Heading to Silverstone for Track Time at TRAX on August 16, 2026 or Ford Fair on August 23, 2026? Then you’ve come to the right place.
For just £40 per session, Track Time gives enthusiasts the chance to experience one of Britain’s most famous circuits from behind the wheel of their own car. Whether you’re taking your first tentative laps or you’re a seasoned track-day regular, understanding the layout of Silverstone’s National Circuit will help you get more from your session and build confidence behind the wheel.
Silverstone’s National Circuit might be shorter than the full Grand Prix layout, but don’t be fooled. At 1.64 miles long, it still incorporates some of the venue’s most famous corners, including Copse, Maggotts, Brooklands, Luffield and Woodcote.
The better prepared you are before heading out, the more you’ll enjoy your Track Time session. If you haven’t already, check out our guides on:
Together they’ll help ensure both you and your car are ready for the challenge ahead.
Silverstone National Circuit
TRAX and Ford Fair both utilise Silverstone’s famous National Circuit layout for Track Time sessions.
Used by a variety of national motorsport championships throughout the year, the National Circuit combines high-speed sections, technical braking zones and flowing corners that reward smooth driving rather than outright aggression.
The layout also includes several corners that form part of Silverstone’s legendary Formula One circuit, giving you the opportunity to follow in the wheel tracks of some of motorsport’s greatest drivers.
Whether you’re arriving in a lightly modified daily driver, a dedicated track build or your pride-and-joy Ford project, the National Circuit offers the perfect introduction to circuit driving.
Track Guide to Master The Silverstone National Circuit
Before You Head Out
Track Time sessions begin from the assembly area behind the Medical Centre.
After signing on and attending the safety briefing, you’ll queue in the designated holding area before being released onto the circuit behind a safety car.
Don’t be tempted to treat these opening laps as a race.
Use them to:
- Learn the layout
- Check your mirrors
- Warm your tyres
- Monitor temperatures
- Confirm everything feels normal
The safety car will leave the circuit once marshals are happy conditions are safe, at which point your Track Time session officially begins.
Silverstone National Circuit Corner Guide
1. Copse Corner
The first challenge you’ll face is one of Silverstone’s most iconic corners.
Copse is a fast right-hander at the end of the pit straight that rewards commitment and precision. It’s also one of the corners that can feel intimidating to newcomers because of the speed involved.
As you approach, position the car towards the left-hand side of the circuit and use a light brake application before turning in.
Aim for a late apex and focus on maintaining momentum through the corner. Once you’ve clipped the apex, begin feeding in throttle smoothly and allow the car to run out towards the exit kerb.
The biggest mistake new drivers make here is turning in too early. This compromises the exit and can leave you running wide.
A stable chassis makes a huge difference through Copse. Excessive body roll or poor weight control can quickly undermine driver confidence at higher speeds. This is why many experienced track-day drivers invest in suspension upgrades before chasing more power.
For those looking to improve chassis performance, quality suspension systems such as the BILSTEIN B14 and BILSTEIN B16 ranges can help improve body control and consistency while retaining excellent road manners.
As you exit Copse, begin moving gently across the track towards the right-hand side to prepare for Maggotts.
2 – Maggotts
Maggotts is where the National Circuit diverges from the Grand Prix layout.
Although it isn’t as dramatic as the full GP circuit’s famous Maggotts-Becketts complex, it’s still a crucial corner because it leads directly onto the Wellington Straight.
Get it wrong and you’ll lose speed all the way down the straight.
Approach from the right-hand side of the track and brake in a straight line before turning in. The corner rewards patience and precision far more than aggression.
One of the most common mistakes is carrying too much speed into the entry. Drivers often find themselves compromising the exit as a result.
Focus on getting the car rotated early and prioritise a clean exit rather than attacking the entry.
This section of track places significant demands on suspension and chassis balance due to the rapid transfer of weight during braking and direction changes. A well-controlled setup allows the tyres to maintain consistent contact with the circuit surface, helping improve both grip and driver confidence.
