I don't think I'm the only one when I say that Silverstone is one of my favourite major tracks across the UK, especially the ease for me to get there personally and all of the upgrades they have made to the circuit in recent years like the Silverstone Museum. But now that I have attended both the full Formula One and MotoGP weekends, just how do they weigh up against each other? Both very different motorsport categories in regards to tyre numbers and English popularity, yet is it possible to compare the two?
This post is based on my experiences of the Formula One British Grand Prix in 2024 and the MotoGP British Grand Prix in 2025 but I hope this piece will offer as a guide if you plan to head to either from 2026 and beyond:
Pricing : MotoGP
One of the most important factors when considering a GP weekend away for most fans. Although I can't comment on any raising of prices from 2024 to 2025, it looks as if the 'early bird tickets' that are already available on the Silverstone website shows that the price rise is almost unnoticable for MotoGP, and dynamic ticket pricing was also non-existent. As the tickets were released in late October of last year, I decided to buy the Club Corner Grandstand ticket for 3 days at £140 and wanted to stay closer to the track than I had done the previous year by buying Cartmel Fields camping for £66 between Thursday and Monday.
However, Formula One was a completely different bracket for a university student like me. Grandstand tickets were out of the question and general admission tickets would still cost me £269, even though they were originally priced at £210 but got raising during the 30 minutes that I was in the queue. It's important to note that camping also sells out very quickly so the only option for me was to book a hotel at a 40 minute drive away for £90 from Friday to Sunday.
Although as I mentioned before, Formula One in the UK is in a different league in regards to MotoGP where Great Britain still remains the 'home of Formula One' and one of the most expensive on the calendar. Overall, it is MotoGP that wins this round.
Accommodation : Formula One and MotoGP
Like I mentioned before, there is no way that I would be able to compare the two accommodations when they are completely different. The only thing I would say is that I preferred to be closer to the track in terms of MotoGP camping at Cartmel Fields which only takes about a 15 minute walk. I was warned prior to the weekend that the facilities may not be the nicest due to the sheer number of people on site, but I never saw any problems with it as they were all very clean and contained everything we could need for a non-electric camping weekend.
On the other hand, it is nice to be able to stay close by and have a stable roof, something we were particularly grateful for the 2024 Formula One weekend as many people will tell you about the horrific thunderstorm that occurred Friday night and the torrential rain that continued throughout Saturday. I did notice that not far along the A43 that there was a more local hotel than where we were staying in Wellingborough so this may be something for people to look out for if the campsite isn't your scene.
Entertainment : Formula One
This is the one thing that Formula One is great at when visiting Silverstone, just because of the sheer amount of popularity the category owns. Although staying in a hotel made it marginally more difficult to stay for the late evening entertainment, watching Stormzy dancing barefoot in the rain is a core memory for many people that attended the race in 2024. And 2025? Arguably the best line-up that Silverstone has ever seen with Sam Fender, RAYE, Fat Boy Slim, Becky Hill and so much more that is going to make the weekend even more incredible. Besides this, there is also so much to do around the circuit with Lego stalls, Racing Pride, Girls Across The Grid and so on; one of the many reasons why I think it took me longer to walk the outskirts of the track for the Formula One weekend compared to the MotoGP weekend which had next to nothing like this.
And I can't fault all of the MotoGP entertainment as I do think the Two Wheels For Life auction definitely ramps up the energy across the weekend. Although personally, the only late evening entertainment I was able to enjoy was DJ Mistajam on the Friday night for the bike series, whereas the other two nights weren't necessarily my favourites. There were a lot of people enjoying this so perhaps this can only be put down to the type of fans seen between the two categories.
Access : MotoGP
I'm being totally honest when I say that the access for MotoGP is some of the best access I've ever experienced over a race weekend. Starting on the Thursday, you now have the newly added paddock tickets for 2025 that will most certainly not push you over your budget for the weekend whilst remaining in double-figure pricing. Ultimately we were able to see most MotoGP riders over the 5 hours and it was the first time I'd ever been able to be up close in the pitlane which was an experience I'll never forget. Then you have the added Hero Walks for Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP over the Saturday and Sunday for a very low price of £55 for the two, and as long as you arrive in plenty of time you'll no doubt be able to meet the riders again for second time over the weekend. Personally this is something I will be buying every year from now on to make the weekend just as special!
I can't compare anything like this for Formula One due to its sheer number of fan following because let's not forget that a F1 weekend can have 8 times more fans than during a MotoGP weekend. I know that in 2024, George Russell came down from the stage if you had Thursday tickets and the inner track which allowed you to see drivers coming in and out of the paddock but again, this is when pricing has a massive difference as these inner track tickets hit the three-figure pricing mark for getting something that you could do for free during a MotoGP weekend. As a university student, this would always have to be a no from me and I don't dare discuss how much it would take to get yourself into the paddock for a day.
Amenities : Formula One and MotoGP
Once again, this may have differing views considering I heard many people complaining of what was available during the MotoGP weekend but I personally didn't have a problem with where to find food, power banks and merch stands etc. The same as if I was at a Formula One race most definitely, albeit just a tad bit less. The variety of food stalls is what I particularly enjoyed about both events which always had something around no matter what stands you were sitting in, but this will rely on if you are bringing your own food and drink to the circuit which will guarantee saving a lot more money than I had previously done for both of these races.
I know that at these sorts of events, it is also very easy to complain about the toilet cleanliness but again, I found no issue with this at all. Even at the campsite where I was prewarned that hygiene may be awful and it was better to wash yourself down with handwipes, I always found that everything was well stocked and was pleasantly surprised considering I've been on 'high-quality' camping trips that were arguably worse than this. I don't think there was ever a moment where I didn't see staff making sure that everything was at a good standard so hats off to everyone who worked over these two weekends.
Atmosphere : Your choice!
And finally, how is the overall experience at the circuit? Well, it depends what type of motorsport fan you are and whether you prefer the hustle and bustle of a track, whether you are in those stands for all of the support races or just there for the good vibes. The atmosphere of the Formula One weekend was immaculate, especially with the Euros playing on the main stage during the scheduled F3 race from the awful Saturday weather and the iconic Lewis Hamilton win that I fear I will never witness in person ever again. But then you have the MotoGP weekend with so much action packed in with the British Talent Cup and Pirelli Superstocks added for that specific round and the fascination of Fabio Quartararo finally getting pole during the Saturday afternoon, only to be overtaken by Bezzecchi's first Aprilia win through no fault of his own.
One thing is for certain is that Silverstone is an experience that can never be changed. When we're in a time of motorsport where flashing new circuits are added all across the globe, this circuit in the heart of the UK will never fail to bring unpredictability and amazement that would forever be tarnished if sudden changes began to occur. You can't underestimate a proud British crowd that flocks to the circuit over the course of a season, as well as creating so much of an impact on motorsport as a whole that people from all over the world will visit the track just to see a piece of its action. In conclusion, if you're heading to Silverstone for either Formula One or MotoGP soon, then you are for sure in for an awesome ride whilst gaining some of the best memories.
Add comment
Comments