British Grand Prix beckons as Silverstone gates open
06 July 2023Gates opened at 11:00 BST at Silverstone Circuit for the most anticipated event on the British motorsport calendar, and the pinnacle of the Northamptonshire venue’s annual offering, the Formula 1 Aramco British Grand Prix.
With crowds flocking into the track’s various zones, there was an opportunity for fans to explore everything that Silverstone has to offer. As the day progressed, the track’s stages sparked into life with expert panellists making appearances, before capping off the day with a bumper schedule of musical performances.
Driver’s Inn Stage The Driver’s Inn Stage, situated on the outside of the legendary Copse corner, hosted a variety of specialist panels including ‘Meet the Engineers’, ‘Women in Motorsport’ and ‘Meet the Admin’ amongst others. Each featured key personnel from top Formula 1 teams – as well as Formula 3 driver Sophia Flörsch – providing anecdotes and valuable industry insight for aspirational youngsters looking to gain experience in the sport.
Chrome Main Stage Harry Benjamin introduced the weekend over on the Chrome Main Stage, welcoming fans to the event before welcoming Formula 3 and Formula 2 drivers to the stage for a preview, ahead of the weekend’s support series races.
Then came The F1 Show, broadcast from both the Chrome Main Stage and the grid on the Hamilton Straight. Naturally, seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton was the first driver to interviewed by the Sky Sports F1 team, along with his team mate George Russell, compatriot Lando Norris, the Scuderia Ferrari drivers and many more in front of the grandstands.
Launch Party kicks-offThe weekend’s Launch Party saw three sensational musical performers take to the Chrome Main Stage across the evening. Cat Burns got the night underway, followed by Jess Glynne and then the headline act of Calvin Harris, all playing to huge crowds. Interspersed between the artists were some surprise F1 Team Principal appearances from Guenther Steiner and Otmar Szafnauer, as well as Zhou Guanyu and The Blue Man Group to the delight of the fans.
