WILLIAMS RACE DAY HOSPITALITY: British F1 GP 2023
On 9th July 2023 we were back at the Williams Experience Centre for ‘Race Day Hospitality’. This week was for the british F1 GP.
The British Grand Prix was set to be the William Racing team’s eighth centennial but, with the cancellation of Imola in May, that landmark shifted to the following race in Budapest.
As a result, they celebrated it over both weekends, to ensure the home fans in the UK can be part of the commemoration. The one-off Silverstone design, running on both FW45s of Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant the British Grand Prix weekend, pays homage to the team’s British heritage and to their beloved founder, the late Sir Frank Williams
Silverstone was part of the original World Championship in 1950 and has hosted the British Grand Prix more than 50 times. Built on the site of a World War II airfield, Silverstone first hosted the British Grand Prix in 1948, a race which attracted a reported 100 000 spectators.
Two years later in 1950, Silverstone was chosen as the venue for the first race on the inaugural Formula 1 World Championship and the track is one of only four Grands Prix from the first year of the World Championship to remain a part of today’s F1 calendar (the others being Monaco, Spa and Monza). The layout of Silverstone has undergone significant changes over the years, mostly in a bid to reduce speed and increase safety.
After almost losing the rights to the British Grand Prix to rival Donington Park circuit in the late 2000s, the owners of Silverstone (the British Racing Drivers’ Club, or BRDC) signed a new 17-year deal in 2010 which should have guaranteed Silverstone’s place on the Formula 1 calendar until at least 2027. Unfortunately, the contract included an ‘escalator clause’ that increases the hosting fee payable to the Formula 1 group each year, and the circuit struggled to make a profit despite attracting the second highest attendances on the current calendar (almost 350,000 on race weekend in 2017.)
ew days before the 2017 British Grand Prix, the BRDC activated a break clause in their contract with Formula 1. After a period of uncertainty, it was announced before the 2019 running of the race that the event would remain at Silverstone until at least 2024.
In 2020, due to calendar changes brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, Silverstone hosted two races in August. Both events were held without fans in attendance. The first race – the British Grand Prix – saw Lewis Hamilton take a record-breaking home victory, despite suffering a puncture on the final lap. One week later, the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix was held, marking 70 years since the first round of the World Championship. Max Verstappen was victorious in that race, which marked the first of Red Bull’s two wins in the 2020 season.
In 2021, Silverstone became the first circuit to host a full capacity crowd since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, with the British Grand Prix attracting around 140,000 fans on race day alone. Controversy reigned in the race, as Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen collided on the first lap. While Verstappen was eliminated from the race – suffering a 51G impact – Hamilton went on to claim an eighth home race win, after passing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the closing stages. The race weekend also saw the debut of F1’s Sprint Qualifying format.
Carlos Sainz secured his maiden race win with Ferrari at the 2022 British Grand Prix. The race weekend was attended by over 400,000 fans, making it the best-attended British Grand Prix in history.
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Williams Racing welcomes you to enjoy a Grand Prix Race Day at the Williams Experience Centre.
The day includes a review of qualifying with an exclusive live link up to one of the drivers, live control room link up, VIP guest appearance with interview, refreshments and lunch followed by the live race screening. There is also the opportunity to browse the Williams Grand Prix Collection with a tour guide, as well as testing your speed on our 20 x F1-style driving simulators, our Super-Size Scalextric Track and other activities on the day.
WHAT’S INCLUDED DURING ‘RACE DAY HOSPITALITY’:
ACTIVITIES
- Unlimited use of the Esports lounge, with 20 state of the art simulators
- Our Think Scalextric Bespoke Super-Size Scalextric Track (click the link for more info about out track)
- Batak
- Museum Tour
- In addition you will have the opportunity to browse their shop with exclusive merchandise and 20% off
FOOD
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Unlimited soft drinks
Why not book up on a ‘Race Day Hospitality Experience’ at the Williams Racing Experience Centre. For info visit: williamsf1.com/experience-centre.
LEARN MORE (click below to open pdf)
Below is a video of the Giant Williams Racing Bespoke Track from our YouTube channel.