Silverstone is the fast one. Copse, Maggotts, Becketts, Stowe. Corners where you barely brake and the car has to stay where you put it.
So this setup is built for stability at speed. Wings 3 and 6, a firm car and a differential locked all the way on throttle. It is a time trial setup, saved with 10 kg of fuel.
F1 2019 Silverstone setup
| Setting | Front | Rear |
|---|---|---|
| Wing | 3 | 6 |
| Camber | -2.50 | -1.00 |
| Toe | 0.05 | 0.26 |
| Suspension | 4 | 4 |
| Anti-roll bar | 3 | 10 |
| Ride height | 3 | 4 |
| Tyre pressure | 23.4 psi | 21.9 psi |
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Fuel load | 10 kg |
| Differential on throttle | 100% |
| Differential off throttle | 61% |
| Brake pressure | 82% |
| Front brake bias | 53% |
In F1 2019 the wings, suspension, anti-roll bars and ride height all use a scale from 1 to 11.
This setup was collected for the site in 2022 from a fast time trial lap, like the rest of my F1 2019 setups. Use it as a base and adjust it with the table further down.
The lap on board
Why this setup works at Silverstone
The lap is 5.891 km with 18 corners, and it is flat. Long straights between the fast sections, and only a few slow corners: The Loop, Luffield, Vale and Club.
The wings. 3 and 6. The same pair as my France setup. The rear wing at 6 is what lets you turn into Copse and Stowe with confidence. The front at 3 keeps the drag down on Wellington and Hangar. The car will push a little in the slow corners. There are not many of them.
The differential. 100% on throttle. Fully locked, and no other setup in my list goes there. In a fast corner taken on the throttle, a locked differential makes the rear very stable. Both wheels turn together and the car does not try to rotate. That is what you want through Maggotts and Becketts.
The price comes in the slow corners. Out of The Loop, Luffield and Club the inside rear wheel will spin if you ask for too much too early. In time trial you can drive around it. Off throttle it is 61%, quite open, so the car still turns when you lift.
The brakes. 82% pressure and 53% front bias. Only Monaco runs the bias further back in my list. Silverstone has few hard stops, and a bit more rear braking helps the car rotate into Village and Vale.
The geometry and tyres. Camber -2.50 and -1.00 and front toe 0.05, the least angle the menu allows. Rear toe is 0.26, two steps above the minimum, for more stability at the rear in the fast corners. Pressures are 23.4 and 21.9 psi.
A firm car that changes direction
Springs at 4 and 4. That is on the stiff side for my F1 2019 setups, where most tracks run 1 or 2 at the front. At this speed the car is pushed into the ground by the wings, and it needs springs that hold it up.
The anti-roll bars are 3 at the front and 10 at the rear. A soft front bar gives the front tyres grip on turn in. A stiff rear bar makes the car quick from left to right. Maggotts and Becketts are a run of direction changes, each one a little slower than the one before. This is the part of the lap the bars are set for.
Ride height is 3 and 4. In the middle of my list. The track is smooth and you do not need much kerb, so the car can sit fairly low.
What to change
One change at a time, three laps, then decide.
| Problem | Change | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelspin out of The Loop, Luffield or Club | On throttle differential 100% to 80% | A more open differential is gentler on the inside rear tyre |
| Understeer in Luffield | Front wing 3 to 4 | More front load in the long corner |
| The rear steps out in Copse or Stowe | Rear wing 6 to 7 | More rear downforce at high speed |
| The rear snaps in Becketts | Rear anti-roll bar 10 to 8 | A softer rear bar gives the rear more grip |
| The rear moves when you brake for Vale | Front brake bias 53% to 55% | More of the braking goes to the front |
| Front tyres lock into Village | Brake pressure 82% to 79% | Less peak pressure, easier to hold at the limit |
| Too slow on Hangar straight | Rear wing 6 to 5 | Less drag. Only if the fast corners feel easy |
For a race
Silverstone is hard on the front left tyre, and a fully locked differential is hard on the rears. Before a 25% or 50% race I would change this:
- On throttle differential 100% to 70%. The biggest one. Less wheelspin and less heat in the rear tyres.
