It’s been a while since I attended the Silverstone Classic— not since the pre-COVID era, in fact. The event has evolved significantly from its origins of celebrating historic motorsport to now featuring live music, a variety of family-friendly and interactive activities, stunt displays, pop-up shops, and much more. It has even been rebranded as the Silverstone Festival, which is held in mid to late August. With so much to do, I experienced only a small portion of the event.

The Silverstone Circuit has undergone considerable improvements over the years. The new bypass has greatly enhanced accessibility. In the past, you had to drive through the quaint, picturesque village of Silverstone, a charming English town from a bygone pre-war era.

The Silverstone Wing, a post-modern architectural landmark nestled in the rolling hills of Northamptonshire, is now partially obscured by the new Hilton Hotel, a complex that offers prime views of the adjacent Hamilton Straight.

Despite being surrounded by seemingly endless countryside, new buildings and a business park now interrupt the grazing areas of the wild deer, who mostly remain hidden. It’s a blend of modernity in the countryside—progress built to celebrate the world of motorsport.

During my visit, I spent my time in the paddock area. With nothing more than a media pass, I had roving access to the pit garages and the pit lane, which overlooks the Hamilton Straight. It was a privilege to see, hear, and feel the soundwaves of historic race cars, from F1 to Group C Endurance racers, being put through their paces.

The great thing about the Silverstone Festival is that it grants ticket holders access to the paddock, which is off-limits to the general public during official race events. This allows you to get fairly close to seeing and hearing the cars.

Get Ready To Rumble

From within the Silverstone Wing’s viewing area, overlooking the paddock, you can feel the whole building rumble as the historic race entrants line up to make their way down to the pit lane. Up close, the sound of the engines revving up hits your eardrums, and the soundwaves pass through your body like shockwaves.

A modern demonstration of the current generation F1 V6 Hybrid era featured the Mercedes W12, driven by Esteban Gutierrez. The engine’s sound at peak power is no match for the old V8s and V10s, which used to fill the air with such intensity that you could hardly hear yourself speak.

The 2024 Festival featured 20 races showcasing the history of Grand Prix, GT, sports, and touring cars. Even UK car clubs had the opportunity to participate in their own parade lap. Both of Silverstone’s paddock complexes were utilized throughout the weekend to accommodate the large number of entrants, with racing taking place in the National Paddock in the morning and the International Paddock in the afternoon.

However, the Silverstone Festival is much more than just racing. The three-day event attracted displays from over 100 car clubs, featuring more than 10,000 classic cars. Attendees enjoyed complimentary access to the paddocks and grandstands, along with interactive activities, dynamic demonstrations, live music on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings, a shopping village, and much more.