The John Griff Column: Having the right tools for the job – and using them
Over the bank holiday weekend, thousands of people flocked to a globally significant county asset. Many of them brought tents, caravans or motorhomes. Most got about by on foot, but some were assisted by pedal power on bicycles and scooters.
These days it pays to have the right kit for festival-going – and in its final iteration the Silverstone Festival certainly delivered that vibe.
The Festival has for a number of years delivered action both on and off the track – 2025 was no different. Driving into the circuit on each of the three days of the event I was struck by the number of participants attending, as exhibitors and traders, drivers or other team members, and enthusiasts, intent on securing a festival fix.
The cars from a variety of eras and classes raced the grand prix circuit, but there were also static displays, a classic car auction and a huge gathering of owner clubs. Some of the drivers were well known (Chris Harris and Richard Hammond from their own, distinct eras of ‘Top Gear’ raced, albeit not against each other, as did a variety of former F1 pilots and Touring Car aces), others less so. Some of the cars were famous too – marking 75 years of Formula 1 there was an astonishing lineup of the actual machines which propelled a multitude of world champions to their titles.
But wasn’t only about the cars. On the infield there was a full-blown lifestyle market featuring food and drink, hot-tubs, art and much more. I spoke to Northampton-based photographer Lou Boileau whose stand was as much an exhibition as a trading post. Local community groups engaged with visitors too whilst during the afternoons and evenings artists from Northamptonshire Sings Out to Craig David to The Ministry of Sound entertained those staying on after the track action had ended or staying overnight.
Having the right tools for the job was apparent with many in the campsites seemingly seasoned professionals. I spotted well-established pitches with far more than single tents erected – there were dining sets with candelabra and furniture to boot, lighting setups, solar charging points and even miniature wind farms supplying energy to temporary accommodation. It was evidence of the investment that enthusiasts are prepared to make in their chosen field – these were people with all the gear and the know-how of how to deploy it.
Inside the circuit estate, the pit garages and the paddock awnings, there was more of the equally organised and mobile racing community to see. The more modern the car being prepped to take to the track, the greater the volume – and complexity of support kit - was required to get each machine onto the grid. Conversely, the older the car, the simpler it seemed to be for its mechanics to attend to it. Period engines sat with large adjustable spanners sitting atop their cam covers and without a laptop computer in sight.
The only tablet needed would probably have been the kind used to treat drivers and the headaches triggered by the noise and vibration of their steeds. It wouldn’t have done for my late mechanical engineer father, mind. A stickler for using the right tools, he once took an adjustable wrench off an errant mechanic and threw it the length of the workshop before telling the hapless individual in no uncertain terms to use the right sized spanner next time!
One of the most encouraging parts of the event for me was the proportion of organisations with a Northamptonshire connection (or base) represented. This ranged from traders and producers to drivers and teams. Some were, of course, employers too and it was a pleasure to talk to the CEO of the RML Group based in Wellingborough. Paul Dickinson set out the engineering pedigree of the firm which has a heritage going back over 40 years, as well as his own and encouragingly expansionist plans for production and jobs in the town.
We need more of this kind of thinking and activity. Plenty of young people have just received their A level and GCSE grades. Aspirations for future careers will be sky-high right now and business needs raw enthusiasm as much as it needs lived experience. One will surely follow the other – but both will be needed for ultimate success. Why shouldn’t both be found here in Northamptonshire?
It was a great weekend celebration, overshadowed somewhat by the news which broke just before the gates opened that in 2026 Chris Evans’ CarFest will replace it. It’ll have big boots to fill…