RE: New Silverstone Pit Complex Officially Open
Discussion
robinessex said:
fatboy69 said:
I hope not. Silverstone is the British GP's spiritual home &, sadly, Brands doesnt deserve to get it back.
IMO.
WHY ?IMO.
It should be OK to watch on TV. Not as interesting as Brands Hatch due to lack of gradient or interesting landscape. It looks as though there might be opportunities for clubs to hire different layouts now. I was at a VSCC meeting in April and the ancient Club circuit is a bit boring for spectators and slower cars. (Although safe.) Brands Hatch would be impossible to modify to include adequate run-off for today's F1 sadly due to the proximity of roads and houses.
AdeV said:
Not sure about not deserving it; but given the raft of changes that would be required, I'd prefer it not to go anywhere but Silverstone. Any other UK circuit would be ruined by the required "upgrades". Except maybe Croft, I wouldn't mind seeing that one dug up & replaced with something better...
Portimao in Portugal is proof that new F1-grade circuits CAN be built, and CAN be great.... if only F1 would go there...
Dropped in on Portimao on recent Holiday. Fantastic place - made Silverstone look what is is, a flat featureless airfield. I've raced the new circuit and it isn't an improvement - new section ruins the flow of the old GP track IMHO.Portimao in Portugal is proof that new F1-grade circuits CAN be built, and CAN be great.... if only F1 would go there...
Hendry said:
Brands got struck off for being "too dangerous", which is a shame as I loved it -- far better to drive and to watch than Silverstone. I haven't been there for years but if you look at aerial pics now you can see there is housing built almost right up to the fence of the GP circuit, so I am not sure it would work anymore.
No extra houses have been built adjacent to Brands Hatch since the 1970's. I should know, I used to marshal the GP circuit when it was used (post19). Dingle Dell. Those houses were there then.FWDRacer said:
Dropped in on Portimao on recent Holiday. Fantastic place - made Silverstone look what is is, a flat featureless airfield. I've raced the new circuit and it isn't an improvement - new section ruins the flow of the old GP track IMHO.
I've only driven a couple of laps of Portimao - I think every single corner has a blind exit (or blind apex, or both); very tricky, but fun!I've only driven the National circuit at (old) Silverstone, awesome first corner, that's about all that interested me. I do recall the facilities being very primitive, so the new complex looks much better.
You can criticise Bernie all you want (I usually do) regarding his threats and insults, but to be fair Silverstone has until now (assuming - haven't seen it yet) been little more than a toilet. Everything about it was shoddy and embarassing. To 'enjoy' this rubbish, one was asked to part with huuuge amounts of their hard earned. Frankly, it deserved the criticism and the refusal by the BRD crew to address the substandard quality of everything from the car park, the stands, the catering, the toilets was shameful. Would these new facilities have ever been built if Bernie didn't rattle his sword?
tr7v8 said:
It is still a dreary circuit & this won't make a blind bit of difference. Last meeting I went there to I left at around 12:30 as I'd seen all I wanted to. No sight lines to speak of, so difficult photography. Still rubbish access.
Totally agree about the spectating experience, with the possible exception of Luffield complex you can only see the bit of the track you're near. It's the old upturned saucer syndrome. Short Brands circuit is the opposite, hence much better for viewing, and the full circuit is nice to walk round, it has an almost continental feel about it, a bit like a short Le Mans. The new pits at Silverstone look really great. But are they going to build a nice new purpose built grandstand on the opposite side of the track or is it just the 'great and the good' of F1 thats going to be warm and dry. It will probably be another scaffolding grandstand as opposite the old pits.
Anybody been to the new Nurburgring where you can keep dry opposite the pits and with proper catering and toilets.
Anybody been to the new Nurburgring where you can keep dry opposite the pits and with proper catering and toilets.
robinessex said:
I suppose there's no chance of the GP going back to Brands Hatch, is There?
Absolutely none! Silverstone Circuits Ltd has reportedly secured the British GP for the next 17 years.Brands is a beautiful circuit as it currently is and would have to undergo massive changes to make it acceptable for modern F1 cars. Aside from that fact the site is not big enough and the neighbours are not motorsport friendly, noise abatement nonsense.
