Formula 1’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone will host a full-capacity crowd next month after it was added to the UK Government’s Events Research Programme.
The Silverstone team will work closely with experts from the ERP and the director of public health in Northamptonshire on the specific conditions of entry that will enable the event to operate safely.
Ticket details for the British Grand Prix, which will take place from July 16-18, will be announced in the next 10 days. A full-capacity crowd would mean that around 140,000 fans could attend the event, which would mark a record in the UK since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
Spectators will be required to show proof of a negative lateral flow test taken within 48 hours of arrival at Silverstone, or proof of full vaccination with the second dose having been received at least 14 days prior to the first day of attending the British Grand Prix.
UK Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “I’m pleased that Silverstone will be able to welcome fans back to their large outdoor site for the pinnacle of British motorsport. Through our successful vaccine rollout and ambitious Events Research Programme we are continuing to make progress, and events like this will pave the way for everyone to enjoy live sport and culture together safely once more.”
Stefano Domenicali, president and chief executive of F1, added: “It is fantastic news that Silverstone will be a full-capacity event and it will be an incredible weekend with hundreds of thousands of fans being there to see our first Sprint event on the Saturday and the main event on Sunday.
“I want to express my huge appreciation to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson; Secretaries of State, Oliver Dowden and Michael Gove and Silverstone’s managing director, Stuart Pringle, for their tireless work to achieve this great outcome. All of the drivers and the teams are hugely looking forward to Silverstone and we can’t wait to be there in July.”
The addition of the British Grand Prix to the ERP comes after it was announced earlier this week that London’s Wembley Stadium would welcome at least 60,000 fans for the semi-finals and final of football’s UEFA European Championship.
Wembley’s three fixtures at Euro 2020 have welcomed around 22,500 fans and this will rise to 45,000 for England’s last-16 match against Germany next Tuesday, before the further increase for the semi-finals and final.
All Euro 2020 matches at Wembley are forming part of the ERP, which will also include the Wimbledon grand slam tennis tournament. Wimbledon gets underway on Monday and there are plans for the semi-finals and finals to go ahead at full capacity.
In other news, Silverstone has announced plans to host a new experiential motoring event, Switch Live, next year. The event will focus on sustainable mobility and will take place at Silverstone from May 26-29.
Companies will be given the chance to showcase their electric cars and mobility solutions to a mainstream consumer audience, with Silverstone’s grand prix circuit and indoor exhibition space to be used. Exhibitors will occupy ‘brand experience hubs’ centred around the Silverstone paddock garages.
Switch Live organisers have set a target to make the event fully carbon-neutral within the next three years.
Image: Carl Jorgensen on Unsplash
