F1 2019 Game: British Grand Prix Track Guide

There's always doubts over the British Grand Prix's future in Formula 1, but what isn't in doubt is how special a circuit Silverstone is.

The track was born out of a former RAF base in the 1940's and hosted the first F1 championship race in 1950. 

The configuration of the layout has changed significantly over the past seven decades, but the high-speed and thrilling nature has remained, with average lap speeds of over 150 mph (245 kph). In terms of outright speed, only circuits such as Italy's Monza and Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps can compare.

The downforce that the modern F1 cars can produce is such that a lot of these high-speed corners are easy flat or require the smallest of lifts, which makes a lap of Silverstone like no other circuit.

Abbey & Farm

You can cut the apex, running the front right tyre over the black and white kerbing is the fastest way around this one. Avoid the green kerbing, though, as using this is slower and will probably earn you a corner-cutting warning.

There used to be a short DRS zone on the straight before Turn 1, but that's been removed for 2019 and with it, much of the opportunity to overtake.

Farm is also flat-out, but it's important to stick as close as you can to the inside kerbing to reduce the distance you travel, exactly like you do for Germany's Parabolika. Taking the tighter line is also important, because the braking zone for Turn 3 is on the left side of the track.  

Village 

You'll be back up to 190 mph before reaching this corner and you'll have to brake just after the 100m board down to third gear.

The apex is very wide here, so if you have a run on the car ahead, you can throw one down the inside. However, a DRS zone is coming up, so don't compromise your run out of the corner.

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Avoid the inside kerbing, as this will unsettle the car and there's no need to worry about the outside kerbing, as it's far away from the track you'll be using. Run wide on the exit and swing back to the right for the best line through the next corner.

The Loop & Aintree 

Squirt the throttle before getting on the brakes once again into The Loop and down to second gear.

There aren't any marker boards to help you spot the braking point, but you'll be up to fourth gear before pressing the quiet pedal. Like with Turn 3, you need to avoid all the kerbs, both inside and outside.

Be careful when applying the throttle again, there isn't too much grip available for the rear tyres. Spinning the wheels up hurts your tyre life and your top-end speed down the Wellington Straight.

Aintree is a flat-out corner, but you can lose the rear end if you're not careful, and you need to be planted as the DRS zone begins after this corner.

Brooklands

The Wellington straight is an excellent overtaking opportunity, as Brooklands is another wide corner like Turn 3.

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You'll have reached 200 mph (320 kph) by the braking zone, which begins at the 50m board. Decelerate to fourth gear and ease the car towards the left, but the apex comes later than you'd think. Don't cut the kerbing at all and fade toward the right for Luffield.

Luffield & Woodcote 

Luffield (Turn 7) is extremely understeery on the low downforce setup you need for Silverstone.

Squirt the throttle going towards Turn 7, before dabbing on the brakes once more down to third gear. To be quick, you have to put a lot of stress through the front left tyre, but it's also an opportunity to save your tyres if you take it easier in the race.

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It's ironically one of the slowest corners that's the most difficult on this high-speed circuit. Luffield is understeer city because of the raw mechanical grip that's called upon, rather than the front wing of the car. Rounding this corner feels like an eternity, but you have to be patient, as getting on the throttle too early will send you wide into the gravel on exit.

Sometimes, if you don't get the move completed through Brooklands, you can close the deal through Luffield, as long as you're alongside the other car. 

Copse

In the real sport, this is flat out in qualifying, but in F1 2019, it does require a slight lift, even in time trial. Get off the accelerator before turning in to the corner, but stay in eighth gear as you brush off speed.

Get back on the loud peddle as soon as you know you won't be needing the run-off on the outside, it's off-limits if you want maximum lap time.

You might think that overtaking is rare through here, as it's an extremely brave move to try and pull off, but Valtteri Bottas proved Copse is an overtaking opportunity in the real life race this year. 

Maggotts, Becketts & Chapel 

Arguably the greatest corner complex in the world, Maggotts-Becketts-Chapel is a true challenge to master and requires a lot of practice to get right. The left of Maggotts is flat out, but the second part - the right - needs a lift, despite doing almost 200 mph at the apex.

You want to brake because of the awesome speed, but you don't need to, the aerodynamics will scrub off enough to make it round. Avoid the kerbing the second part of the corner but feel free to do so on the first part.

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Becketts is the first corner you need to use the brakes for, dab them to go down to seventh gear and use some black and white kerbing on the inside to set up the line into Chapel. 

Swing to the right for Chapel and use a little inside kerbing but not too much, as track limits are strictly enforced here. Running wide after the corner is common, but don't use the grass on exit, it won't cost you time on track but it will get you a penalty.

Exit is key here, as there's the second DRS straight and the fastest part of the track coming up. 

Stowe 

Stowe is another high-speed right-hander that characterises Silverstone and one that always feels like you can take a few mph's higher. You'll be doing 205 mph (328 kph) before going into the corner and need to brake at the 50m board down to sixth gear.

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There is a chance to overtake here, it's easier to go down the inside but going around the outside sets you up better for the Vale chicane, if the battle continues down the hill.

Vale & Club

Vale is effectively a chicane that slows the car before returning to the start/ finish straight and is an overtaking opportunity if you're alongside, although the corner does bite at the apex, so be wary.

Brake just after the 100m board down to third gear and clip the inside kerbing but don't use the red kerbs. Squirt the throttle before going to the right-hander and lift when going through it.

The black and white kerbing on the outside of Club is fine to use, you usually get wheel spin when getting back on the throttle, so you get spat out wide. Be sure to avoid the orange sausage kerbing, though, as this will make you land a penalty.

You'll have to fight the car through Club towards the line but there's no way around this. The only way to help the traction is to avoid the inside kerbing on the apex.

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Setup

You need downforce to get around the fast corners but also lower wings to help on the Hangar and Wellington Straights, 4/5 aerodynamics is the way to go. 65% on-throttle differential is the most you can get away with while keeping the rear end stable, with 80% while off-throttle.

Tyre wear isn't a huge issue around here, as long as you're smooth through the fast right-handers, you can pull off the one stop, even on softs and mediums.full right, full left

You won't need to use the kerbs much, but when you do, it'll be at very high speed, so the have to be pretty soft at 4 for the fronts and rear. The anti-roll bar has to be at its softest to make it around Maggotts, Becketts and Chapel at full speed, 1/1. 4/4 is the ideal for most tracks when it comes to most tracks' ride heights and this is no exception.

The brake pressure can't be too high, as it kills the momentum and there aren't many big stops. 79% pressure is around right, with 54 bias towards the fronts.

As tyre wear isn't a problem, you can afford to use high tyre pressures, I found 23.8 psi on the fronts and 21.5 at the back gave you enough grip without overheating.