Airports near Silverstone

[hgb]

I'm about to organise my trip to Silverstone for the 1000 Km race in August (13th-15th). The weekend will not only feature the LMES but also the British GTs. Are there any international airports close to Silverstone so that I can jet in like a VIP ? Any cheap hotel recommendations ?

[rcutler]

Access for Silverstone is as Bernie said himself is CR*P. There is no airport a sensible distance other than militry. Your best bet is to fly to Heathrow and then hire a car. Bernie couldn't fly his chopper to the circuit a few years back due to bad weather so took the bus. The Bus got caught in traffic he missed the start and to cap this the driver couldn't find the entrance. Silverstone has improved a bit but there is still very poor access.

[mgmark]

Forget Heathrow and battling out of London, much easier to head for Birmingham (arrive, then head down M6, then M1 southbound, then A43 Jctn 15A - 45 minute drive) or Luton (arrive, then head up M1 to Jctn 15A, then A43 towards Oxford - 45 min drive).   Easy peasy compared to Heathrow and the A43 has been made into dual carriageway, so access is much improved - Silverstone is only about 10 miles down the A43 from the M1 Junction 15A.   Not so clear on hotels, but there must be plenty of cheap ones in Northampton right by junction 15A  

[Brad Zarse]

You could fly into Turweston - a quick 4X4 ride to silverstone.....

You might well get shot though  

[mgmark]

You could fly into Turweston

Not really up to international VIP greeting standards - mind you the landing would be an interesting exercise in field surveying if landing by jet ........

[hgb]

After some nosing around I think it will be Frankfurt/Cologne -Stansted/East Midlands and then on by rental. I still can dump myself into a field afterwards.  

[mgmark]

sorry - forgot East Midlands - that it is easy too - straight down the M1 to junction 15A and then A43 - about an hours drive.   Preferable to Stansted which is about 1hr 30 - 2 hrs drive depending on traffic.

[Liszt]

After some nosing around I think it will be Frankfurt/Cologne -Stansted/East Midlands and then on by rental. I still can dump myself into a field afterwards.  

That wouldn't be the nosing about on Pistonheads.com by any chance would it.

I came in here and thought hello, this is familiar  

[hgb]

You're right but it's better to hear two opinions. Now, do you stop channel zapping...  

[Canada Phil]

Hi HGB, If you go via East Midland: The Donnington Collection is worth a visit if you have the time. i've only seen pictures but a fantastic collection of F1 Cars
Canada Phil

[mgmark]

The Donnington Collection is worth a visit if you have the time

Phil,

       Donnington is more a case of "make time", rather than "if you have time" - really is unmisseable to see row up on row of mainly F1 cars and associated bits tracking the history and development of F1 from its early days to the present day - I don't know of anywhere else that has that range of motor-racing exhibits, let alone dedicated to F1.   Better still is that many of them are track-worthy, mobile and are actually raced.   Top lad, our Tom Wheatcroft, who set the collection up in the late 70s and owns it.

Mark