The 2013 F1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone

One of the great British sporting events

The British Grand Prix is an institution on the sporting calendar of millions of sports fans, not just in the UK but across the world, and is right up there with Wimbledon, the Grand National and football at Wembley. The race has been held mostly at Silverstone in Northamptonshire since 1948, having previously been held at the Brooklands race track in Surrey in 1926 and 1927, as well as having had spells at Aintree and Brands Hatch.

But it is the village of Silverstone that will forever be synonymous with motor racing in the UK.

Today, the event has evolved into something bigger than could possibly have been imagined: a three day festival over one weekend, with numerous smaller races preceding the main show, the Grand Prix, on the Sunday.

Entertainment

For spectators, the event has become something of a festival. While the Grand Prix remains, of course, the main event, and is the reason fans pay upwards of £65 for a ticket, there is now much more to keep them entertained. This year, the event includes driving simulators, bands performing, a children’s photography competition and much more. As has become a tradition, the Red Arrows will be performing a flypast prior to the race – a British icon preceding a British icon.

But despite all this, all eyes will be on the tarmac for the race, which has grown each year: in 2012 organisers added two new grandstands, taking total capacity to a huge 315,000 fans.

Winners

Twelve Brits have won the British Grand Prix over the years, starting with Sterling Moss in 1955, and there is every chance we could see a British winner this year. Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton are both amongst the racing elite, with Hamilton in particular a popular bet.

However, the favourites this year are, unsurprisingly, Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso – who currently sit first and second in the Drivers’ Championship respectively. Vettel, who has won three of the seven races of the season so far, has odds as low as 7/4 with bookmakers.

Famous races

Silverstone is amongst the most famous racetracks in the world. From Jackie Stewart in the ‘70s to Nigel Mansell in the ‘80s, the circuit has seen some truly memorable events. And there’s no doubt the crowd on Sunday will be hoping for a belter of a race. There’s certainly potential for shock, upset and the occasional heart in mouth moment – with famous turns at Abbey, Arena, Brooklands and Luffield, every driver could be in with a shout of crossing the line first.

With the sad news that Murray Walker has been diagnosed with cancer last week, many armchair fans will be remembering his famous voice as they gear up for the race. And there’s no doubt that Walker, who had to cancel his plans to attend the race, will be watching on from his home – and hoping, like the rest of us, for a cracking race culminating in a British one-two. Well, we can dream…

Book one of our amazing limousines for the F1 British Grand Prix. Call: 0800 881 8824.

2013 CALENDAR

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FRI 28 JUN 2013

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SAT 29 JUN 2013

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SUN 30 JUN 2013

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