A few years ago, it felt like Formula 1 was limited to proper motorsport fans. People who, unlike me, knew what ‘slipstream’ and ‘DRS’ actually meant.
But thanks to Netflix’s Drive to Survive, it seems as though everyone’s got a favourite team and reckons they know a bit about undercut strategy.
Brad Pitt’s F1 movie has landed itself a 97 percent fan rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and more A-listers are turning up trackside than at Glastonbury’s VIP area. It feels like the British Grand Prix is easily the hottest ticket in town.
So what better time to see what it’s all about? This year was my first ever Grand Prix, and I went in with zero knowledge but a load of curiosity. Here’s what stood out:
Celebrities at the British Grand Prix 2025
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The Silverstone paddock has become the place for celeb spotting - and not just the Formula One crowd. We’re talking Keanu Reeves, Tom Holland, Gordon Ramsay and Vin Diesel, all just pottering about the garages and hospitality suites. I even spied former PM Rishi Sunak slinking about the place.
Unlike other red-carpet events they’re often contracted to appear at, the celebs are genuinely buzzing over the cars and drivers - just like the rest of the punters at Silverstone.
If you do get paddock access, keep your eyes peeled and be prepared to spend a good chunk of your day asking ‘who’s he again?’ as someone strolls by.
Fan experiences at Silverstone
Organisers have worked hard to make the British Grand Prix a proper crowd-pleaser. It’s part motorsports, part music festival - essentially Glastonbury for petrolheads.
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The sheer size of Silverstone is seriously impressive. On a race weekend, you’ll find thousands of folk sprawled across the circuit’s massive complex.
There’s food markets and merch stalls, not to mention some really swanky hospitality options. And the entertainment? It genuinely wouldn’t look out of place at Glasto.
Sam Fender, Raye, Fatboy Slim and Becky Hill all performed across the weekend, turning a post-race Silverstone into a proper music festival.
Away from the music and main event, there’s still loads to do. The pitlane walk is a chance to get up close with the team garages, while certain tickets give you paddock access for a glimpse at the behind-the-scenes madness.
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At the American Express Fan Experience, all ticket holders could figure out their racing style persona with a quiz before testing their F1 trivia knowledge at the pit wall to try and bag a prize.
You could even record your own driver intro like you were about to start the race yourself. There was a Livery Designer where fans could design their dream car look and take it home as a postcard, or send a message to someone via the Postcard Express, which delivered notes anywhere in the world.
Fans could also customise their outfit at the Amex Pickup Zone, choosing from race-day patches and there was even a photo op where you could step inside an F1 Starter Pack box and pose like a life-sized action figure.
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Amex Cardmembers also got perks like fast lane access and exclusive offers dotted around the track. Which, on a busy weekend like this, can really make a difference.
The race
Sunday saw plenty of rain so the plastic ponchos were on and talk moved to tyre tread as we got closer to the race.
By the time the Grand Prix got underway, excitement had been building all weekend and even if you didn’t have the foggiest about tyre strategy, you couldn’t help but get caught up in it. A staggering 500,000 people had gone through the gates from Thursday to Sunday.
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Over 160,000 of them were there on the final day to see Brit Lando Norris manage to secure his first Silverstone victory with McLaren.
Then came the brilliant post-race stampede. As soon as the cars crossed the line, hundreds of people made a slightly soggy dash to the podium ceremony.
It’s safe to say you don’t have to know everything about Formula 1 to have a good time at Silverstone. The British Grand Prix is, of course, about the racing - but it’s also part festival, part fashion show, and incredible day out.
Mason Jones