MOTORSPORT
8 APRIL 2 020 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 57
t has always been clear that
Silverstone, the UK’s only official
Formula 1 venue, has an extremely
proud history. You can’t claim to be
the ‘home of British motorsport’
without an attention-grabbing backstory.
A few racing enthusiasts can just about recall
seeing, in the very back of their motorsport
memories, a few hazy black and white photos from
Silverstone’s first race meeting of 1948, showing
legendary drivers like Giuseppe ‘Nino’ Farina, Louis
C h i r on a nd D u nc a n Ha m i lt on r a c i n g bat t e r e d but
beautiful pre-war single-seaters on a wide open
airfield, its rudimentary circuit marked out in hay
bales, dented oil drums and black lines of rubber.
Until recently, Silverstone had no one to
tell its wonderful story. The modern circuit’s
management was justifiably preoccupied with
staging race meetings, rally schools, track days
and off-road driving courses, multiple events
scheduled on every day of the year but one. And
i n r e c e nt y e a r s , Si l v e r s t one h a s e x pa nde d t o
encompass an industrial estate and even its own
university technical college (UTC), which uses
the racing environment to inspire students to
follow science, technology, engineering and
mathematics careers.
Now, however, the detailed history of the
UK’s premier circuit can be followed at The
Silverstone Experience, a huge interactive
museum near the circuit’s main entrance,
de si g ne d t o b e a s muc h a d r awc a rd for
knowledgeable race enthusiasts as for race
attendees, drop-in visitors and schoolkids.
The Experience’s primary aim reinforces
t h at of t he ne a rb y U T C: t o aw a k e n s t ude nt s t o
the fascination of science and technology, a claim
m a de a bu nd a nt l y c le a r w he n it w a s of f ic i a l l y
opened a few weeks ago by the Duke of Sussex.
The ceremony consisted of four short and heartfelt
speeches – from the head of the National Lottery
He r it a ge F u nd (w ho pr o v ide d £9.1 m i l l ion ◊
I
A new interactive museum tells the story of Silverstone in a creative and engaging way.
Steve Cropley ta kes a t wo -hou r tou r a nd says you’ l l need double t hat to do it just ice
PHOTOGR A PHY MAX EDLESTON
A two-hour lap
of Silverstone
Reynolds (in green),
Hamilton and Prince
Harry at the opening
Silverstone^ has^ long
played^ host^ to^ the^British^ Grand^ Prix