The 2023 Formula 1 World Championship fight continues this weekend with Round 11, the British Grand Prix, which once again is taking place at the legendary Silverstone Circuit.
The British round is consistently one of the favorites on the F1 calendar. Its popularity is due to a combination of the history of Silverstone, the knowledge and racing culture of the fans, unpredictable weather conditions, and the fact that numerous teams are based nearby.
Silverstone held the very first F1 race back in 1950, and though in later years hosting duties for the British Grand Prix were shared with Aintree and Brands Hatch, today Silverstone remains the race’s official home. The track layout has seen constant revision since the inaugural race, and the most significant change came in 2010 when the old perimeter layout was altered to create a new infield section.
At 3.66 miles, Silverstone is the fifth-longest track on the 2023 calendar. It was previously the fourth-longest, but the track for the new Las Vegas Grand Prix at 3.8 miles has nudged it back a spot. Silverstone’s layout consists of sweeping, high-speed corners and fast straights, making it one of the quickest laps on the calendar and a popular place for drivers.
Silverstone Circuit, home of the Formula 1 British Grand Prix
Given its high-speed nature with fast corners, brakes are not put under a great strain at Silverstone. Teams therefore can focus on other areas such as aerodynamics rather than brake cooling. Power unit performance is also important as 78% of a lap is taken at full throttle, the fifth highest total of the season.
Weather can be quite changeable around Silverstone, so teams need to prepare for it. The current weather forecast calls for the possibility of some storms during Saturday’s qualifying session and a light shower during Sunday’s race.
Another variable will be new Pirelli tires that are stronger and better able to deal with the heavy demands placed on them. The selected compounds for the race are the C1 as the white hard, the C2 as the yellow medium, and C3 as the red soft.
Going into the weekend, Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen leads the 2023 Drivers’ Championship with 229 points. Fellow Red Bull driver Sergio Perez is second with 148 points, and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso is third with 131 points. In the Constructors’ Championship, Red Bull leads with 377 points, versus the 178 of Mercedes-Benz AMG in second and 175 of Aston Martin in third. Last year’s winner in the U.K. was Carlos Sainz, driving for Ferrari.
