Thanks to Pirelli, one lucky SCD member was in for an experience like no other at this year’s FORMULA 1® BRITISH GRAND PRIX.
During the race weekend in early July, one of the biggest UK sporting events of the year, there’s guaranteed to be plenty of action going on wherever you turn and with the official F1® PIRELLI HOT LAPS EXPERIENCE returning to the UK, there was no better place to be.
Silverstone is a truly iconic venue for many, whether you’re a motorsport fan, track enthusiast or pure petrol-head and with a dreamy selection of supercars speeding round the track, it’s a sight to behold.
SCD member Neil Everatt got to experience this in full thanks to Pirelli’s partnership with SCD after winning the F1® PIRELLI HOT LAPS EXPERIENCE, available for all SCD members to enter earlier this year. He won a fantastic package of two F1® Paddock Club™ passes for the Grand Prix, plus the once-in-a-lifetime hot lap opportunity.
Neil admitted he was working from home with nothing much to do when the contest details came through and without thinking too much into it, he thought ‘let’s go for it’ and entered the competition. Upon realising the prize that had been won, Neil shared “My first thoughts were ‘Wow, this is going to be an amazing experience’ and what made it even better was that my son was also heading to the F1 for all four days so I was able to tell him ‘Watch out for me, I’ll be going round on track!’.”
Being the owner of an Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, it was no question that this was the car Neil and his wife had to head to Silverstone in.
“The experience started the second we started to approach the circuit, heading right into the heart of the race course. Once we found the Pirelli garage and were greeted by the fantastic Pirelli team, we took a look around and saw our incredible hospitality view from the Silverstone Wing, over the starting grid which meant we were able to watch some of the earlier races ahead of qualifying that was taking place later that afternoon.
“When we were called down for the F1® PIRELLI HOT LAPS EXPERIENCE, I still wasn’t too sure what to expect but the thing I was really excited about was the fact that I have had a few nice cars (but admittedly I don’t drive them fast) and I’ve always wanted to know what it’s like to be in a car that’s really driven to the edge… in a safe environment. I think the excitement of the whole thing, and the fact this was about to happen, was the main thing keeping me buzzing along quite nicely.
“I loved when we were walked out into the pit lane, what an incredible experience that is! To see all the garages and cars, these amazing cars- machines even, all being worked on. The atmosphere in the pit lane was phenomenal and then to find yourself actually stood on the grid, at Silverstone, I thought ‘how did this happen?’.
“We were in the McLaren 720S which was great, really interesting as I’ve expressed an interest to my wife about fancying a McLaren at some point, so this gave me the chance to be in the car with a driver (who knows what they’re doing!). It went so fast, it must be a few minutes but once you step out of the car you think it surely must have only been around 30 seconds!
“What made it even more special for me was that it wasn’t just Silverstone – it was Silverstone with a crowd. Sure enough my son took a picture of me from the Grandstand he was in, capturing me being driven around which was fantastic. A really, really good day with the chance to walk through the paddock where all of the race teams are positioned which was incredible to see, these two or three-storey motorhome set-ups – things you really don’t normally see.
“An incredible experience, my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed it and many thanks to Pirelli and of course Supercar Driver for the day.”
Main image copyright Tom Kahler. Other images copyright of Pirelli UK
