Local community

Local resident’s Formula 1 Grand Prix information

Dear Resident                                                                                                             July 2020

Formula 1 Grand Prix Events at Silverstone Circuit 2020

This year Silverstone circuit will host two Formula 1 Grand Prix, on consecutive weekends, the Formula 1 Pirelli British Grand Prix from 31 July to 2 August and the Emirates Formula 1 70^th Anniversary Grand Prix from 7 to 9 August. These events will be very different to the much-loved F1 events that we’ve held annually, with both being held ‘behind closed doors’ and without the hundreds of thousands of fans that we usually welcome to Silverstone.

There will be minimal impact on our local residents this year due to the lack of fans, however, I am writing  to share with you the plans we have put in place to reassure you that the safety and protection of our local community is a key priority.  We have worked with Formula 1, the sport’s governing body, the FIA, Police, Public Health, Highways England and local Councils, to put in place robust procedures to ensure the events can take place in the safest possible environment.

We are implementing a range of measures to protect our local communities including:

• Parking restrictions and enforcement in the vicinity (Dadford Road, Silverstone and Whittlebury villages) to prevent unauthorised parking, with coning as per previous F1 Grands Prix
• Strategic closure of certain roads to non-residents and non-race personnel to prevent non-event traffic from accessing the venue (below)
• Managed access to local residents only on public footpaths and bridleways in the immediate vicinity of the circuit (below)
• Upweighted police presence in the area
• Use of Highways England signage on approach roads to warn travellers that the venue and local area are closed
• Enhanced physical screening and other enhanced security measures around the boundary to prevent people viewing from outside the venue
• A restricted airspace will be in place in and around the circuit for both events
• A robust communication plan with agencies and authorities advising fans to stay away from the venue and detailing the measures put in place that remove any incentive to speculatively travel

The events are being run with strict protocols in place within the venue including:

• Limited number of personnel – teams, broadcasters, media, circuit team will be kept to a minimum, there will be no sponsors or guests
• Team hospitality structures will not be used, all team catering will be in a controlled and socially distanced environment
• All international travelling personnel entering the circuit will have been tested prior to arrival, with regular checks during the events
• The circuit will be split into separate ‘bubbles’ to keep working groups in their own areas
• Only a very limited number of personnel will be staying onsite, and they will have access to basic commodities and catering to mitigate the need to use local shops and restaurants
• All aspects are being discussed and Implemented In line with UK government requirements and in close liaison with Public Health advisors during the planning and delivery phases

The Silverstone Experience museum will be open from 20 July, only for pre-booked visitors. All the necessary health and safety measures will be in place and visitors will be advised of access restrictions.

Traffic Management Plans

We will not have traffic management schemes for the A43 or one-way systems this year as, without the volume of traffic to and from the circuit, these will not be needed. However, we are putting in place the option for soft road closures for the Dadford Road, from the Junction with the A43 to Stowe Crossroads, and for Winterhills. There will be access to/from Silverstone village and the A43. (see map overleaf for details). Any closures implemented will NOT be for local residents and/or local businesses, these are to prevent non-event traffic from accessing the venue, or the surrounding area.

Public footpaths and bridleways access

Access via the footpaths and bridleways highlighted on the map below will be restricted during the events. Viewing will not be possible from these paths as screening will be in place.

Please check this page for regular updates during the Grand Prix events. We will also be updating any relevant information via the village social media pages, where available. The information above is correct at the time of going to press.

For future events our primary communications channel will be the Local Residents section of our website and local community social media. However, if you’d prefer to receive our communications by email, please send us an email with your preferred email address and we’ll make sure we send you any relevant updates. If you would like to receive our communications by post, please write to us at the address below with your postal address and we’ll mail you updates (please note that this may be slow and therefore information could be out of date by time of delivery).

In the meantime, if you have any queries, please feel free to email us, using the dedicated local communities email: Residents@silverstone.co.uk. If you have any concerns during the event please contact the Silverstone Command Centre on 01327 320310 or for non-emergency police assistance, call 101.

I thank you in advance for your support in helping us get our sport and industry back up and running.

Kind regards,

Stuart Pringle
Managing Director