What: Silverstone Circuit
Location: Silverstone, Northamptonshire & Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom
Opened: 2 October 1948
Circuit Type: Permanent road course (former RAF airfield)
Current Grand Prix Layout: 5.891 km (3.661 miles)
Corners: 18
Primary Events: Formula One British Grand Prix, FIA World Endurance Championship, MotoGP, GT World Challenge Europe, British GT Championship, Silverstone Festival
OVERVIEW
Few permanent circuits hold greater historical importance than Silverstone. Built on the former RAF Silverstone bomber station, the circuit hosted the inaugural round of the Formula One World Championship in 1950 and has remained one of the sport’s defining venues ever since. Its combination of high-speed cornersโincluding Copse, Maggotts, Becketts and Chapelโhas made it a benchmark for chassis balance and aerodynamic performance for generations of racing cars.
Originally laid out using the airfield’s perimeter roads and runways, Silverstone has evolved through numerous redesigns while preserving its reputation as one of the fastest and most technically demanding circuits in world motorsport. Since 1987 it has served continuously as the home of the British Grand Prix.
HISTORY
Following the Second World War, Britain lacked a permanent venue capable of hosting an international Grand Prix. The Royal Automobile Club secured a lease on the disused RAF Silverstone airfield in 1948 and quickly converted the perimeter roads into a racing circuit.
The first British Grand Prix at Silverstone was held on 2 October 1948 before an estimated crowd of 100,000 spectators, beginning a legacy that continues today. Just two years later, on 13 May 1950, Silverstone staged the first race of the newly created Formula One World Championship in the presence of King George VIโthe only reigning British monarch ever to attend a Formula One World Championship event.
Over the decades the circuit has undergone numerous revisions. Major redesigns in 1991 and again in 2010 introduced today’s flowing Arena configuration while preserving iconic corners such as Copse and the Maggotts-Becketts-Chapel complex. The current Grand Prix circuit measures 5.891 km (3.661 miles) and remains one of Formula One’s fastest average-speed circuits.
AUDI AT SILVERSTONE
Touring Cars
Silverstone has been an important venue throughout Audi’s British Touring Car Championship campaigns.
The Audi A4 quattro Super Touring became one of the defining cars of the late 1990s BTCC era, competing regularly at Silverstone during the championship’s peak years and giving UK fans an opportunity to see Audi Sport’s factory touring cars in competition.
GT Racing
Silverstone has become one of Audi Sport customer racing’s strongest venues.
Audi R8 LMS GT3 machinery has earned numerous victories in both the British GT Championship and GT World Challenge Europe, while customer teams have made the circuit one of the model’s most successful British venues. Silverstone has also regularly served as an important development and endurance test venue for Audi Sport customer racing.
Endurance Racing
Silverstone hosted rounds of the American Le Mans Series, 1000 Km of Silverstone across multiple series and FIA World Endurance Championship across virtually all of Audi Sport’s participation window in LMP racing from 2000 through 2016.
Audi Sport Team Joest competed there with the hybrid-powered R18 e-tron quattro during the opening years of the modern WEC, continuing the manufacturer’s successful era of Le Mans Prototype competition.
Formula One
Silverstone has become one of the most significant circuits of Audi’s Formula One era.
Following Audi’s entry into Formula One in 2026, the British Grand Prix immediately became one of the team’s highest-profile events thanks to the proximity of Britain’s “Motorsport Valley,” where many Formula One teams and suppliers are based. Audi’s technical centre at Hinwil works closely with numerous UK-based engineering partners, making Silverstone one of the most strategically important races on the calendar.
AUDI DRIVE EXPERIENCE
Beginning in 2026, Silverstone became home to the Audi Drive Experience, launched as part of Audi UK’s three-year agreement as the circuit’s Official Car Partner. The program marked Audi’s first manufacturer-backed driving experience at a current Formula One Grand Prix venue in the United Kingdom.
Using the Audi RS 3 Sportback, participants are introduced to the car’s 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine, quattro all-wheel drive and dynamic chassis through instructor-led sessions on Silverstone’s International Circuit. The experience includes demonstration laps, one-to-one coaching and multiple driving sessions, allowing enthusiasts to explore the performance of Audi Sport’s compact performance flagship in a professional circuit environment.
The program also reflects Audi’s broader presence at Silverstone. Beyond customer experiences, the partnership includes official vehicle support for the circuit, VIP transportation, pace car duties and additional track activities throughout the year. Introduced during Audi’s inaugural Formula One season, the experience further strengthens the connection between the brand’s road cars and its expanding motorsport activities in the United Kingdom.
SIGNIFICANCE TO AUDI
- Regular British Touring Car Championship venue for Audi’s BTCC programs.
- Home to numerous victories for Audi R8 LMS customer racing teams.
- FIA WEC venue during the Audi R18 e-tron quattro era.
- Annual Formula One destination for the Audi F1 Team beginning in 2026.
CIRCUIT DETAILS
Country: United Kingdom
Location: Silverstone, Northamptonshire & Buckinghamshire
Opened: 2 October 1948
Former Site: RAF Silverstone (Royal Air Force bomber station)
Current Layout Length: 5.891 km (3.661 miles)
Turns: 18
Direction: Clockwise
Notable Corners:
- Abbey
- Farm
- Village
- Brooklands
- Luffield
- Woodcote
- Copse
- Maggotts
- Becketts
- Chapel
- Stowe
- Vale
- Club
MAJOR EVENTS
- Formula One British Grand Prix
- FIA World Endurance Championship
- MotoGP British Grand Prix
- GT World Challenge Europe
- British GT Championship
- Silverstone Festival
- Historic racing events
AUDI TIMELINE AT SILVERSTONE
- 1948 โ First race held at Silverstone on the former RAF airfield.
- 1950 โ Hosts the inaugural Formula One World Championship British Grand Prix.
- 1970โ1988 โ Regular venue for the European Touring Car Championship.
- 1996โ1998 โ Audi Sport UK campaigns the Audi A4 quattro in the British Touring Car Championship at Silverstone, highlighted by Frank Biela’s 1996 championship-winning season.
- 2000 โ American Le Mans Series stages the 500 Miles of Silverstone.
- 2004โ2005 โ Le Mans Endurance Series (LMES) visits Silverstone; Audi R8 claims overall victories.
- 2006โ2011 โ Le Mans Series (LMS) continues annual races at Silverstone with the Audi R10 TDI, R15 TDI and R18 prototypes.
- 2012โ2016 โ FIA World Endurance Championship races at Silverstone, with multiple overall victories for the Audi R18 e-tron quattro.
- 2024โ2025 โ Sauber competes at the British Grand Prix under Audi ownership as preparations continue for the manufacturer’s Formula One entry.
- 2025โPresent โ European Le Mans Series returns after a six-year absence.
- 2026-Present Home of the Audi Drive Experience, launched in 2026 as part of Audi UK’s partnership as Official Car Partner of Silverstone.
- 2026โPresent โ Audi Formula One Team competes in the British Grand Prix as a Formula One constructor.
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