As the steering begins to unwind, let the car drift naturally towards the left-hand side of the circuit and prepare for full acceleration onto the Wellington Straight.
3 – Wellington Straight
Time to breathe.
And accelerate!
This is one of the best opportunities on the National Circuit to stretch your car’s legs and enjoy the fruits of your hard work.
As you power down the straight, keep an eye on your mirrors. Faster cars may be approaching and awareness is key to keeping Track Time enjoyable for everyone.
Use the straight to settle the car, check your gauges and prepare for the heavy braking zone ahead at Brooklands.
Remember, smoothness is still the goal. You’re not trying to set a qualifying lap.
You’re trying to build confidence and enjoy yourself.
4 – Brooklands
Brooklands is one of the circuit’s best overtaking opportunities and one of the most important braking zones you’ll encounter during your session.
Heavy braking is required at the end of Wellington Straight, but avoid the temptation to throw the car into the corner.
The apex arrives later than many drivers expect, meaning patience is critical.
Turn in too early and you’ll compromise both Brooklands and the following Luffield corner.
Keep your eyes focused on the exit rather than the apex itself and allow the car to rotate naturally before applying power.
A smooth entry and clean exit here will reward you far more than a heroic late-braking attempt.
5 – Luffield
Luffield arrives almost immediately after Brooklands, which means your positioning through the previous corner has a huge impact on how successful you’ll be here.
This long right-hander rewards patience and precision. The temptation is to rush back onto the throttle too early, but doing so will usually push the car wide and cost you speed all the way down to Woodcote.
Keep the car tight to the inside, focus on smooth steering inputs and gradually build throttle as the corner begins to open up.
Listen to your tyres. Excessive squeal usually means you’re asking too much of them, whether through steering angle, throttle application or entry speed.
Luffield is also a corner where suspension quality can really shine. A well-controlled chassis allows the car to remain balanced throughout the long cornering phase, helping maintain grip and consistency. It’s another area where quality suspension upgrades from BILSTEIN can help improve confidence and driver feedback, particularly during repeated track sessions.
The goal isn’t to attack Luffield. It’s to flow through it.
6 – Woodcote
Woodcote is the final corner of the National Circuit and, in dry conditions, it’s barely a corner at all.
The key here is minimising steering input and carrying as much momentum as possible onto the pit straight.
You won’t gain huge amounts of time through Woodcote, but you can certainly lose it.
Keep the car settled, look well ahead and avoid making sudden inputs. The straighter you can keep the car, the more speed you’ll carry onto the start-finish straight.
Many experienced track drivers also recommend relaxing your grip on the steering wheel. A death grip on the wheel often leads to unnecessary inputs and can make the car feel nervous or unsettled.
Stay smooth and let the car do the work.
7. Start-Finish Straight
Congratulations—you’ve completed a lap of Silverstone’s National Circuit.
The beauty of Track Time is that every lap teaches you something new. As your confidence grows, you’ll start spotting reference points, improving your lines and learning where your car performs best.
The quickest drivers aren’t usually the most aggressive. They’re the ones who drive smoothly, consistently and within their limits.
Build speed gradually, focus on technique and you’ll be amazed how quickly your confidence develops.
Silverstone GP Circuit Advice
While Track Time at TRAX and Ford Fair takes place on the National Circuit, many enthusiasts also dream of tackling Silverstone’s full Grand Prix layout. The start of the 3.66-mile GP circuit is on the newly-named Hamilton Straight opposite the Wing. Almost flat out, the first corner to tackle is the right-hander of Abbey, which leads immediately into the left-hander of Farm before you brake heavily into the right-handed turn three; Village Corner. The even slower left-hander of the Loop comes immediately after, and leads into the opening left-hander of Aintree, before heading down the Wellington Straight.
Turn six, the left-hander of Brooklands, is tight and leads immediately into the right-hand hairpin of Luffield. The right-handed kink of Woodcote leads cars down the old pit straight, before the difficult fast right-hander of Copse. Then, comes the challenging complex of Maggotts, Becketts and Chapel – a fast left-right-left-right-left complex. This then leads down the 770-metre Hangar Straight with the fast right-hander of Stowe at the end.
