Awarded £9.1million by HLF, the project will create a new interactive visitor centre, bringing the history of British motorsport to life.

The Prince, who is Patron of the Silverstone Experience, switched the start lights from red to green, setting the £19.3m project into motion.

Sharing Silverstone’s fascinating history

The Silverstone Experience will showcase the track’s international heritage through a new permanent exhibition displaying its extensive collection, themed tours, educational workshops and a series of exciting events.

[quote=Sir Peter Luff]“Thanks to National Lottery players we’re delighted to celebrate this important step towards sharing Silverstone’s fascinating history."[/quote]

Sir Peter Luff, Chair of HLF, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players we’re delighted to celebrate this important step towards sharing Silverstone’s fascinating history. Stories of drivers and sporting glory, yes, but also of the extraordinary creativity of British engineering and of all the people behind the scenes who, quite literally, have kept the show on the road.”

A Royal Tour

Prince Harry visited the aircraft hangar where the Silverstone Experience is due to be installed and received an update on the build programme. His Royal Highness also met students and alumni from the Silverstone University Technical College, which is located alongside the circuit.

Sally Reynolds, CEO of Silverstone Experience Limited, said: “After many years of planning and preparation, today marks a key milestone in making the project a reality and we are delighted to welcome our Royal Patron, Prince Harry to the Silverstone Experience to mark this event.”

2018 – An anniversary year

The circuit has held the British Grand Prix 50 times and this year’s race marks Silverstone’s 70th anniversary.

2018 is also the Government’s Year of the Engineer. National Lottery funding will enable Silverstone to create an extensive education programme to inspire future engineers. This continues a pattern of HLF funding for STEM- focused heritage projects, from radio astronomy at Jodrell Bank to the world’s largest medical collection at the Science Museum.

To keep up-to-date with the project’s progress, check out the Silverstone website.