula 1 had begun to outgrow its wooded confines. Silverstone, in contrast, had the space to evolve and transform with the changing times.
Has it lost something along the way? Some would say yes. Then again in today’s cut-throat world of globalised race hosting, circuits must evolve or die and Silverstone is doing all it can to ensure it is not outflanked by competitors. Today, Silverstone is a true epicentre for British motor sport, and whatever your view of the track’s modern iteration, it often tends to host the best F1 races of the year.