Silverstone’s Lap of Lights was one of the more memorable festive attractions of recent years — until it quietly disappeared during the circuit’s redevelopment. It’s back for 2025, with Silverstone billing it as being “brighter than ever.” Did they actually make that happen? We took a Kia EV9 onto the famous tarmac to review it and find out.
We first experienced Lap of Lights in 2021, enjoying the festive magic both on and off the circuit, so we were thrilled to be heading back to Northamptonshire for this long-awaited re-run. As we approached the circuit, the shimmer of the fairy lights lit the way as Silverstone’s very own elves waved us in. We quickly tuned the radio to Elf FM — the circuit’s special radio station playing festive tunes and live chat with fellow Lap of Lighters — to enhance the Christmas mood and headed to the track to start our lap.
The Lap of Lights
Taking up pole position, the bright flashing flag dropped and set us loose for the lap — but only at speeds of up to 10mph! Turning into Copse corner, a large installation was filled with enthusiastic elves, waving us through the first turn, towards the light show.
The two-mile-long lap combines 35 lasers and 7,000 LED light panels, which promise a magical experience. The lap started strongly, with a stunning light formation — the Glittering Gateway — that you drive through, watching it change form and colour from different angles as you go.
There were nine zones around the lap, including a very effective laser tunnel known as Jingle Beams, and a beautifully decked-out section called Reindeer Raceway. Finally, we cruised past the Festive Zone (along the start-finish straight), with its coloured lights and bursts of flames, and then the lap was over.
At 10mph, the lap takes longer than you might expect, giving you plenty of time to soak up the details, helped by Christmas music on Elf FM and the silent glide of the electric EV9. The lights reflect into the cabin, sparkling across the glass as you roll from one zone to the next, making the best sections feel genuinely immersive.
For the racing enthusiasts, there were plenty of well-lit cars to the side of the track, from the likes of McLaren, Aston Martin and Ferrari, to keep some interest between the focal points. And, of course, you get to experience driving your own car on the famed circuit, taking in storied corners like Maggots, Stowe and Club, the long Hangar Straight, and the Hamilton Straight under the iconic Wing building.
But the festive magic was a little lacking. There were some really great parts to the lap, but plenty of very long, very dark patches in between, detracting from the sparkling vibe Silverstone was trying to create.
The part that surprised me the most is the app that accompanies the lap itself. This gamifies the experience, with quizzes, trivia, and challenges that score points, and a leaderboard on display. Ok, everything has an associated app right now, but whether you want the kids to be looking at their phones rather than taking in the lights, lasers and displays outside the car is another question.
Undeterred, we finished our lap, headed off the track and made our way to explore the festive zones to see what else the experience had to offer.
The Festive Zone
Previously, Silverstone turned the upper floors of its impressive Wing building overlooking the pit lane into a themed Alpine village, with axe-throwing, curling, live music, food and drink, along with a balcony to watch cars pass by on their lap.
This time around, they’d opened up some pit garages and put some street food stalls in the pit lane. What was once an impressively themed experience is, this year at least, little more than a canteen with some Christmas trees.
While protected from rain — which, happily, we didn’t see any of — it is still left open to a biting cold wind. There is a vaguely festive podium to get a selfie on, and three replica Formula One cars parked to one side between a mobile bar and a mulled wine stand, but little else. If the kids get tired, there’s a cinema area with some comfy kid-sized seating, which was showing The Snowman as we looked in, and a couple of communal giant games for them to play.
Further down the pit lane, the Ice Trak returns, giving visitors the chance to ice skate through the famous pit garages, which is a unique experience not available at any other circuit — and well worth splashing out on, if only to say you’ve done it.
Santa has also taken up residence in the garages, ready to give young visitors a Lego-sponsored experience as they meet the big man himself.
Both of these experiences are extra, and for the Ice Trak, any child under 12 must have an accompanying adult over 18, adding another ticket to the price. Thankfully, adults accompanying a child to Santa’s Garage are admitted free of charge.
Silverstone Lap of Lights: The verdict
What Silverstone has created is undoubtedly a unique experience. There really is nothing else quite like it for the festive season, or at any other time of the year.
What it lacks is continuous flow. The sectors around the lap feel disjointed, with nothing pulling you on from one section to another. And while it’s challenging to jazz up the outside of a pit garage to make it a festive wonder, a couple of Christmas trees at the door did feel underwhelming.
It was a good effort, Silverstone, but we want more. With a little extra magic and more consistency across the lap, Lap of Lights could really be on to a winner — especially at a starting price of £50 per car — and one that would keep families coming back year after year.
What is it: Silverstone Lap of Lights
When: 12th December 2025 until 3rd January 2026
How much: Lap of Lights from £50 per car
Extras: Ice Trak from £8.45 (child) or £11.45 (adult), Santa’s Garage from £18
Average Joes Rating: ★★★☆☆
