It is that time of year again when you queue online to gain access to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. It is exciting to receive the email confirming that you are going to the Grand Prix. However, over the last four years of attending I have found ticket prices increasing and value for money decreasing. It is a real shame because it is truly an unmissable event to attend, but I no longer feel I can justify the cost.
This year my budget was already stretched to the maximum. With pre-sale prices showing an increase of around seventy pounds, the removal of roving grandstands and the excessive price of parking, I can say, much like the Dragons on Dragons’ Den, I am out.
When I went to my first Grand Prix four years ago, I sat in the Becketts grandstand for race day. The ticket included roving access on Friday and Saturday, Thursday as a free extra and parking for all four days was about seventy pounds. The cost of the ticket was just under four hundred and fifty pounds for what many consider the best view of the circuit. It was cold that year and I did not enjoy the freezing weather, so the following year I chose a different grandstand. The experience was still incredible. The atmosphere was electric and so good that I had to return again.
For 2026, a seat in the same stand during pre-sale starts at six hundred and forty-nine pounds, and dynamic pricing is still in place. Please explain to me what has changed. The view is the same, the seats are the same and the location is the same. I cannot see how such a jump in price can be justified other than through greed.
Parking is also extremely overpriced. This year every ticket included a free Park and Ride pass, but they filled up quickly. The nearest Park and Ride for us would have taken us past the circuit itself and added time and fuel to the journey. Driving made far more sense as it is only a forty-five minute journey for us and it gave us the freedom to take what we needed. This was especially important as one member of our group struggles to stand for long periods. Now, for 2026, parking starts from four hundred and twenty pounds for four days. How is parking now nearly the same cost as a grandstand seat four years ago. Silverstone say they want to rest their fields, but one of the parking options is a permanent car park with a pay meter. And what about those with disabilities. Park and Ride buses do not provide much space or comfort for them.
Another big change has been child ticket prices. Silverstone advertise the event as family friendly, but not all grandstands offer child tickets. Parents are expected to pay full price for their children as well as themselves. This makes attending as a family almost impossible. Silverstone have introduced free entry for children on the Friday, but most children are in school. This is of little use. If I have children in the future, I would love to take them to the Grand Prix and share something that is important in my life. With the current pricing, it will not be possible. This is not an adults only event, so why limit where children can sit. I have never had problems with children at the Grand Prix. In fact, it is wonderful to see their excitement as the cars race past. These price increases are removing those moments. If Formula One wants to attract younger fans, it must lower its prices.
General Admission used to be simple. You either had a grandstand ticket or you brought your own chair. If you could find a space, it was yours. Watching people rush in each morning to find the best spots was part of the fun. Now there is General Admission and General Admission Plus. For three hundred and eighty-nine pounds you can put your chair on a patch of grass or tarmac that is only slightly closer to the track. It is poor value for money. Silverstone say the prices have been kept the same as last year, but last year’s prices were already too high. Crowds have also increased, making the experience more crowded and less enjoyable.
Another focus has been the concerts. They advertise the line-up heavily and it is nice to see acts at the end of the day, but it is not the reason people go. Last year many people came on the Thursday just to see Sam Fender, but this is Formula One. Like many fans I have spoken to, I am not interested in the acts, I want to see the racing. I have also heard from fans who attended for decades that they no longer enjoy the atmosphere or the prices. Sadly, I now feel I have joined that group.
Silverstone has become less affordable year after year. In the past it created incredible memories, but with the current cost of tickets, parking and extras, it is no longer good value for money. I hope to return one day, but unless things change, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone will be reserved only for those who can pay the high prices. For now, as painful as it is to say, I am out.
Sincerely,
Catherine
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