Insights

Lead contractor Tarmac, along with its industry leading road planing business, NRP, racetrack specialist Dromo and project partner Topcon Positioning Group, combined expertise with cutting-edge technology to ensure a smooth result at the UK’s premier racetrack

The Silverstone racetrack in Northamptonshire, England, has been a cornerstone of British motor racing for many years, having first hosted the British Grand Prix in 1948 and holding the title as its sole home since 1987. It was also the venue for the very first British motorcycle Grand Prix in 1977 and has retained the annual race for almost a decade.

Such a venerable history has earned the circuit high praise among some of the industry’s most influential names. After Silverstone recently secured the British Grand Prix for a further five years, five-time world champion Lewis Hamilton called Silverstone “the ultimate race circuit”, saying that if the competition were to ever lose Silverstone, “it would lose a lot of its essence”.

A first-class circuit deserves a first-class surface, and in the lead-up to the hotly anticipated 2019 races, it was time for Silverstone to be resurfaced for the smoothest ride possible. There needed to be no bumps whatsoever and no opportunity for standing water, which can lead to dangerous aquaplaning. However, with only a couple of weeks to completely replace the track’s surface, it was clear that if the team were to get past the finish line on time, they would need to use the very latest paving technology.