All you need to know about this year’s Northamptonshire F1 British Grand Prix
Northamptonshire Police officers will be out in force throughout the weekend, both inside and outside the circuit, with a number of overtly armed officers.
We've compiled an all you need to know guide for this weeks F1 British Grand Prix using official advice from Northamptonshire Police and Silverstone.
Traffic information
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Hide AdThe traffic management plan is coordinated and delivered by Highways England, supported by Northamptonshire Police and other partner organisations. More information on road closures and the best routes into the track will be publicised ahead of each year's event
Allow plenty of time for your journey to and from the event because of increased pressures on the county’s roads
Be aware of road signs and diversions when travelling to the event and follow any signposts that have been put in place
Race-goers are advised to tune into Silverstone Radio on 87.7FM or 1602MW for the latest updates on traffic
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Hide AdTraffic updates may also be broadcast by BBC Radio Northampton (104.2FM) and Heart FM (96.6FM)
Prohibited items
Silverstone has said the following items are not permitted into the venue. More information here.
Cooler boxes over 20 litre in size
Glass bottles
BBQ’s
Restricted and illegal substances
Offensive weapons
No animals (excluding Assistance Dogs) will be admitted to the Venue or any car parks. All registered assistance dogs are welcome. However, before your arrival please contact the circuit on 0844 3728 251 (Mon-Fri 8:30am – 5:30pm only) so that the necessary arrangements can be made
Items that are deemed dangerous, offensive or unsuitable
Drones or remote controlled aircraft
Step ladders
Lasers
Fireworks/ pyrotechnics / flares
Smoke canisters
Any items which might be subject to ambush marketing
Tents and shelters
Four-wheeled carry carts (doesn’t include those used to carry children, but must be empty at the gate)
Powered scooters / hover boards
Electric cycles
No sun parasols
Security information
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Hide AdSilverstone encourages visitors to pack as little as they can and only bring essentials. Once on site you will have access to free water and we have a massive range of food outlets that cater for every taste.
As an additional security measure, luggage tags should be put on all of your bags detailing your name and mobile number, so that it can be easily identified, and should not be left unattended.
There is not a luggage storage facility on site.
If you leave the venue to go back to your car or campsite then please ensure you have a pass out stamp as your ticket stub won’t allow you back in.
Opening times
Gates will be open from Thursday at 2pm.
Friday and Saturday gates open at 7am and on race day at 6am but check the Silverstone website or Facebook and Twitter for the most up to date details and event timetable.
Tent security
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Hide AdTents are, by their very nature, not secure. If you are spending a lot of time wandering around Silverstone then your tent will spend a lot of time unattended
Don’t leave your valuables in your tent when no-one’s in it
Leave your tent untidy; don't make it easy for a thief to grab a bag with everything in it
When you’re in your tent, secure the zip pulls together with a padlock, to stop anyone getting inside
Remove your wallet or purse from any clothing and hide money close to you while you sleep. Consider investing in a money belt that you can wear while you sleep
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Hide AdConsider purchasing some purse bells or purse alarms that activate when your purse is removed so you can hear when it’s moved.
Personal safety
For security reasons, everyone entering the event will be subject to extra searches of their bags and their person. This will make entering the venue slower than in previous years but is necessary. In order to facilitate quicker access, event-goers have been asked to bring only one bag into the venue, which should be no bigger than a standard rucksack (max 20 litre capacity)
Be aware of your surroundings and who is around you when you are paying for things. Don’t take more money than you need; there are cash points on site or you can pay for items on your card
Try and stay with friends while walking around the Silverstone site and campsites, especially at night. Stick to walking in well-lit areas where possible
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Hide AdBe aware of your surroundings. We would advise against wandering around wearing headphones
Consider the need to carry around a personal attack alarm - some are available with a torch
Don't challenge people looking through tents - report them to police or the Silverstone campsite/circuit staff
Alcohol
By all means, please have a good time, but remember that drinking too much hampers your judgment – one drink too many can lead to problems, not least forgetting where your tent is. You can also be more vulnerable to assault or robbery when drunk – so try not to have too much and stay aware of your surroundings
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Hide AdNorthamptonshire Police takes underage drinking very seriously and will utilise all of our powers to monitor and respond to any breaches of license. We will be conducting alcohol test purchasing operations throughout the weekend at the circuit and surrounding licensed premises
If young people are found to be drinking alcohol in public places they should expect to have the alcohol confiscated and their parents/guardians contacted
Drones
Leave drones at home – you will not be able to fly them legally or safely either at the circuit or in the nearby campsites.
A two mile flying restriction cordon will be in place around the circuit This means that no drones will be allowed to fly within that cordon unless they have approval from the heliport tower.
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Hide AdPolice officers will be looking out for unauthorised use of drones during their regular patrols of the circuit and campsites, and anyone found to be breaking the rules with regard to the relevant legislation will be spoken to and appropriate action taken.