Keeping up with the Joneses
Motor Sport Magazine|June 2024
Having secured a 10-year deal to host F1, Silverstone opens its latest business venture later this year but, as Robert Ladbrook discovers, Escapade is more than just luxury trackside lodging. It's a statement for the venue's future
Robert Ladbrook
Keeping up with the Joneses

In the rapidly evolving world of motor sport you’ll be hard-pressed to find anywhere in Europe that has moved as fast as Silverstone. Across the last decade the rate of development at Britain’s grand prix venue has been staggering, transforming that largely flat old airfield we used to know into a thriving hub.

Only recently, Silverstone agreed a fresh contract to continue hosting the British Grand Prix until 2034 at the earliest, giving it and circuit owner the British Racing Drivers’ Club, a solid platform to build on for the future. But they’d been building well before then, and the new contract is just reward for an ever changing, ever improving motor sport facility that perhaps gets overlooked compared to the state-funded tracks and glitzy street venues F1 has increasingly crammed into its schedule.

Since 2013, Silverstone has been riding a development wave. First came the UTC technical college, then the huge overhaul of its Silverstone Park industrial site, which has grown to house close to 90 businesses. The Silverstone Interactive Museum arrived in 2020, and the track’s first permanent hotel, Hilton Garden Inn Silverstone, opened its doors just in time for the 2022 British GP.

This story is from the June 2024 edition of Motor Sport Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the June 2024 edition of Motor Sport Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM MOTOR SPORT MAGAZINEView All
Everything Wrong - Max Verstappen laid into his team after a disappointing Austrian GP but Mark Hughes can see the logic behind Red Bull's thinking
Motor Sport Magazine

Everything Wrong - Max Verstappen laid into his team after a disappointing Austrian GP but Mark Hughes can see the logic behind Red Bull's thinking

Max Verstappen laid into his team after a disappointing Austrian GP but Mark Hughes can see the logic behind Red Bull’s thinking

time-read
3 mins  |
August 2024
GRAND PRIX CROWN JEWEL
Motor Sport Magazine

GRAND PRIX CROWN JEWEL

Of all the racing cars made during the 100-year history of Motor Sport, the 49 is the true diamond. Karun Chandhok takes Graham Hill's chassis R10 out for a few laps at Lotus's sacred space – Hethel -

time-read
5 mins  |
August 2024
The civil side of savage
Motor Sport Magazine

The civil side of savage

The new AMG GT 63 is performance engineering with everyday practicalities in mind. Andrew Frankel likes what he sees

time-read
5 mins  |
August 2024
Mercedes' first GP comeback
Motor Sport Magazine

Mercedes' first GP comeback

Extraordinary tales from the Motor Sport digital archive

time-read
1 min  |
August 2024
KARUN CHANDHOK
Motor Sport Magazine

KARUN CHANDHOK

\"We've missed this feeling - there's a buzz\"

time-read
3 mins  |
August 2024
CAN MERC BOUNCE BACK?
Motor Sport Magazine

CAN MERC BOUNCE BACK?

The team that once utterly dominated Formula 1 has had a torrid two years. Now, finally, it appears to have refound its mojo. But why has it taken so long? Andrew Benson investigates what went wrong

time-read
10+ mins  |
August 2024
CANON BLAST
Motor Sport Magazine

CANON BLAST

It started in the pub with Richard Lloyd stating an interest in racing a customer Porsche 956. With the assistance of the original RLR team, Adam Towler tells the giant-killing tale of the modified '106B2'

time-read
9 mins  |
August 2024
Tony Stewart
Motor Sport Magazine

Tony Stewart

'Smoke', one of America's most-decorated drivers, on swapping seats with Lewis Hamilton, shunning the media spotlight and tackling the dragstrip

time-read
10+ mins  |
August 2024
ALWAYS MEET YOUR HEROES...
Motor Sport Magazine

ALWAYS MEET YOUR HEROES...

It's 40 years since Senna arrived in F1. James Elson joins Pierre Gasly as the Alpine driver takes Ayrton's first Toleman on the track

time-read
8 mins  |
August 2024
Mercedes returns as a frontrunner
Motor Sport Magazine

Mercedes returns as a frontrunner

What a difference a month makes. Mark Hughes takes us through the laps at Canada, Spain and Austria as a fourth team joins this season's winners list

time-read
10 mins  |
August 2024