- Front wing 3 to 4. Less sliding at the front in Luffield, Copse and Stowe.
- Rear wing 6 to 7. To keep the balance with the extra front wing.
- Fuel. The 10 kg is a time trial number. In a race the game sets the load for the distance.
On a pad, I would go to the on throttle differential at 70%, brake pressure around 78% and the rear anti-roll bar at 8.
F1 2019 has manual ERS modes. Save through Maggotts and Becketts, where you are limited by grip and not by power. Spend it on Wellington and Hangar. You pass into Brooklands and into Stowe.
Where the lap time is at Silverstone
- Abbey and Farm. Flat on a time trial lap. Turn in smoothly and let the car run out. Every correction on the steering costs speed.
- Village and The Loop. The first real braking zone, then the slowest corner of the lap. Give up the exit of Village to be well placed for The Loop, because Wellington straight comes after it.
- Brooklands and Luffield. Brake while you turn into Brooklands, then be patient in Luffield. It is long and the car wants to push. With the locked differential, feed the throttle in slowly.
- Copse. A lift or a touch of the brake, turn in early and trust the rear wing.
- Maggotts and Becketts. The first two are flat. Then each corner is slower than the one before. Lift, one gear down, then another. Stay tight on each apex so you are placed for the next one.
- Stowe. A fast right at the end of Hangar straight. Brake very little, turn in early and use all the road on the exit.
- Vale and Club. Hard braking into the left at Vale, then the long right of Club. Open the steering as the corner opens.
If you take one thing from this page: keep your hands quiet in the fast corners. One input on the way in, hold it, release it. At Silverstone the car is fast when you leave it alone.
Silverstone in 2019
The 2019 British Grand Prix was round 10 of 21, on 14 July, over 52 laps. Valtteri Bottas took pole position in 1:25.093.
Bottas and Lewis Hamilton fought for the lead in the first laps. Bottas made his stop first. A few laps later Antonio Giovinazzi spun into the gravel and the safety car came out, which gave Hamilton a cheap stop and the lead. He won the British Grand Prix for a record sixth time and set the fastest lap on the last lap, a 1:27.369. Bottas was second and Charles Leclerc third.
Behind them, Max Verstappen passed Sebastian Vettel on Hangar straight. Vettel then locked up and hit the back of the Red Bull on the way into Vale. Both cars continued.
More F1 2019 setups
All the tracks are on the F1 2019 setups page. Silverstone is round 10. The round before it is the F1 2019 Austria setup and the next one is the F1 2019 Germany setup.
For the same track in other games, here are my F1 2018 Silverstone setup, my F1 2020 Silverstone setup and my F1 25 Silverstone setup. The values do not carry over from one game to the next.
FAQ
What is the best F1 2019 setup for Silverstone?
Front wing 3, rear wing 6, differential 100% on throttle and 61% off, suspension 4 and 4, anti-roll bars 3 and 10, ride height 3 and 4, brake pressure 82% with 53% front bias, and tyres at 23.4 and 21.9 psi.
What wing levels should I run at Silverstone in F1 2019?
3 at the front and 6 at the rear for time trial. For a race I would run 4 and 7 to look after the front left tyre.
Can I use this Silverstone setup in a race?
Yes, with changes. Open the on throttle differential from 100% to 70% and add one click of wing at both ends.
Does this setup work with a controller?
Yes. I would open the on throttle differential to 70%, lower the brake pressure to around 78% and soften the rear anti-roll bar to 8.
Why is the differential fully locked in this setup?
For stability in the fast corners you take on the throttle. A locked differential keeps the rear calm there. It costs traction in the slow corners.
Where can I overtake at Silverstone in F1 2019?
Into Brooklands at the end of Wellington straight and into Stowe at the end of Hangar straight, both with DRS.
How long is Silverstone in F1 2019?
5.891 km with 18 corners. The real race is 52 laps.