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Known as "The home of British motor racing," Silverstone Circuit, located in Northamptonshire, in the heart of the British Midlands, was host to the first Formula One Grand Prix of the modern era in May 1950. Eventual World Driving Champion Giuseppe Farina took the checkered flag for Alfa Romeo that day, besting teammates Luigi Fagioli and Reg Parnell.
More than a half-century later, this former World War II airbase is still the site of the Formula One British Grand Prix, though that event has occasionally visited other circuits such as Aintree and Brands Hatch. In 2006, the names of Farina and Fagioli have been replaced by Alonso, Schumacher and Raikkonen, but the circuit remains a favorite of drivers and fans alike, both for the heritage it represents and the challenge its 3.194 miles pose.
Silverstone has undergone many changes over the years and has been reconfigured several times, but its origin as a collection of airplane runways and taxiways still shows through, with F1 cars turning laps averaging more than 140 mph. Signature corners such as Copse, Becketts, Stowe and Woodcote continue to test the skills of the world's best drivers.
One of the busiest racetracks in the world, Silverstone also hosts races for touring cars, sports cars, Formula 3 and other open wheel formulae, motorcycles and vintage racers. It is also the home of the British Racing Drivers Club, or BRDC, and no less than six F1 teams.
The iRacing.com crew completed exactrac laser scanning of Silverstone in mid-April. The team will transfer the scan data into a proprietary format and begin "tracing the spline" (i.e., connecting the data points to create the basic outline of the racing surface) in the near future. Regular updates regarding the status of Silverstone and other tracks under construction will be posted at iRacing.com.
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