How every Silverstone corner got its name

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One of the charms of Silverstone, a circuit that has hosted some of F1’s most memorable races, is that its corners are known by a series of unique names rather than typical numbers. From the first turn at Abbey to the iconic run through Maggotts and Becketts, we take a look at how every corner got its name… The drivers line up on the grid along the Hamilton Straight – a tribute to Lewis Hamilton, the sport’s most successful British driver – before embarking on the 239m run down to Abbey, which was named for the remains of a medieval monastery found nearby, Luffield Abbey. Many of Silverstone’s corners pay homage to local landmarks, and Turn 2 is no different. The original circuit, which hosted its first Grand Prix in 1948, featured a straight that passed by a farm – hence, Farm Straight, at least until the track configuration changed in 2010. While the name remained, it became a gentle curve that drivers now rush through at high speeds. Silverstone’s first big braking point, Village is a right-hander that refers to the closest village, which also gave its name to the circuit and now houses bases for Aston Martin and Cadillac. Monaco has the ‘hairpin’ moniker, so Silverstone opted for an equally self-explanatory label for Turn 4. Reflecting the shape of the corner, The Loop is the slowest part of the circuit and will be a crucial spot for drivers to harvest energy before picking up the pace once again. Liverpool’s Aintree Racecourse hosts races of a different kind now – namely, ones that replace cars with horses – but it was previously home to the British Grand Prix on five occasions between 1955 and 1962. Turn 5 bears the venue’s name, indicating the shared history between Silverstone and Aintree. Next up is the Wellington Straight, one of two parts of the circuit that reflect Silverstone’s military history. During World War II, the land was home to an RAF base and featured runways for the Vickers Wellington bombers which flew back and forth – this straight was actually formed from one of those strips. Just as the beginning of the Wellington Straight honours Aintree, the following corner is a tribute to another former host of the British Grand Prix. Brooklands is an oval circuit south of London that hosted the first-ever edition of the race a full century ago in 1926, with a second held there the year after. Brooklands flows into Turn 7, Luffield, which is another reminder of the aforementioned abbey that stood to the north-east of the track. It was previously split into two distinct corners, but Luffield is now a long right-hander that forces drivers to massively reduce their speed. Turn 8 – Woodcote A lot of Silverstone’s history as a race circuit is owed to the Royal Automobile Club, better known as the RAC. Members organised many of the early events and helped create the legacy the track enjoys now, so it’s unsurprising that members were able to play a role in naming several of the corners. Woodcote Park is a stately home located on RAC-owned land in Surrey and gives its title to Turn 8, a sweeping right hander which used to end the lap. Luscious countryside and pockets of woodland surround Silverstone, with some of the small groups of trees – referred to as copses – earning names like Chapel Copse and Cheese Copse. The blisteringly quick Turn 9 passes close by both and is taken almost flat-out by drivers. Perhaps the most famous sequence of corners, the run from Turn 10 to 14 is exhilarating to drive and so interlinked that it’s easier not to take them in isolation. Up first is Maggotts, named for Maggots Moor, which sits on the other side of the grandstands. Drivers then weave through Becketts – both this corner and Chapel Curve remember a medieval chapel which honoured former Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket, and was demolished so that the airfield could be constructed in 1943. Another nod to Silverstone’s military past is the Hangar Straight, where two of the site's largest hangars housed aircraft. It offers a fantastic overtaking opportunity as drivers zoom down this rapid back straight. The speed suddenly drops as they brake for Stowe, a notoriously tricky corner to master that saw Michael Schumacher break his leg early in the 1999 British Grand Prix. Some believe that former students of the local Stowe School were among the first to suggest racing around the deserted airfield – they might be a bit taken aback if they saw the half a million attendees that flock to Silverstone each year. Turn 16 – Vale No one’s quite sure what sparked Turn 16’s name, with one theory proposing that Vale refers to the small change in elevation at the corner, made more noticeable by the fact that the rest of the track is relatively flat. However, others say that it simply indicates that this section of the circuit sits within the district of Aylesbury Vale. Last but not least is Club, a salute to the RAC’s London clubhouse. Their close relationship with Silverstone is also marked by the eye-catching gold trophy awarded to the winner of the British Grand Prix, which must be returned after the podium celebrations. Drivers tend to receive a replica, but last year was the first time it was made out of LEGO – undoubtedly a unique addition to Lando Norris’ collection. 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