Through the Eyes of a Fan: The 2025 Formula 1 British Grand Prix
06 August 2025Silverstone is special.
The Home of British Motorsport. The home of Formula 1. The home of special memories, stunning sunsets and spectacular motor racing.
For so many people, Silverstone is home.
For F1 teams. For racing drivers. But most of all, for fans.
The fans of this incredible sport. The fans who queue from the early hours to secure their spot on Vale bank or at the exit of Maggotts and Becketts, one of the most thrilling corners on the F1 calendar, to get a good view of the on-track action. The fans who brave every weather condition, from sun and rain to wind and thunder, just so they don’t miss a single second of racing. The fans who keep coming back, year on year, to make the British Grand Prix even better as time goes on.
The fans who love this sport so much that they make Silverstone what it is.
One month on, and the 2025 Formula 1 British Grand Prix seems like a distant memory.
From the way fans from all over the country - from all over the world - descend on the beautiful Northamptonshire countryside to set up camp like they’ve never been away, to how the flagpoles go up and the fun really starts because the weekend we wait for as soon as we leave the year prior, is finally here.
British Grand Prix weekend.
Once Wednesday is done, with home set up for the weekend, the campsites start to build with life and energy. From entertainment to good food, Wednesday evening is all about getting settled in and having one final good night of sleep before the busy weekend begins.
This year, Thursday was a big one at the British Grand Prix.
Ever since it was announced, the excitement for Landostand has been bubbling. Once tickets were secured way back in September, the countdown was on. Being able to support your favourite driver at their home race is one thing, but being able to do it in a grandstand dedicated to them at their home race is something else.
Gates opening to the track on Thursday meant fans with inner track tickets could catch their first glimpse of their F1 heroes, up close and personal, with the introduction of the Fan Forecourt for 2025. Located at the F1 Paddock entrance, the Fan Forecourt allowed fans to wait by their favourite driver’s parking spot in the hope of snapping a selfie or grabbing an autograph on their cap as the drivers entered or left the paddock. Open all weekend from sunrise to sunset, the Fan Forecourt was busy from the start of the weekend to the finish, with drivers, Team Principals and other key figures in Formula 1 stopping to greet people as each day went on. With exclusive viewing areas and a historic demonstration in the inner track area, fans on Thursday were able to scout the best spots to watch the weekend’s sessions from and enjoy the history of motorsport all in one place.
The fans at the paddock gates on Thursday morning caught a glimpse of British royalty too, as the one and only Percy Pig became the star of the paddock, with his own – rightly deserved – VIP Guest pass. Even some of the drivers, like Haas F1 Team’s Oliver Bearman, were starstruck.
No F1 track action on Thursday meant it was the perfect time to visit Silverstone Museum. With free entry for all British Grand Prix ticket holders across race weekend, fans had the best opportunity to take the history of Silverstone and learn about its roots as a World War 2 airfield and discover the inspiration behind corner names at the circuit, finding out more about the inner workings of a Formula 1 car and visiting the main exhibition area. With the new 75th anniversary exhibition open to the public, fans were spoilt for choice; from Lando’s 2019 McLaren and the Aston Martin Safety Car to JOTA Sport’s World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series cars and motorbikes on show, spending too long in the Museum was – probably – highly likely. Once through the main exhibition hall and in the shop, fans could get their hands on some merchandise or other Silverstone-related goodies, from teddy bears and fridge magnets to biscuits and fudge.
When evening rolled around on Thursday, there was only one thing to do: head to the eBay Mainstage to properly welcome the 2025 British Grand Prix in style. As the supporting act, Blossoms took to the stage before Sam Fender topped the night with hits including People Watching, Seventeen Going Under and Hypersonic Missiles, to a beautiful Silverstone sunset.
The firework finale filled the night skies as devoted racing fans headed home for the evening. One more sleep to go.
The 2025 Formula 1 British Grand Prix had finally, truly begun.
A few hours later and Silverstone was bustling once again, with fans piling through the gates in their masses, dressed from head to toe in neon, papaya or Ferrari red.
In between the on-track action, with Formula 1’s two free practice sessions, Formula 2 and Formula 3 free practice and qualifying sessions, as well as British F4’s free practice session – marking the first time all four categories have appeared at the same venue at the same time – fans headed to the F1 Fanzone for even more off-track fun. This year’s activations fit everyone’s fancy – from the F1 Blast Lane, where you could experience the thrill of G-Force like your favourite F1 driver or the F1 Pitstop Challenge, allowing you to see just how fast you could change an F1 tyre under pressure to visiting the AMEX or Aramco experiences before building your own LEGO racing car, there really was something for everyone to experience away from the live entertainment.
As the sun shone on a beautiful yet busy Silverstone, fans explored the different areas of the track and the different stages located at each point. There was the Made at Vale stage which boasted a range of music tribute acts, including Britpop anthems and Assembly Bangers, as well as DJ sets and Britpop bingo, or something for the entire family with the Women’s EUROs shown on Friday night.
At the Drivers’ Inn stage, located near Copse Corner, panels with the team behind Drive to Survive, esports teams, F1 recruiters and social media admins were hosted to give fans an insight into how to become part of the pinnacle of global motorsport. Fans were introduced to Kart Silverstone, the circuit’s outdoor karting experience set to open later in 2025, as well as a BRDC Superstars panel, consisting of the next generation of F1 talent. Community hub talks from Driven by Us, Girls Across the Grid and Racing Pride brought people together, encouraging friends to connect with people in the industry, bring new friends along or make new ones in the process.