Yeloperil said:
Absolutely none! Silverstone Circuits Ltd has reportedly secured the British GP for the next 17 years.
Brands is a beautiful circuit as it currently is and would have to undergo massive changes to make it acceptable for modern F1 cars. Aside from that fact the site is not big enough and the neighbours are not motorsport friendly, noise abatement nonsense.
Why. Monaco hasn't. And 1500 bhp Turbo F1 monsters used to race here. And why do we have to pander to the idiots who buy a house next to a race circuit, and then complain of the noise! I remember John Webb, the circuit boss in the 60-70's, telling the vocal neighbours, he'd close the circuit, and they could couhg up the millions they'd loose from the circuits contribution to the local economy. That usually shut them up.Brands is a beautiful circuit as it currently is and would have to undergo massive changes to make it acceptable for modern F1 cars. Aside from that fact the site is not big enough and the neighbours are not motorsport friendly, noise abatement nonsense.
Goodfella 555 said:
Brands is by far my favorite circuit in the UK it is a massive shame we no longer have F1 there.
Its 'strange' (the politest word i can think of) how Bernie has so much cash yet Silverstone struggles to break even on an F1 weekend, tickets aren't exactly cheap...
Regardless of all the politics it is a relief that there is going to be an F1 race in Britain for the foreseeable future, it would have been embarrassing on a world-wide scale.
The reason why Silverstone struggles to break even is simple, their only GP income is from ticket sales and catering vendors and which they then pay Bernie to host it so it barely washes its face. Bernie takes all TV and advertising rights money along with sales to his Paddock Club guests.Its 'strange' (the politest word i can think of) how Bernie has so much cash yet Silverstone struggles to break even on an F1 weekend, tickets aren't exactly cheap...
Regardless of all the politics it is a relief that there is going to be an F1 race in Britain for the foreseeable future, it would have been embarrassing on a world-wide scale.
The only 'benefit' Silverstone receives from hosting the GP is a F1 circuit accreditation from the FIA and the prestige. From a business sense it is questionable hence the reason why BRDC members and commercial backers alike have historically found it difficult to justify.
I tested at Silverstone a couple of weeks ago. Normally at this time of year the pit garages have just had a spruce up - lick of paint in the loos, new toilet seats, water heaters etc... all in preparation for F1
This year, because the new 'Wing' will be used, the old pits have received no attention at all. Silverstone have introduced new charges however - you pay a fee for the car, as always, but now there is a £90 charge per additional driver. When questioned they said they 'had to pay for the new building somehow!'. It was said partly in jest, but you have to wonder.
My worry is the new complex will be used only for F1, Superbikes and FIA GT, with everything else operating out of the old complex. I have no problem with that if they keep the old pits in decent condition, but you can already see the decline starting....
This year, because the new 'Wing' will be used, the old pits have received no attention at all. Silverstone have introduced new charges however - you pay a fee for the car, as always, but now there is a £90 charge per additional driver. When questioned they said they 'had to pay for the new building somehow!'. It was said partly in jest, but you have to wonder.
My worry is the new complex will be used only for F1, Superbikes and FIA GT, with everything else operating out of the old complex. I have no problem with that if they keep the old pits in decent condition, but you can already see the decline starting....
Affalterbach said:
The new pits at Silverstone look really great. But are they going to build a nice new purpose built grandstand on the opposite side of the track or is it just the 'great and the good' of F1 thats going to be warm and dry. It will probably be another scaffolding grandstand as opposite the old pits.
Anybody been to the new Nurburgring where you can keep dry opposite the pits and with proper catering and toilets.
I've been looking for some photos on what's going to be there for this years Grand Prix as I have tickets for the new pit straight opposite "The Wing". I'm guessing this will be the same type of thing as the old pit straights, IE scaffolding. When I was up there last year for the Porsche PH Sunday Service, it was just a grass bank !!!Anybody been to the new Nurburgring where you can keep dry opposite the pits and with proper catering and toilets.
As a local resident, I'm hoping to pick up tickets to the opening ceremony later today...
(ETA: Misread that completely - tickets are not for the opening ceremony (which we've missed), but for the first event to use the new complex - the FIA GT1 in 3 weeks...)
Edited by BazMV6 on Tuesday 17th May 19:05
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