Race Track: Silverstone Circuit
Location: Silverstone
Raceday: Sunday, 10 July 2005
Time: 2000 (race) [Local time]
2004 winner: Michael Schumacher
Like so many of England's racing circuits, Silverstone started life
as an aerodrome. When the Second World War ended in 1945, England's
other two circuits, Donington Park and the legendary Brooklands,
had fallen into disrepair. And so it was that the outer taxiways
and interconnecting runways of Silverstone became adopted by the
Royal Automobile Club as the home for the British Grand Prix in
1948. The circuit was fast and challenging and in 1949 the shape
was formed that remains the basis of the track to this day.
When the Formula One World Championship was incepted in 1950,
Silverstone held the very first round, won by Guiseppe Farina in an
Alfa Romeo. In 1951 the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) was
handed the lease by the RAC, and huge modifications were made. The
pits were moved to the straight between Woodcote and Copse, from
the Farm straight where they had originally been, and a short
circuit was built within the larger circuit, cutting from Becketts
corner to Woodcote.
From 1955 the British Grand Prix swapped venues between Aintree and
Silverstone, but with the advent of the 1960s, Aintree fell out of
favour and the race was switched between Silverstone and Brands
Hatch.
In 1971 the BRDC bought the entire 720 acre plot on which
Silverstone sits and went about redeveloping the track. New pits
were built and a chicane was erected at Woodcote which provided
close finishes and great overtaking opportunities.
In 1987, with speeds at the circuit reaching astounding levels, a
corner was built before Woodcote, and in 1992 a new complex of
corners was created between Farm and Woodcote.
In recent years various upgrades have been made to the track's
facilities. A racing school now exists at the circuit and with
government funding a new bypass has been built, greatly improving
access to the once notoriously out-of-the-way venue.
Silverstone Circuit is located about 115km north of London. Most
easily accessible by road, it lies on the A43 between Towcester and
Brackley and is signposted from M1 junction 15A and M40 junction
10.
The airports serving Silverstone are London Heathrow, London
Gatwick, London Luton, London Stansted and Birmingham
International. The Eurostar network is another European route into
London.
The main railway stations near Silverstone are at Northampton and
Milton Keynes. Bus and coach services are also available from
London but need to be booked in advance.
