Track-side for ELMS at the 4 Hours of Silverstone: An honest review
A three day general admission ticket to a Formula One race at Silverstone will set a fan £349 back, in comparison, the ELMS charged £45 for a three day pass to the 4 Hours of Silverstone in 2026. Is the sportscar spectator experience actually worth much less or is it a bargain waiting to be claimed by petrol heads across the planet?
The reason sportscar series, including the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) can afford to charge fans so much less is because the demand for a ticket is lower. F1 suffers from its own success, Grand Prix tickets holding such popularity means they must open more stands, hire extra staff and provide increased facilities such as toilets and food stands.
The cost of all this falls on the shoulders of the fans, who have to pay an extortionate price to share a packed viewing zone with hundreds of other spectators. Ultimately most event-goers will rightfully enjoy the series they prefer more regardless of the ticket cost and consumer experience, however there is no doubt that a ticket to the 4 Hours of Silverstone has far better value-for-money than a ticket to the British Grand Prix.
Pricing and access
The only ticket available to the public was a general admission pass, which gave access to the entire track and paddock, plus a handful of grandstands around the National section of Silverstone. A ticket for race day only cost £30, but the best option was the £45 three day ticket. This price was as low as £35 if it was bought under the early bird conditions, seven months before race day.
For the most eager fans, there was a premium billet available. These fans had access to pit walks, autograph sessions and even the grid walk, for only £10 extra. The autograph sessions are not only a good opportunity to get your merchandise signed, but also an opportunity to meet the drivers, pick up new posters and get other 'freebies' the teams have on offer.
Unlike at a World Endurance Championship (WEC) event, the pit walks do not get so busy that you don't get your money's worth. While they are popular and queues can form outside the most popular garages, it is not so bad that it is impossible to move from A to B, and you should still have time to meet most the drivers you would like to.
The opportunity to enter the grid gives fans the chance to get right up to their favourite cars and drivers, observing the processes a race team goes through to prepare for a race. It is a great way to feel part of the action, however it should be warned that the spectator zones over-looking the grid get full before the grid walk ends, so enough time should be left to walk back to Luffield, or round to Maggots and Beckets for a good view of the start.
Although the paddock access to fans is good, the only ways into the infield are through an underpass on the entry to Copse, and the bridge over the Wellington Straight. This is not a massive problem however it could cause inconveniences for those who are elderly or disabled - as it means there is a larger than necessary trek to go in and out of the paddock.
It is possible to walk around the entire track, however there are no grand stands open between Copse and the Wellington Straight. Regardless there are still plenty of general admission zones to watch from. The most popular spectator points on the other side of the circuit are at the entry to Abbey and the exits to Stowe and Beckets.
Logistics
Unfortunately the track has no train line nearby, and depending on where you get the bus from, it can take up to two hours for what would normally be a 30 minute drive. The best option is to take a car yourself, or take a friend who has a car.
Silverstone have four car parks open to the public, all within a five minute walk from the track. There are no excessive queues to get in or out of them and most importantly, unlike many British tracks, they're tarmac, so if it rains (and it often does at Silverstone in September) no one gets stuck and no one's car gets so dirty it needs washing twice.
The traffic getting into and out of the event is low, and any queueing in the carparks is short enough to be negligible.
Those willing to stretch their pockets can stay in the Hilton which lines the Hamilton Straight, and those who really want to splash their cash can stay in one of the luxury apartments lining the straight between Copse and Maggots... for £2500+ a night.
Normal people can find a hotel or Airbnb for a reasonable price in the surrounding areas, such as Milton Keynes, Buckingham, Brackley or Towcester. Spend a bit of time on the Airbnb website and locations costing less than a £100 a night will be easy to find.
Facilities and spectating
There were multiple feature series over the weekend, the best of which was Le Mans Cup, which features a GT3 and an LMP3 category. The Le Mans Cup race happened on Saturday evening, after two Ligier European Series races and one Eurocup three race.
While this made for an entertaining Saturday, the only activity on Sunday morning before the ELMS was the second Eurocup 3 race.
The most popular places to watch the start is between Luffield and Copse, although the grandstands can get congested near the start and end of the race. Every corner is accessible to fans despite their lack of open grand stand so a track walk is recommended.
In terms of capturing the speed, watching from Abbey or Chapel gives an extreme perspective on the race cars' extreme grip and ability to deny inertia. Fans looking for a frequent action spot can walk to Village, a corner where cars regularly stumble into one another.
Unfortunately the race was tricky to follow away from the main areas, as the only two track-side big screens were located on the inside of Copse and Brooklands, which is not enough for a major motorsport event.
The effect of this was slightly mitigated because the service worked fairly well at every point on the circuit, but having to follow the race on the WEC+ app or Al Kamel Systems while at the track isn't ideal - especially considering the lack of charging points.
As well as not having big screens around the rest of the track, there is also no food or drink vendors away from the National section of the circuit, which is poor considering the post-summer temperatures in the UK.
On the bright side, there are plenty of vendors around the main section of the circuit, some of which offer surprisingly good prices for a race track. One example is the Pit Stop Cafe canteen in the paddock where a hot meal and drink can be bought for under £15.
Five tips for future spectators
Prepare for every weather: British weather in September can be very unpredictable and vary from hot and sunny to cool and wet in a couple of minutes. Don't wear too many layers but be prepared to put on a raincoat.
Pay for the pit and grid walks: Unrivalled access to the stars of the show creates memories which last longer than watching a race. For only £10, do the charity run too on Friday evening as it doesn't need to be said how cool running the racing line is.
Explore the track: Don't watch the full four hours from one location. Find a good spot for the first hour of the race, then walk the track (anti-clockwise so the cars are coming towards you) and return to your original spot for the final hour. The best location for the start and end of the race is at the exit of Luffield, where all the action happens and there is a good view of the big screen. Use Al Kamel systems for live timing when away from the big screens.
Don't miss the support races: While the ELMS is the main event, the support series are also full of action - especially Le Mans Cup.
Visit the paddock: Even the most standard general admission ticket includes paddock access, so make the most of it!
Final Verdict
Three days of racing for only £45 is an exceptional deal and should not be missed out on. Silverstone allows great racing and provides high standard facilities including under cover grand stands, well-kept toilets and plenty of food and drink retailers.
Most importantly, the ELMS is an opportunity to watch the legendary and beautiful Oreca 07s racing one last time before the new LMP2 regulations come into place in 2028.
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