Custom Typeface for Silverstone
A 26-degree Union Jack angle drives every letterform
Fontfabric designed a custom type system for Silverstone Circuit's rebrand, commissioned by AgencyTK in July 2020 and delivered in January 2021. The system comprises two families: a Display typeface in Bold and ExtraBold for headings, and a Text family across multiple weights for on- and offline use. Terminal cuts follow a 26-degree angle derived from a specific subsection of the Union Jack flag. The Display family's oval construction was conceived by linking Bézier geometry to a racing car's aerodynamics. The capital R in the Display font references the Loop bend on the Silverstone circuit.
Insights
- A separate Display family with wider proportions was chosen over a bold cut of the Text family, which the team judged insufficient for heading use.
- Text family terminals are sharp-angled with slightly rounded ends; ovals are squarish with acute joins at stems.
- According to Type Director Plamen Motev, the Display oval construction principle—linking Bézier geometry to vehicle aerodynamics—emerged during research and received immediate approval after rapid iterations.
- Extended Latin script and tabular figures were included to satisfy multi-environment usability requirements across the broader brand beyond F1.
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