Formula One: Inside Silverstone from a Fan's Perspective

The 2008 British Grand Prix marks my eighth year of Formula One spectating at Silverstone since 2000, excluding the 2001 race. I regret that was the last year for both Mika Hakkinen and Murray Walker, two main reasons I started to love F1.

The tickets are obviously booked by January and February before the price freeze ends. You have a long wait from then until July for the British Grand Prix.

Already the cars are taking to the track under the three-day Silverstone test, which is also popular among race fans just keen to hear the sound of extraordinary power.

So the menu goes like this... Thursday afternoon, you do your weekend shop for the race, knowing that the circuit's facilities in terms of food are going to be expensive, although with this year's inflation surely it shouldn't be all that much of an increase.

Your food supplies will include a massive amount of sandwich spreads and, of course, flasked coffee...unless you get lazy (which can happen) and decide that it's the ideal time of the year to have basically the time of the year!

Coffee, beer, burgers...you name it!

So with food options sorted, you need to remember your temporary home... some with money decide to go for the travel lodges or the holiday inns nearby... but this is one time of the year where expense and so called "luxury" are null and void.

There is nothing like the experience of three-day camping. It's ideal: wake up, cross the road and you're at your favourite Grand Prix venue!

So, your checklist includes a Barbeque, Tent(s), Tables, Kettle, Cups, Gazebo (we've had plenty of them over the years that have been destroyed by helicopters and the likes) but you can guarantee there's always a simple thing you forget to bring like soap and suntan cream.

But before you can realise you've forgotten... you have to arrive at Silverstone... and this is how.

At about 12 Friday morning, it is a three-hour stretch down the M1 (obviously depending on where you live) listening to Smooth FM to keep you chilled you watch the stream of lights either side and the ever changing tones of the sky... wonderful!

Of course, if you're not the driver, then you can have some much needed sleep...because chances are you won't be getting very much!

So three hours and one toilet stop later, at Junction 15A the flow of traffic starts to get a bit slower albeit not too bad at 4 a.m. It hits you: Dadford Road. You know where you are...Silverstone!

Approach your nearest roundabout, take a U-turn, and approach towards Litchlake farm, past a factory with once again a new name! Litchlake can sometimes catch you out for opening times... and also if you're unlucky, sometimes the roads are one-directional. One year, my Dad decided to disobey officers and carry on! - Don't try this at home...I suspect you won't.

So 5 a.m., we've paid our rent (which increases from year to year) ... sank into our territory... and ready to pitch camp, wonderful... if you're doing it right, you're doing it wrong (those of you with impatient Dads will know exactly what I'm talking about) "that doesn't go there...", "are you gonna help"... etc.

So 6 a.m., finally, the St. Peter's gates welcome you, you can spend ages trying to get in but Silverstone is more protected than Heathrow terminals...

So 6 a.m., that's four hours to familiarise yourself before track action begins. That's time for your morning coffee and bacon roll, and a snoop around the F1 merchandise stands. Why doesn't my town sell stuff like this, you ask? Because we F1 fans are a special species; that is why!

So 9:50 you purch yourself into position, at 9:55 the screens come alive with that F1 swirl thing, very dramatic on diamond vision! And then you spend the other five minutes trying to find yourself on TV; it's great!

The Silverstone map comes on screen, reminds you you're at the right place! Then the cars fire up... and you get 10 minutes of Force India's cleaning the track; lovely!

Free practice is like qualifying, I guess, in that the top teams wait until the end to start burning their own rubber! The good thing about Friday is you get three hours of F1, and unlimited F1 roaming around stands, so knock yourself out (not literally)!

I walked the entire track within the first session and I couldn't think of a disappointing section of the track! (Save Our Silverstone)...

So aside from F1, you have Porsche Michelin Supercup, GP2 and Historics, but don't worry too much on a Friday. It is only Qualifying, of course they are nice to see and hear, but after a few minutes you're allowed to tour around the rest of the entertainment attractions.

I suggest the Ezones. Last year, I entered an F1 quiz in which I won a paddock pass after qualifying. My advice to you is to go for it, its amazing how many people are scared to go up, and ones who are up are just up for a laugh (to prove it one guy was asked to name a Silverstone corner, when he was stood right in front of a "Stowe" grandstand and got it wrong)!

Another tip is the BMW pitlane park, which proved popular last year, the closest all weekend you'll get to a moving F1 car! And there's a few things to try out yourself, to prove to you why F1 drivers are superior to average human beings! 

The end of day one is near... sadly... or is it? If you wait a while after track action ends, you're often allowed into the infield of the track in which you wait hours and hours for the drivers to come out the paddock to sign your autograph. You can hear the F1 fountain, the beeps of the "special" people and the kids shouting when Kazuki Nakajima is about to come out the paddock... all hail!

To be continued....