Heading to the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone next week? Check out our safety advice and information

The 2025 Formula 1 Qatar Airways British Grand Prix arrives in the Northamptonshire in just over a week and police officers are issuing safety advice to those heading to the Silverstone circuit for the four-day event.

With more than 480,000 people expected to visit the circuit between July 3-6, Northamptonshire Police will once again be delivering a robust policing operation in the run up to and during the race event, to ensure visitors to the circuit have a safe and enjoyable experience.

As people prepare for their Silverstone weekend, officers are encouraging them take some simple steps to protect themselves and their possessions and to act responsibly throughout the event.

Superintendent Pete Basham, the event commander for Northamptonshire Police, said: “The Formula 1 British Grand Prix is the biggest annual sporting event in the country, and our planning and preparation for the policing operation starts well in advance.

“We want to ensure Formula 1 fans have an enjoyable and safe as possible British Grand Prix experience. We’ve been working closely with the event organisers, other emergency services and partner agencies, to ensure our policing plans are in place, and officers will be out and about at the circuit throughout the event, as well as patrolling the campsites, local area and road network.

“We’ll have a large number of resources helping to police the event, with specialist teams such as armed response, roads policing, detectives and search teams, supporting our uniformed officers and staff, specials and volunteers, who will be patrolling throughout the four days.

“Whether you’re coming to the whole event or just for one day, we would ask you to check out our safety advice and crime prevention tips before setting off, to help everyone have a safe and crime-free visit.

“And when you get to the event, stay aware of your surroundings and if you see something that doesn’t feel right, trust your instinct and report it to us, or a member of the Silverstone team, straightaway. We would rather it be nothing than you have not told us at all.”

Check out the advice below and you can stay up to date by following us on social media @NorthantsPolice on X (formerly Twitter)  or by ‘liking’ Northamptonshire Police on Facebook.

Traffic management 

• The traffic management plan is co-ordinated and delivered by the Highways Agency and event organisers – supported by Northamptonshire Police
• Road users should allow plenty of time for their journey to and from the event due to the volume of traffic and increased pressures on the county’s roads
• Road users should be aware of road signs and diversions when travelling to the event and follow any signposts that have been put in place
• Spectators are advised to tune into Silverstone Radio for the latest updates on traffic advice

Vehicle crime prevention 

• Do not leave any property on display in vehicles. What may not be valuable to you, could be valuable to someone else
• Most vehicle crime is opportunistic. Don’t make it easy for them
• Think – Remove it, Lock it, Keep it
• Make sure you close your windows and lock your car, put your alarm on and use any visible security device, like a steering wheel lock

Gadgets  

• If you can’t live without your smart phone, tablet, or laptop during the race event, make sure you protect it. Download an anti-theft app before you set off; most are free, quick to install and will give us the best chance of finding your phone and hopefully catching the person who took it. To find and install an app go to your app store and search ‘anti-theft’
• Before you leave, make sure someone back home has details of the make and model of your phone, its IMEI number and any password. Also note down the account username and password of your tracking app
• When you arrive at Silverstone, please remember to be discreet with your phone and keep it out of sight
• Register your property on immobilise.com. It takes only a few minutes and is free. Use a UV pen to write your postcode and house number on your stuff – it is invisible to the human eye but if your gadget comes into a police station, we will check it with our lights and return it to you

Tent security 

• Tents are, by their very nature, not secure. If you are spending a lot of time wandering around the venue, then your tent will spend a lot of time alone
• Do not leave your valuables in your tent when it is unattended
• Leave your tent untidy; don’t make it easy for a thief to grab a bag with everything in it
• Remove your wallet or purse from any clothing and keep it close to you while you sleep. Consider investing in a money belt which you can wear while you sleep
• Consider purchasing some purse bells or purse alarms that activate when your purse is removed so you can hear if it is being stolen

Personal safety 

• Be aware of your surroundings and who is around you when you are paying for things. If you do need to use cash, do not take more money that you need. Most vendors accept contactless payments, or you can pay for items on your card. There are cash points on site for those who need them
• While walking around the Silverstone site and campsites try and stay with friends, especially at night. Stick to walking in well-lit areas where possible
• Be 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
• Do not challenge people looking through tents - report them to police or the Silverstone campsite/circuit staff

Alcohol 

• Please have a good time but remember that drinking too many hampers your judgment. One drink too many can lead to problems – not least forgetting where your tent is. You can also become prone to assault or robbery when drunk – so try not to have too much and keep aware of your surroundings