The fifteenth turn of the track, Stowe, precedes a short straight, named Vale, which leads downhill towards the Club complex. Heavy braking is required for the left-hander of turn 16, and understeer can be an issue for the next right-handers of turns 17 and 18, as you tentatively accelerate round to the start-finish straight. As you’d expect, the surface is excellent, though some standing water can gather in places in very wet conditions.
Silverstone Track Guide: Fast Facts
National Circuit Length: 1.64 miles
GP Circuit Length: 3.66 miles
National Circuit Corners: 6
GP Circuit Corners: 18
Track Time Cost: £40 per session
TRAX: August 16, 2026
Ford Fair: August 23, 2026
Tips to driving Silverstone National circuit
- Don’t overdrive: The National circuit isn’t one that rewards aggressive driving as most of the corners are fairly slow. You want to drive with smoothness and precision so that you don’t scrub off corner speed.
- Focus on your exit speed: The two most important corners on the circuit are Maggots and Luffield, as they lead on to the lengthy front and back straights. Get either of these wrong and your lap time will really suffer.
- Watch your mirrors: More important for racers, but still worth bearing in mind for track days. The nature of the corners here really encourages ‘lunges’ that could end your day. Make sure you’re aware of the cars around you and what they’re doing, and obviously make sure you make good overtaking decisions yourself! It’s also a much wider circuit than most other UK tracks, which means you can lose sight of a car around you fairly easily.
- Learn Your Car: Track Time isn’t just about learning the circuit. It’s about learning your car. Pay attention to how it behaves under braking, how it responds to steering inputs and how it transfers weight through corners. These lessons don’t just make you faster on track – they often make you a better driver on the road too.
Making the Most of Your Chassis Setup
A surprising number of enthusiasts focus on power upgrades before addressing the fundamentals.
The reality is that tyres, brakes and suspension often have a greater impact on lap times than additional horsepower.
A quality suspension setup can improve:
- Stability under braking
- Steering response
- Driver confidence
- Tyre performance
- Chassis balance
For TRAX attendees, Track Time is proudly supported by BILSTEIN, whose suspension range covers everything from OEM replacement dampers through to dedicated performance and track-focused systems.
Whether you’re considering a B14, B16, EVO S, EVO SE, EVO T1, EVO T2 or EVO R setup, choosing the right suspension package can help unlock the full potential of your car both on road and on track.
Not sure which option is best for your build? The BILSTEIN team can help point you in the right direction.
Ford Owners: Enjoy Track Time with Confidence
If you’re attending Ford Fair, there’s one final piece of advice.
Don’t spend your entire session worrying about what might happen if something goes wrong.
Track Time is designed to be safe, enjoyable and accessible to drivers of all experience levels. It’s one of the best ways to explore your car’s capabilities in a controlled environment.
Of course, accidents can (but rarely do) happen. That’s why Track Time at Ford Fair is proudly supported by Ford Accident Management.
Using approved repair methods and genuine Ford parts, Ford Accident Management helps return damaged vehicles to factory standards, protecting both the performance and value of your pride and joy.
So instead of worrying about every corner, focus on enjoying the experience and making memories at one of the UK’s most iconic automotive events.
Book Your Silverstone Track Time Session
Ready to experience Silverstone for yourself?
TRAX returns to Silverstone on August 16, 2026, bringing together thousands of enthusiasts, incredible modified cars and Track Time sessions for just £40.
Book your tickets and Track Time sessions at:
One week later, Ford Fair takes over Silverstone on August 23, 2026, offering Ford enthusiasts the opportunity to enjoy the same legendary National Circuit.
Book Ford Fair tickets and Track Time sessions at:
Before you head out, make sure you’ve also read:
Together they’ll help ensure you’re fully prepared for an unforgettable day at Silverstone.
We’ll see you on track.
Track guide from Fast Ford magazine. Words: Alex Nevill & Jamie King. Photos: Fast Ford archive.
