Mirror viewers editor Harry Rutter loved a lavish, star-studded VIP expertise on the British Grand Prix as Lando Norris scooped his first Silverstone win for McLaren, watching Glastonbury-like performances from Sam Fender and Raye
Lando Norris received his first British Grand Prix in entrance of 1000’s of soaked followers at Silverstone on Sunday – however the F1 is not all in regards to the racing this 12 months.
Behind-the-scenes there’s much more happening, and that is precisely what Mirror man Harry Rutter discovered throughout a days-long, celebrity-packed VIP expertise on the well-known racetrack nestled close to its tiny Northamptonshire village.
With performances from Seventeen Going Underneath hitmaker Sam Fender, rockers Blossoms, Little Combine sensation Jade Thirlwall and up to date Glastonbury sensation Raye, there’s clearly one thing for everybody over the Formulation 1 weekend.
Our jam-packed schedule began on the Thursday, with a heat welcome on the official backstage supplier for this 12 months’s grand prix, Bluebird. With instantaneous behind-the-scenes privileges got here an thrilling second for our group as Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc casually cycled previous as he ready for Friday’s spherical of free observe occasions.
Leclerc, who was runner-up within the Formulation One World Drivers’ Championship in 2022, acknowledged us and was shortly adopted by Pink Bull’s Liam Lawson, who now races for the Christian Horner-fronted group’s second unit, the Visa Money App Racing Bulls.
Additionally dropping by Bluebird was F1 commentator and Sky Sports activities star David Croft, identified to TV viewers as Crofty. Talking to the Mirror he defined how good it was to chill out earlier than being thrown into work over the weekend. He too was gearing up for an evening of music earlier than needing to leap on the microphone forward of Sunday’s large race.
“It is lights out… and away we Land-ooo,” he says in a private video filmed for me, pre-emptively hinting at a giant 12 months for Norris, or perhaps even predicting his win. Love Island’s season five-star Michael Griffiths was additionally noticed having fun with Bluebird’s facilities, getting an oiled hand therapeutic massage from one of many employees earlier than hitting the free bar.
All-inclusive choices included dear bottles of Moey and Chandon champagne, giving the unique visitors the complete Formulation 1 expertise. Limitless free Pink Bull was additionally on the playing cards, with Heineken beers out there as effectively throughout the in depth menu.
Shuttle buses and black London taxis took us throughout the mammoth Silverstone website, taking us to Escapade for dinner. The lavish location boasts houses costing over £2million for the uberwealthy to benefit from the calendar of races from a non-public balcony.
With a £150 particular F1 menu on provide from their foremost visitor ‘membership home’, we had been handled to the final word meal that the celebrities tuck into earlier than watching the automobiles go by.
We had been transported to the paddock subsequent the place we skilled every thing the wealthy and well-known can, proper behind the pit wall. But it surely wasn’t simply celebrities strolling round, it was the drivers too – shockingly.
We bumped proper into Lewis Hamilton, sporting his Ferrari race swimsuit following his transition from Mercedes. Moments later we noticed Lando Norris doing a little press interviews by the glass at McLaren’s hospitality.
Sky Sports activities had been reside on-air as we watched TV crews scramble to maintain the programme working, together with dozens of worldwide shops reporting from the garages. Regular folks like me would by no means usually see this type of behind-the-scenes motion, with out shelling out 1000’s on paddock passes in fact.
Blossoms kicked off Thursday night time’s leisure with guitar-driven melodic hits, together with Charlemagne, Your Girlfriend, and up to date fan-favourite Gary. Sam Fender took to the stage and cranked issues up a notch for the roaring crowd, performing a set of basic hits equivalent to Seventeen Going Underneath, Folks Watching and Hypersonic Missiles to shut out night time one at Silverstone in model.
It was the subsequent day’s tour of the paddock the place we ran into extra well-known faces, together with Williams driver Carlos Sainz, adopted by RB’s Liam Lawson – once more. Additionally questioning round was Maura Higgins, in addition to Gordon Ramsay. Joined by his spouse and daughter, the TV chef was internet hosting his personal VIP restaurant for paddock passers.
Friday night time noticed Raye take to the stage because the Mirror noticed Hamilton as soon as once more seem – however this time he was facet of stage, cheering on the singer amid swirling romance rumours. He watched her complete set, clapping from the sidelines and absorbing the environment following the hitmaker’s spectacular set at Glastonbury Pageant.
She closed the present with an unforgettable efficiency, enjoying a listing of hits equivalent to Prada and Escapism – ending off two days of untamed leisure even earlier than the racing had begun in a festival-like extravaganza for ticker holders.
Commenting on the motion away from the monitor Silverstone’s chief business officer Nick Learn informed the Mirror: “This 12 months, Silverstone is proud to showcase the very best of British expertise, bringing collectively iconic artists as we have a good time Formulation 1’s seventy fifth anniversary as we proceed to up our recreation.
“Our all-British music lineup displays our dedication to delivering world-class leisure that resonates with followers each on and off the monitor. We’re delighted to welcome JADE, Mabel, Blossoms Idris, Mike Skinner, Sub Focus, Eats All the pieces and DJ Luck & MC Neat to this 12 months’s lineup.
“It’s a testomony to the wealthy heritage of British motorsport and music that Silverstone has developed since internet hosting its first Formulation 1 British Grand Prix 75 years in the past, and we’re tremendous excited to honour this milestone with an unforgettable competition expertise.”
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