Lewis Hamilton stands alongside F1 fans in FUMING at legendary circuit

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, Bahrain, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Hamilton stands alongside F1 fans in FUMING at legendary circuit

Lewis Hamilton is the latest to hit out at the British GP organisers

Originally written by Sheona Mountford. This version is a translation.

Saturday 22 June 2024 05:00

Lewis Hamilton has stood alongside fans in voicing his frustration at Silverstone blaming a drop in ticket sales on Red Bull's Formula 1 dominance.

Managing director of the circuit, Stuart Pringle, pointed the finger at Max Verstappen's imperious form when discussing poorer ticket sales.

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The recent two events at Silverstone have seen record sales for the event, with 480,000 fans in attendance in 2023.

However, with two weeks to go until the British GP tickets remain on sale with Pringle blaming the on track action rather than other factors.

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Silverstone has struggled to sell out tickets this year

F1 Drivers and fans rubbish Silverstone claims

“I don't think it's my fault. This current Formula 1 season is very exciting, lately several teams have been competing for victories,” he said to De Telegraaf.

“If a promoter can't fill all the seats and blames someone else for that, it's better that they first look at themselves to see what they're doing wrong. Because in other places, I think they manage to fill the stands quite easily."

In addition to Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton has called out Silverstone organisers for over pricing the event.

“We have to watch F1 ticket prices,” he said to Autosport.

Lewis Hamilton blasts Silverstone ticket prices

“It’s hugely expensive and it's too high. The sport won’t like that I’m saying that, but I’m just thinking from the perspective of the fans and their families.”

Pringle defended the price of tickets, when discussing the sales issues with Autosport.

“As a promoter, you have to get your ticket pricing strategy correct. You could make these things go quicker if you reduce the price,” he said.

“But we have got expensive bills to pay, not less the promoter fee, so it's about hitting a strategy and making sure it works, which we're pretty comfortable with.”

However, fans have been left outraged on social media taking to X to voice how out of touch Pringle’s comments are.

One fan wrote:

Over the last few years, Silverstone and the British GP have accelerated the process of pricing their own audience out of the event. Don't put this down to Red Bull.

A three day general admission ticket last year was £319. This year it's £349 (so far, it could still increase due… https://t.co/4tMjRcLCBJ
— Jeppe H. Olesen (@jeppe_olesen) June 19, 2024

Another fan was quick to make a joke of the situation:

https://t.co/bnJzKj0oSL pic.twitter.com/pJ1LjbsAVy
— Mahir 🇹🇷🇬🇧 (@ScrewderiaF1) June 20, 2024

A third pointed out it was cheaper to fly to Hungary then to attend the British Grand Prix:

I’m literally flying out to Hungary, staying for 4 days, and then flying back because it’s still cheaper than Silverstone.

There’s no limit of people who want to go.

Only a limit of people who can afford to go., https://t.co/fCNMVFyNvn
— Warn (@heidfeldmafia) June 19, 2024

One fan even was quick to call out the claim fans were not interested because Hamilton has not been dominating F1:

Silverstone was sold out when David Coulthard and Jenson Button were our home heroes in crap cars and Schumacher was dominating.

While RB dominance might be a part, it’s a small part. It’s too expensive to go to Silverstone now. https://t.co/Z40J1j2Jxp
— Aidan Millward | GR63 ❤️🥇 (@Aidan_Millward) June 19, 2024

Written by

Sheona Mountford - F1 Journalist

Sheona Mountford is a motorsport journalist specialising in F1. As a writer and contributor, she covers a wide range of motorsport series from F1 to F1 Academy, responsible for breaking news, live race coverage and in depth analysis of the sport and the culture around it.

View full biography

Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton F1 Silverstone British GP