Silverstone on Sunday 16th Nov.
Discussion
What the hell is going on here? Nearly binning it after a red flag 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZWklUuJdio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZWklUuJdio
mantazini said:
Hectic day , but reading some comments makes me wonder. How many Open Track events you've done and how many of them were like that ? No way i think it's acceptable , but it's not fair to slate the company because of 1 "burned pancake " . No one is perfect , give the guys a chance.
A company that runs as many track days as it has with as many years experience should have its s
t together by now.I can totally understand why the Ginetta was passing on the brakes all day. I don't really see the issue, it would have been braking far, far later.
Being on wets, it was probably 2-3 times faster than the those on road tyres/semi-slicks, but it doesn't have the power to pass many of the drivers on the day who flat out refused to move out the way for anything.
Having wet tyres on, following other cars through corners felt totally pedestrian, but I did at least have the power to pass on the straights, too. At one point, we lapped a car in two laps, such was the difference in pace between the fastest and the slowest!
Being on wets, it was probably 2-3 times faster than the those on road tyres/semi-slicks, but it doesn't have the power to pass many of the drivers on the day who flat out refused to move out the way for anything.
Having wet tyres on, following other cars through corners felt totally pedestrian, but I did at least have the power to pass on the straights, too. At one point, we lapped a car in two laps, such was the difference in pace between the fastest and the slowest!
I think everyone knows there were different cars, different abilities, power, talent, tyres and size of testicles but that doesn't make it right on a track day ffs. A track day, its what it was advertised as and track day rules apply to everyone. I was frustrated at times in my reasonably powered car but as I and two or three others waited patiently for the opportunity to pass something......on the straight there were some ignorant driving gods on wets, downforce, and probably fking drugs that felt the rules didn't apply to them.........all for the selfish right to wave their cocks about in the pub......
king drugs that felt the rules didn't apply to them.........all for the selfish right to wave their cocks about in the pub......Sometimes that track is just a dhead magnet.
I wasn't there on Sunday but I have recently been on a day at Silverstone costing twice as much that had lousy driving standards and so many red flags that we couldn't get a continuous 20 minute session done all morning, when we did get out it was always busy because of all the reds.
This was with a well respected top-end organiser that just had a bad day; if you run enough events you are bound to get the odd one where the idiots/breakdowns/weather all land at once and mess it up.
head magnet.I wasn't there on Sunday but I have recently been on a day at Silverstone costing twice as much that had lousy driving standards and so many red flags that we couldn't get a continuous 20 minute session done all morning, when we did get out it was always busy because of all the reds.
This was with a well respected top-end organiser that just had a bad day; if you run enough events you are bound to get the odd one where the idiots/breakdowns/weather all land at once and mess it up.
I understand and agree with the points about organizations having a bad day. It happens to the best but it’s how they deal with it following that defines whether they keep the custom.
Yes the weather was pants, yes there was a real mix of cars, talent and consideration but the event was oversubscribed imo. I don’t do track days regularly but I have been doing them for 7 years and whilst some are more enjoyable than others, I have never left annoyed, never seen so many cars in a pit lane. People were beeping their horns in the queue to get back in the pit lane at one point. We joked about it being worse than the M25. There are four drivers of our car but its always worked, swapping quickly and helping each other with the changeover we have never left a day yet feeling like we haven’t each had enough track time. I wasn’t expecting the share a garage with 4 other cars either but tbf we all did what we needed to without getting in each other’s way.
I managed 8 laps from 9am to 2pm and one of them was a sighting lap ruined by someone sat right on my rear quarter meaning that I wasn’t re-familiarizing myself with the layout or trying to figure out where the grip was but fretting about getting round without incurring any damage. I managed 4 full laps without red flags but they were far from enjoyable, there is no rhythm or learning to be achieved with this amount of laps. I was all over the place as there was no time to figure out the wet line. I was one of those idiots tip toeing around the inside of some of the corners (at sub 20mph in many cases and still sliding) trying to avoid being hit and drifting into the path of those cars that actually had a modicum of grip. I’ve never felt so frustrated in a car, in the way and I knew it but powerless to do anything about it. People passing you whilst you are completely sideways mid corner is not enjoyable. With so many cars on track I can understand why those who had wet tyres and a drivable car were getting frustrated though, I would too. It all points to too many cars on track given the conditions. Nobody was getting any value. We changed onto stickier tyres after lunch when the standing water was gone, I had 1 lap where I managed to get enough temp in the rubber to find a bit of grip in a few of the corners.
I will avoid the slightly cheaper days in the future if they result in much larger numbers. The last time I drove Silverstone in the wet I was able to learn. Despite a couple of big saves where I thought I was way past the point of no return and no actual spins, I didn’t actually gain anything in the way of experience or value on Sunday.
Yes the weather was pants, yes there was a real mix of cars, talent and consideration but the event was oversubscribed imo. I don’t do track days regularly but I have been doing them for 7 years and whilst some are more enjoyable than others, I have never left annoyed, never seen so many cars in a pit lane. People were beeping their horns in the queue to get back in the pit lane at one point. We joked about it being worse than the M25. There are four drivers of our car but its always worked, swapping quickly and helping each other with the changeover we have never left a day yet feeling like we haven’t each had enough track time. I wasn’t expecting the share a garage with 4 other cars either but tbf we all did what we needed to without getting in each other’s way.
