Silverstone, albeit not in its current form, has been a part of F1 on-and-off since 1950. It is an absolutely classic circuit, and one which is not that easy to drive.
This guide will help you to learn the circuit properly, so that you can really feel at home at the British Grand Prix.
Turns 1 - 3
The first two corners of Silverstone can be taken fully flat out. For turn 1, try to take a fair amount of the inside kerb or else you will risk running a little too wide.
PEDAL TO THE METAL: Turn 1 can be taken at maximum power
For turn 2, make sure that your car is all the way to the left of the track on exit in preparation for the first braking zone of the circuit, turn 3.
Here you will want to brake as the black and white kerb on the left of the track begins. Take it down to around 67mph in 3rd gear for turn 3 itself. Aim to take as much of the inside kerb as you can without touching the red sausage kerb beyond it.
On the exit of three, make sure that you are attempting to get the car as far to the right as possible to open up turn 4.
Turns 4 & 5
After a very brief blast on the throttle out of turn 3, you’ll be ready to start braking for turn 4. The right place to do this is just after the light green astroturf on the left-hand side of the track disappears off screen.
THE LOOP: Turn 4 feels slow and meandering compared to the rest of the circuit
Try to get as close to the inside kerb as you can without quite touching the black and white part. You should find yourself down in 3rd gear travelling at about 57mph at the apex.
Straighten the car as soon as you can on exit. Once you have done so, you can floor the throttle without even a hint of a lift for turn 5. Be careful of the kerb on the exit of 4 as this can be slippery.
Turns 6 & 7
Turns 6 and 7, more commonly known as Brooklands and Luffield, come next.
HISTORY: Brooklands makes sure you know exactly where you are on track
For the first of these, Brooklands, you will need to brake roughly 75m before the corner. Your minimum speed here should be 100mph in 4th gear.
Aim to get your front-left tyre on the black and white kerbs where the two red lumps on the inside are, cutting the corner slightly.
On exit, give it a bit of power before reach Luffield. There are two ways to drive this corner. You can either drive as close to the inside as you can in a ‘U’ shape, or you can run deep into the corner before turning more sharply, giving your trajectory a ‘V’ shape.
VARIETY: The difference in possible racing lines makes Luffield a fun challenge
Both of these come out about equal in terms of lap time when you do them right, so it’s up to you. Either way, you’ll need to dab the brakes on entry to ensure that you don’t completely overshoot.
The corner should be taken in 3rd gear with your lowest speed being around 70mph.
READ MORE: The best steering wheel for F1 2020
On the exit, be careful when laying down the power as the inside of the circuit can be very slippery here.
You’ll also have to be very careful to avoid running too wide. Look to use the exit kerb, but remember that you must be at full throttle before your car reaches the kerb.
Turn 9
Turn 9, a corner also known as copse, can be taken flat out in some F1 2020 cars.
GRIT: You'll need all your bravery to keep the throttle planted through Copse
If you are in one of the faster cars on the grid you should be able to turn in at the 50m board, cutting the corner a little with half your car, without lifting the throttle at all.
If your car can’t manage this, you may need to lift a little as you see fit. The most important thing here is to turn in at exactly the right moment.
Turns 10 - 14
This complex of corners is best known simply as Maggotts and Becketts by F1 fans, although turn 14 is actually called chapel.
GO WITH THE FLOW: The Maggotts and Becketts complex runs from one corner into another
Turn 10, Maggotts, can be taken fully flat. Try to ride the inside kerb without touching the red sausage kerb. Be careful though, because it’s easy to pick up silly penalties here.
Turn 11, which follows straight after, can also be taken flat in ideal conditions and in the best car. Here, as with Copse, you may find yourself having to lift the throttle occasionally. Again, you will want to cut this corner with around half of your car.
Turn 12 requires a small lift as well as a downshift, taking you down to around 170mph. Try to keep the car over to the left of the track for the entry to turn 13, Becketts.
READ MORE: F1 2020 British Grand Prix wet setup
As with all the other corners in this complex, you will want to cut the inside kerb of Becketts with around half of your car or perhaps even more. Brake just a little on entry, enough to take you down to roughly 134mph in 6th gear.
On the exit, try to put the throttle to the floor as soon as you can. Take heed, though, as doing so too early may cause you to take a trip across the grass on the exit of 13, which is also turn 14. Turn 14 itself can be taken fully flat.
Turn 15
After the Hangar straight which follows Maggotts and Becketts, you will reach turn 15 or Stowe. Brake as the kerb on the left of the track begins, and turn in almost immediately afterwards.
HANGING ON: Drivers experience particularly high levels of G-force through Stowe
Aim to hook your front-right wheel onto the inside kerb where the 3 red squares on the right are. At this point you should be down in 6th gear at 136mph. As soon as you are alongside these red squares, floor the throttle.
Run along the exit kerb with around half of your car, but be careful not to go too far off or you will pick up a warning.
Turns 16 - 18
Turn 16 is the final heavy braking zone of the track. Brake just before the 100m board on your right, taking the car down to 65mph in 3rd gear at the apex.
WELCOME TO THE CLUB: Turn 17 is also known as Club corner
Unlike elsewhere, it’s better to run over the red sausage kerb on the inside just a little bit with your front-left tyre here. A tight line will help you to get a better angle for turn 17 which follows immediately after 16.
After a short push of the throttle pedal, you will need to lift off again for 17. Here, as elsewhere, it’s best to use the black and white kerbing on the inside without using the red kerb. As you pass the sausage kerb, you should find yourself in 4th gear going about 82mph.
READ MORE: F1 2020 Australian Grand Prix track guide
Be careful when putting the power down on the exit as this is the toughest traction zone of the whole circuit. Be patient with it, as it’s better to lose one tenth by delaying your throttle application than several seconds from spinning off.
Turn 18, the final corner, is taken flat out. You should aim to use the inside kerb as you did for turn 17, without touching the red part.
Setup
Remember that you'll need to set your car up for the occasion as well. Here's our British Grand Prix setup guide for F1 2020!