The eBay Mainstage hosted the second night of all-British headliners to end a busy Friday. After watching two British drivers top the two F1 Free Practice sessions – Lewis Hamilton at the top after FP1 and Lando Norris taking the crown in FP2 – everyone headed towards the Mainstage for an entertaining night of girl power, starting with Jade before Raye had us all partying into the night.
Qualifying day soon came around, a little cooler than the previous two days, but still warm enough to grab some Nuii ice cream or a can of Lando Norris’ fluro Monster for breakfast. When at the British Grand Prix, we’re eating dinner for breakfast and breakfast for dinner. With the range of food options available, fans are spoilt for choice every day, and there’s not always enough time in the day to try out all the irresistible food vans throughout the circuit.
A non-British driver finished FP3 at the top of the list – Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc – and the wait was on to find out who would be starting the British Grand Prix on Pole. Several F1 drivers joined Ariana Bravo on-stage across the weekend, like Charles Leclerc and the Red Bull Racing drivers on Saturday morning ahead of the day’s sessions answering questions and chatting about their hopes for the race.
The Kart Silverstone Big Wheel had plenty visitors, with fans taking to the big wheel to reach the top and get some of the best views of the Home of British Motorsport. From this vantage point, fans could see for miles, from the twists and turns of the asphalt to the surrounding greenery and countryside fields, reminding us with each visit to the top that we’re really at Silverstone.
Qualifying came and went, with reigning World Champion Max Verstappen snatching the top spot for Sunday from either of the McLaren drivers. Oscar Piastri took P2 whilst one of four home heroes, Lando Norris, sat in P3 for Sunday’s race. Despite the result, Landostand was still bouncing, with more fluro filling the grandstands as the weekend went on and with one of hundreds of Silverstone’s very special Race Makers, Gary, as Lando’s personal hype man, the cheers and the singing could be heard over the roar of the engines.
As Saturday came to a close, with Mabel and Fatboy Slim on the eBay Mainstage, the excitement was beginning to build for the best day of the weekend: race day.
Silverstone is known for its all-over climate, with sun, wind, rain and thunder often hitting the track in a short space of time. Knowing we couldn’t be that lucky at the British Grand Prix, there was no surprise when the rain came down and the thunder began to rumble in the skies on Sunday morning. At Silverstone, however, nobody lets the rain bring them down. Despite the damp grandstand seats and patches of grass, the buzz around the circuit continued to grow. The flags were still flying and the cheers filled the skies as the drivers’ parade began.
As lights-out drew closer, the sun tried to come out and create a dry racing line and dry skies and seats for the fans.
Over at Stowe, Lando stopped by to fire some t-shirts into the crowds, before the skies cleared for the Red Arrows’ iconic pre-Grand Prix flypast. Once the drivers’ parade was complete, Becky Hill performed the National Anthem, and we were ready to go.
Lights out on the 2025 Formula 1 British Grand Prix.
Moments later, the sun swapped places with dark grey clouds and rain. Cue a repeat of this throughout the race. It was what we should’ve expected after no rain prior to race day.
Even with the changing weather, and with a few Safety Car interruptions, the race finally got underway. With a devastating DNS for Alpine’s Franco Colapinto and some unexpected DNFs for Liam Lawson, Gabriel Bortoleto, Isack Hadjar and Kimi Antonelli, this year’s British Grand Prix had plenty of excitement.
Piastri was handed a 10-second penalty for braking behind the Safety Car ahead of the restart, a penalty which wasn’t appreciated by the Australian, especially when he couldn’t make the time up to his teammate out in front. However, a one-two finish for the Woking-based outfit was still a welcome result.
When the chequered flag fell, it was Lando Norris who passed it first.
Last year we were graced with a historic win in Lewis Hamilton’s ninth ever at Silverstone. This year, it was Lando Norris’ first ever home win in front of his devoted fans, friends and family at Stowe. An emotional day for everyone, Lando told the crowd before the race he would swap all of his F1 Grand Prix wins just to win at Silverstone. He didn’t need to do that.
He took the win and etched his name in Silverstone’s history books.
Another driver who made his own history was Nico Hulkenberg, who after 239 race starts – the longest in F1 history – finally made a trip to the F1 podium after finishing in third place.
After walking the track, fans headed to the Main Stage for one final evening of entertainment, beginning with the Eddie Jordan tribute band, featuring a range of famous faces who came together to remember one of Formula 1’s greats. Then, the stage was graced by Silverstone’s newest winner, alongside Piastri and McLaren CEO Zak Brown; Lando did a shoey to the soundtrack of cheers and chants of his name.
Lewis took to the stage to round off the F1 action of the weekend, before the final two acts of the night: Idris Elba and Becky Hill.
The 2025 British Grand Prix ended on a high and broke its own weekend attendance record in the process. 500,000 racing fans – that’s half a million people – flocked to Silverstone for the Grand Prix.
There’s one word for it. Special.
The most special part about Silverstone isn’t the circuit. It’s not the twists and turns of Maggotts and Becketts or the sun and rain and wind and thunder.
The most special part about Silverstone is the fans.
Because the fans are the people who return each year without fail. Who queue from the early hours to get their beloved spot or to simply be at the track early enough to enjoy all it has to offer. The fans are the people who will put up with the rain because they are here for one thing: the racing.
The British Grand Prix is the most special weekend of the year. And long may it continue.
