Silverstone prepares to host a Formula One Grand Prix weekend like no other A new qualifying format, a worthy challenger to Lewis Hamilton's crown and the continued rise of McLaren make this weekend's race enticing. 16 July 2021 Formula One returns home to Silverstone this week for a grand prix weekend which will be like none before it. The coronavirus pandemic forced last year's British Grand Prix to be held without fans in attendance, causing a financial crisis that threatened the future of the event. But 2021 will have capacity crowds of up to 140,000 â and they have plenty to look forward too. A new qualifying format, a worthy challenger to Lewis Hamilton's crown and the continued rise of McLaren make this weekend's race enticing.