If you are an F1 fan, then you may have noticed the unfortunate lack of F1-related activities in London.

All that we have is a tiny number of stores, go-kart tracks, and billboards with F1 adverts on them.

When you compare this to football, you can see a huge gap between the two sports. Only a small number of pubs even show F1 races, even though there are millions of fans in UK. 

I am going to explain the two best places to go if you or someone you know loves F1, as they are often hard to find in London.  

 

The F1 Exhibition is active until December 2024, and if you have not visited it already, it is definitely worth the journey to the ExCel centre in East London.

I found it interactive and interesting because it featured facts, real cars, videos, and activities from the 1950s all the way to the 2023 F1 season.

It was amazing to see the journey and evolution of Formula 1 through this exhibition.

My highlight was seeing the 2021 Red Bull, driven by Max Verstappen when he won his first F1 world title (pictured).

There was an array of other cars too, from the 1998 McLaren to the 2018 Mercedes. It was incredible seeing these, as well as classic cars from the ‘60s and ‘70s, up close.

Additionally, there were helmets and suits on display, and even Lewis Hamilton’s first ever go-kart.

The exhibition was immersive, with sections on all there is to know about F1: karting, rivalries, pit stops, and more.

In my opinion the best part was seeing the cars, but if you know someone who is not very interested in F1, but you want to take them, do not worry.

This is an exhibition you can go to whether you are a fan or not.

There are interactive games like reaction time tests and sim racing (which you have to pay for), setting this exhibition apart from others.

Jack Pepper, 18-year-old university student and non-F1 fan said, “There was lots of variety in each room, so it wasn’t boring or repetitive. The number of cars they had was incredible to see in person too.”  

 

 

Mercedes-Benz World is a little outside of London, located in Brooklands, Weybridge.

The best way to experience Mercedes-Benz World is to book a Driving Experience.

Earlier this year, my younger brother and I did the Young Driver package where we essentially got taught how to drive.

Our instructors were both very nice and we got graded on every aspect of driving.

If you are with adults then you can choose a different package, like off-road or skidding.

After you have done your driving session, then you can head inside the Mercedes-Benz World where there are 3 floors of attractions, notably sim racing rigs and lots of different Mercedes F1 cars on display.

There is also a cinema which shows F1 races, and a 20-minute cinematic film about the history of Mercedes-Benz every hour.

When I went, I saw the 2008 Mercedes, driven by Lewis Hamilton when he won his first F1 world championship, the 2021 Mercedes, and the 1998 McLaren, driven by Mika Hakkinen when he won his first world championship.

The cars were very cool to see, and there was a mix of modern and older F1 cars, as well as non-F1 cars too.  

 

Overall, as an F1 fan I found both the F1 Exhibition and Mercedes-Benz World amazing days out.

They were both interesting and immersive, allowing you to learn about the history of F1 as well as be inches away from F1 cars in all their glory.