Celebrating its 75th anniversary, the Silverstone Circuit lies at the heart of global motorsport. In 2024, the British Grand Prix attracted 480,000 spectators and a global TV audience of 80 million, making Silverstone one of Britain’s largest sporting events and a globally recognised brand.
Eight of the current 10 F1 teams are located close to the circuit and over 4,300 companies associated with motorsport are based in the wider area. Silverstone, however, is home not only to global motorsport but also to a high-performance engineering, technology and advanced manufacturing hub.
Silverstone Park, an innovation park next to the circuit, has a global reputation in advanced engineering and technology innovation. It is home to over 80 companies and hosts the Silverstone Technology Cluster, an active membership support, promotion, thought leadership and networking organisation.
The Silverstone 2035 Vision was created with contributions across two workshops from nearly 50 organisations.
The Silverstone 2035 Vision
The Silverstone 2035 Vision is to be the world’s premier destination for high-performance innovation, where sport science, engineering, technology and leisure converge to drive a sustainable future.
The Silverstone 2035 Vision will turn passion and precision into prosperity by creating a vibrant, innovative, and sustainable destination, one based on heritage as well future technology, benefiting local citizens, communities and businesses whilst securing high skilled, highly paid jobs for the next generation.
Central to this vision is the development of future talent through skills and training programmes, educational partnerships, and incubation for new businesses. Silverstone will become a global centre of excellence, renowned for its technical, entrepreneurial and leadership talent.
Bringing the vision to life
The key enablers of the 2035 Vision are as follows:
- Advanced Research, Development and Commercialisation: new research and innovation facilities will turn R&D into scalable commercial propositions.
- Smart, Sustainable Infrastructure: investment in digital transformation, smart grids, and low-carbon transport solutions and an integrated public transport will enhance efficiency and accessibility.
- Investment & Business Growth: an innovation incubation hub will support high-growth businesses and startups, fuelling the UK’s technology and engineering sectors.
- Talent & Skills Development: specialist training programmes, apprenticeships, and academic partnerships will equip future generations to drive and scale rapid innovation.
- World-Leading Destination for Sport, Technology, and Leisure: enhanced visitor attractions, world-class events, business and investment conventions and immersive experiences will reinforce its position as a global destination for business and leisure.
- Connected and Collaborative Ecosystem: a business-led delivery platform will facilitate collaboration among governmental bodies, industry stakeholders, academic institutions and investment partners.
With good links to the Oxford-Milton Keynes-Cambridge growth corridor, Silverstone will contribute to, and benefit from, close collaboration with other high-tech clusters, especially within the Ox-Cam Supercluster platform, considered by the British government to be a major catalyst for driving UK growth in science and technology.
Passion into prosperity
This is not merely about securing funding – it’s about shaping national strategy and ensuring Silverstone’s place as a cornerstone of UK innovation within the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, extending its capabilities within the advanced manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, clean energies, defence, life sciences, marine, medical, mobility, sports and tourism sectors.
As the UK Government shapes its Invest 2035 industrial strategy agenda, Silverstone is forging a collective voice that will resonate with policymakers and investors alike. The integration of business and tourism will enhance Silverstone as an entertainment, education, experience and leisure destination, attracting a wider audience and thereby creating year-round economic activity.
The Silverstone 2035 Vision aims to turn passion into prosperity, to make the Silverstone area not only a regional, but a national, crown jewel in economic development, innovation and growth.
To find out more, contact Adrian Pryce on 07720 297402 or email adrian.pryce@northampton.ac.uk
Find out more about The Silverstone 2035 Vision on the website
Words by Adrian Pryce DL, Associate Professor Strategy & Society, University of Northampton
