Photo by Mark Stuckey on Unsplash

What’s The F1 British Grand Prix At Silverstone Like For Kids?

11 hours ago

I took my 9-year-old along to find out.

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What’s The F1 British Grand Prix At Silverstone Like For Kids?

Photo by Mark Stuckey on Unsplash

I’ve been lucky enough to visit Silverstone during the British Grand Prix weekend a total of five times over the years, gradually working my way up the various levels of luxury, from camping in the mud, and subsequently getting my MX5 stuck, to watching qualifying from the pits and refuelling on Patron palomas in the Paddock Club. Top quality entertainment has been consistent; but with so much glitz and glamour (and a never-ending stream of champagne), is the Silverstone Grand Prix really family-friendly? Despite hearing of ‘family zones’ and live performers, I had my reservations, so I took my 9-year-old son – a die-hard Lewis Hamilton fan – Jack along to find out.

GETTING THERE

Travel to Silverstone on race weekend requires pre-planning and plenty of patience, especially if you’re with kids. There are limited public transport options so if you’re planning on getting a bus or one of the park and rides, book early and leave plenty of time. Of course, the park and fly helicopter option (prices from £1,590) takes you directly into the heart of the track, but as I had a child in tow and therefore would be passing on the palomas this year, securing on-site parking was a bonus. Book parking the minute you book tickets or it will sell-out.

TICKET OPTIONS

General admission tickets are a great option if you have kids with you, and you can secure half price tickets for under 11s on certain days. There’s plenty to do to keep them busy around the track, and if you’re staying the whole weekend there’s the option to book family camping, too, with on-site entertainment including movie nights to keep kids happy. However, there are several hospitality options that will make their weekend even more memorable if you want to upgrade your Silverstone experience. Jack and I started our morning in the Racing Green area, a haven for motorsport-loving kids, with several blocks of racing simulators, electronic car racing, lawn games and plenty of photo opportunities, along with grandstand seating to watch the on-track action. Food here is informal and child-friendly, with food trucks serving up unlimited treats (how many Nutella pancakes is too many, after all?) and an open bar all day.

For the more discerning young guest – or ones you’ve invited to the occasional Michelin-starred restaurant review in their time – the Fusion Lounge makes the perfect base for happy children and even happier parents. The track views here are spectacular, all the way from Stowe through to Vale and Club corners with a close-up of the cars as they enter the pits, there’s casual seating on the terrace or free seating in the grandstand. There are racing simulators in the lounge here, too, plus a photo booth and fine dining options available all day.

There for the food? Read our guide to dining at Silverstone here.

WHAT TO DO

Like any good roving reporter, Jack was keen to get out and about and experience all that the circuit had to offer during our visit. The large display of British Army vehicles went down well, as did the street performers (think stilt-walkers and bubble artists). We hid from a storm – another Silverstone weekend surety – in the family zone and Jack enjoyed contributing to a giant Lego mural and testing his F1 knowledge on a video quiz game. Further round the track there’s a Fan Zone and and Entertainment Zone with activities from go-karting to rides, though queues in these general admission areas can be very long on race days, so buy your food from one of the food trucks before you join them.

No race day would be complete without rounding it off with a walk along the race track itself and hunting for marbles, the bits of rubber thrown off the cars’ tyres as they degrade through the race, so when your hospitality lounge closes, head out onto the famous tarmac. In this instance only, returning home with a pocketful of rubber waste is the sign of a day well spent.

Of course, main stage entertainment carries on late into the night, but with school on the agenda for Monday, two hours after the chequered flag is a sensible time to head back to your car (if you can remember where you’ve parked it) and join the thousands of fans trying to navigate their way off-site down narrow country lanes.

Our view from the Fusion Lounge

JACK’S REVIEW

Of course, you shouldn’t just take my word for it, here’s what Jack had to say about the experience:

‘We started the day with some Nutella and raspberry crepes for breakfast (they were the best crepes I’ve ever had in my whole life). After that we played a few games in the racing green area including a racing simulator (I wasn’t the best) we also did a rugby game but I sadly couldn’t the ball through the hole, I’m better at football. We then went to our first spot in the grandstand to watch the F3 and F2.

‘After exploring out and about including the Army vehicles and the Family Zone, we went to the Fusion Lounge where we straight away got lunch. I had charcuterie with cheese and bread and onions, and it was so good. After that we started to make our way to our spot when we saw a DJ, so we stayed there for about 10 mins to listen, then it was time for the race. They started with pace but suddenly the rain came so they all had to pit. About three quarters of the way in Hamilton made a pit stop and it was a bit slow so it was over for him, which I was very sad about. But at least Lando got his first home win. After the race we had some very nice tea. We then went on to the track and got all the tyre marbles off the ground. I practiced a sprint start from the starting line; I think I could beat the cars.

‘Silverstone was the best day ever! I really hope I get to go again one day.’

THE FINAL WORD

The weather is always a nightmare, it takes hours to get anywhere and the whole thing is absolutely exhausting. (It’s my favourite weekend of the year – and now my son’s, too.)