Silverstone Paddock Club: Doing the British Grand Prix in Style
Heading back to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone for a second year with Pirelli UK in the Paddock Club, felt like my birthday and Christmas had come at once. Some fans say it’s not where true race lovers go, but as a huge F1 fan I disagree. I love the Paddock Club and appreciate all the additional experiences that are offered in a luxurious setting of course.
Silverstone Paddock Club F1 Entry
Getting To The Paddock Club
Both years, finding the Paddock Club hasn’t been the easiest. This year was easier as we had a semblance of our bearings. We didn’t have a ticket with transport to the inner part of the track and were in a different parking location to the previous year. Once in, we eventually found a lovely volunteer who was able to point us in the right direction. Last year we asked so many people and were walking around in semi-circles for a while, not so much fun when you want to get the day going. It does, however, provide a wider insight into how vast Silverstone is and how many people are on site –564,000 over the weekend this year.
We found the shuttle bus easily in the end. You get dropped off beyond the Paddock Club so it’s a few minutes’ walk to the entry. The best part of this is walking by the drivers and Team Principals parking area and seeing who has arrived. This year we even got to see Charles Leclerc signing things for the hordes of waiting fans and managed a quick snap, even if not the clearest because security don’t let you stop if you’re not press.
Breakfast in the Paddock Club Main Lounge
The Main Paddock Club Lounge
The entry to the Paddock Club provides an open space to enjoy the July sunshine, catching a few rays. There are partial views between the team motorhomes, but you’re a bit far away to really catch a good glimpse of the drivers at this point.
Instead, head inside and get some of the best views of the track. Last year I watched FP2 just above the pit exit and it was exhilarating as the drivers revved off around the track. It can get rather hectic though and this year seemed more full-on Friday than last year. There were more people than I remember as we walked in and we were earlier.
Breakfast is served across three stations dotted through the lounge and two big bars take centre space with a big screen to watch all the racing, so you don’t miss what is happening out on the rest of the track. It’s small portions, which I found great as I was able to sample multiple things. My favourite being the soft pancake with a creamy vanilla sauce. I wanted to go back for more, but had a fresh Bircher and fruit, trying to be healthy and a small tasting of eggs, sausage and mushrooms. Everything is prepared and made freshly in front of you, which I appreciate even if you may have to wait at peak times.
Later, pizza, pies, and ice cream were on offer along with a popular Kaiserschmarrn dessert. I had enough food in the sponsored lounge so didn’t partake of anything in the afternoon. There’s almost too much food and I was there for the wider experience and the driving not the food.
This year there was also a small beauty lounge for nail and hair touch ups, a photograph experience, a semi game / simulator thing and the Academy Lounge, which replaced the Lounge 44 (a Lewis Hamilton – Soho House collab), which was solely upstairs in 2026. Have a better look at it all here.
Learning About Pirelli Tyres With The Engineering Hub
Sponsored / F1 Team Lounges
Each team and in my case a major sponsor like Pirelli, who this year were the named Grand Prix sponsor, have their own lounges above the pit lane at Silverstone. Walking from the main lounge to the team lounges gives one of the best opportunities to catch a glimpse of a driver or tv crew. The lounges face onto the grid with one side and over the team motorhomes on the other. I saw Arvid Lindblad walking to the pits from the motorhome, which caused a minor squeal of excitement.
Each lounge is slightly different with its layout and offering, but all the food is the same. Behind the lounges are multiple food stations each serving one dish. My favourite was between the Basque cod with tomato, mash and a giant prawn, which was light and summery, or the chocolate dessert, which included ice cream (I didn’t want the crème fraiche so was offered this and much better if you ask this chocoholic) and a crispy, mousse-parfait concoction with a contrasting mango salsa. Chocolate perfection.
There was also plenty to drink if you wanted, but I stuck to fresh orange juice and water as it was warm. The OJ was especially refreshing and palate cleansing.
The opposite side to the food is the balcony over the pit lane, which offers an exciting spot with the grid and start – finish line just behind. Seeing the cars do their practice starts at the end of each practice session is exciting, especially if you’re not there to see the race start. I would recommend a radio that you can pick up from the main lounge, so you can hear what is happening all around the track. It’s most important for qualifying sessions, to see if your team or driver has made it through each quali session. There are no big screens easily visible when you’re outside so some people head back inside to watch the race and not miss out on the important action.
Views from the Pirelli Lounge
Paddock Club Experiences
The lounge is also where you find out more about experiences especially for Paddock Club attendees. This year I took part in an interesting and informative talk in the main lounges Engineering Hub about tyres learning about temperatures and the changes that impact car performance. There was also a short trackside safari, which saw us taken to a spot opposite the Lando Stand to be closer to the action and feel the cars zooming by. Also, a quick but ultimately disappointing visit to the area between the motor homes, where the VVIP’s can go and you need a special pass for. I hoped to see some driver interviews post sprint qualifying but they had been done elsewhere so we were back upstairs having only walked by Charles Leclerc again and without seeing any other drivers.
There’s also pit tours, which are super exciting. We went at the end of the day this year hoping it would be a bit less hectic, and it was, but some of the cars were already sleeping for the night. You also don’t get to feel and hear the pit crews practicing tyre changes on the late tour, which is one of my favourite parts of the Paddock Club experience. The sound is intense with the loud tyre guns blasting away. This was the best part of the Paddock Club experience last year. There’s no mistaking you’re at a racetrack when you’re by the pits, and this is what it’s all really about after all.
My absolute favourite and most memorable experience from this day was the track tour driving round the historic Silverstone track on the back of the giant DHL flatbed trucks. Lots of fans like to boo the ‘non-fans’ as they pass by. I didn’t hear any of this, so perhaps it’s saved for race days, or I was on the first tour of the day, so people hadn’t got to their seats yet. I wouldn’t have cared anyway, as feeling the wind whipping my hair about, realising why drivers often wear caps, I couldn’t believe I was actually on the Silverstone track. I really wanted to do the track tour having seen it previously but not getting the opportunity to do it. You get a different perspective of Silverstone going along famous corners like Maggotts and Becketts and then crossing the finish line. Cliched as it is, one of the best things I have ever done in my life, and I would do it again, and again, and again, whenever I could.
On The Silverstone Track As Part Of The Track Tour With DHL
Moments That Shone
- So much to do: All the various unique experiences offered by the Paddock Club, especially the track tour. Everything takes your Silverstone time to another level and provides memories that won’t ever be forgotten.
- The food: Whether it be in the main lounge or the team / sponsor lounges, the range, flavours and cooking are an important part of the day. You won’t go hungry, that’s for sure. I did hear that the Paddock Club food is the same at every track but only going once a year, that doesn’t impact me.
- The service: There were so many people clearing up and cleaning things everywhere. Everything was spotless.
The Weekends Winners Garages On The Pit Lane Walk
Moments That Fell Short
- I didn’t find anything wrong with my experience in the Paddock Club and loved it all. I had an even better experience than in 2026, so who knows in 2027.
McLaren’s Lando Norris And His Lando Stand
As a lover of F1, the Paddock Club has given me multiple moments and memories that I will never forget. It can be a lot of money to attend, especially on a race day, so it’s not possible for everyone. If you do get the opportunity, grab it with both hands and try as many of the different experiences as possible, of course fitting in around the racing, or practice sessions, which are the main reason to be there after all.