I managed 8 laps from 9am to 2pm and one of them was a sighting lap ruined by someone sat right on my rear quarter meaning that I wasn’t re-familiarizing myself with the layout or trying to figure out where the grip was but fretting about getting round without incurring any damage. I managed 4 full laps without red flags but they were far from enjoyable, there is no rhythm or learning to be achieved with this amount of laps. I was all over the place as there was no time to figure out the wet line. I was one of those idiots tip toeing around the inside of some of the corners (at sub 20mph in many cases and still sliding) trying to avoid being hit and drifting into the path of those cars that actually had a modicum of grip. I’ve never felt so frustrated in a car, in the way and I knew it but powerless to do anything about it. People passing you whilst you are completely sideways mid corner is not enjoyable. With so many cars on track I can understand why those who had wet tyres and a drivable car were getting frustrated though, I would too. It all points to too many cars on track given the conditions. Nobody was getting any value. We changed onto stickier tyres after lunch when the standing water was gone, I had 1 lap where I managed to get enough temp in the rubber to find a bit of grip in a few of the corners.
I will avoid the slightly cheaper days in the future if they result in much larger numbers. The last time I drove Silverstone in the wet I was able to learn. Despite a couple of big saves where I thought I was way past the point of no return and no actual spins, I didn’t actually gain anything in the way of experience or value on Sunday.
I think this post pretty much sums up the day for 95% of the attedees!
People suggesting quicker cars with more grip have the right to dart down the inside under braking shows a lack of understanding of the track day concept and empathy for other drivers!
Still no response from Mr Opentrack! UK track organiser of 2015??? Can't imagine they'll be awarded it for 2016!!!
People suggesting quicker cars with more grip have the right to dart down the inside under braking shows a lack of understanding of the track day concept and empathy for other drivers!
Still no response from Mr Opentrack! UK track organiser of 2015??? Can't imagine they'll be awarded it for 2016!!!
biglump said:
I think this post pretty much sums up the day for 95% of the attedees!
People suggesting quicker cars with more grip have the right to dart down the inside under braking shows a lack of understanding of the track day concept and empathy for other drivers!
Still no response from Mr Opentrack! UK track organiser of 2015??? Can't imagine they'll be awarded it for 2016!!!
My point was, it's not really darting down the inside. It simply felt like that to the slower cars because the cars on wets were literally able to brake 20+ meters later.People suggesting quicker cars with more grip have the right to dart down the inside under braking shows a lack of understanding of the track day concept and empathy for other drivers!
Still no response from Mr Opentrack! UK track organiser of 2015??? Can't imagine they'll be awarded it for 2016!!!
I also witnessed people out-dragging Ginettas down the straights after the Ginetta has had to crawl around behind them for 1/4 lap.
Sure, some consideration needs to be made for the slower cars, but it it needs to work both ways and there were a lot of drivers that were very inconsiderate towards the faster cars and expecting them to crawl along at their pace for 1/4 of a lap. I struggled with traffic with the power to get past people on the straights, I can't imagine how frustrating it must have been for the less powerful cars on decent tyres.
Here's what my day looked like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpD4iI9-yts
and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEj2pGBzSQI
Edited by mpit on Tuesday 22 November 20:16
If being behind a car for a quarter of a lap is what's required to be safe then so be it...I've done track days with over 550 horses under my right foot but still give the slower cars time and space...that's what you do on track days.
The other you tube posts on here show the drivers had no consideration for others and it was probably down to the slower drivers awareness that kept people from coming together.
If the day hadn't have been so poorly organised or over subscribed I don't think we'd be having this discussion...
The other you tube posts on here show the drivers had no consideration for others and it was probably down to the slower drivers awareness that kept people from coming together.
If the day hadn't have been so poorly organised or over subscribed I don't think we'd be having this discussion...
the day was awful
worst track day I've attended
the weather may not of helped but really.
i waited 35mins to get out on track and it was red flagged after 1 lap just as i came past the pit lane
came back in and the pit lane was full to go back out again
total laps for the day 12
have done track days with open track and others before and they have been brill
but this had to be the worst
worst track day I've attended
the weather may not of helped but really.
i waited 35mins to get out on track and it was red flagged after 1 lap just as i came past the pit lane
came back in and the pit lane was full to go back out again
total laps for the day 12
have done track days with open track and others before and they have been brill
but this had to be the worst
I did not attend this day, but looking at the video clips, I can see your frustration guys. What a shame for you all.
I have recently been doing RMA days at Silverstone, the videos I have just seen demonstrate that the RMA's overtaking policy on either side is far superior when running this circuit with so many cars. It works so well compared. The long snail like queues of slow cars, just don't happen. Everyone is waiting for a clear overtake on the left, but it's a log jam on a very wide track. Will not be booking any days at Silverstone with Opentrack having seen this.
I have recently been doing RMA days at Silverstone, the videos I have just seen demonstrate that the RMA's overtaking policy on either side is far superior when running this circuit with so many cars. It works so well compared. The long snail like queues of slow cars, just don't happen. Everyone is waiting for a clear overtake on the left, but it's a log jam on a very wide track. Will not be booking any days at Silverstone with Opentrack having seen this.
Gassing Station | Track Days | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff