WEC Silverstone 6 Hours - anyone been?
Discussion
We started a few years ago and now go every year. There's so much more access to everything than you get at the F1 (according to the Mrs) and we always find it goes a lot quicker than you expect.
If you get a bit bored you can jump on the buses and have a ride around the circuit while watching the cars from the top deck and you can go into the Silverstone wing building if you need to get indoors for a bit or go sit down with a coffee etc.
There are big screens dotted about and I'm sure they sell those little radios for you to listen to during the race if you want.
Sometimes see some very nice metal in the car park too. I saw a Porsche 918 with Stuttgart plates on it last year
If you get a bit bored you can jump on the buses and have a ride around the circuit while watching the cars from the top deck and you can go into the Silverstone wing building if you need to get indoors for a bit or go sit down with a coffee etc.
There are big screens dotted about and I'm sure they sell those little radios for you to listen to during the race if you want.
Sometimes see some very nice metal in the car park too. I saw a Porsche 918 with Stuttgart plates on it last year
I usually find the race goes pretty quick too. Bring an FM radio so you can listen to Radio Le Mans, to keep up with the action. Not all of the grandstands are open, the ones that are open are free, Becketts is a great place to sit and watch just how quick the P1 cars are. Get a seat an hour or so before the grid lines up if you want to watch the start from the start/finish.
The access to the paddock is massively different to F1, you can just wander around the back of the garages. Usually plenty of drivers milling around if you want photos and signatures.
The podium is in a ridiculous place, whoever thought putting it there needs putting down.
The access to the paddock is massively different to F1, you can just wander around the back of the garages. Usually plenty of drivers milling around if you want photos and signatures.
The podium is in a ridiculous place, whoever thought putting it there needs putting down.
It's well worth going to. Plenty of time to stroll around and watch from different vantage points. Radio Le Mans do excellent commentary over the circuit pa alternatively bring a radio.
You can walk around the paddock and peer into the back of the garages and there's loads more to see and do in the fan zone too. Last year you could go into the wing building and watch from a balcony over the pit lane for free and they had to screens indoors when things got chilly!
The racing was epic last year and I wouldn't miss it for the world
You can walk around the paddock and peer into the back of the garages and there's loads more to see and do in the fan zone too. Last year you could go into the wing building and watch from a balcony over the pit lane for free and they had to screens indoors when things got chilly!
The racing was epic last year and I wouldn't miss it for the world
Going this year and also to Nurburgring. Went to Nurburgring last year and it was great. My little ones enjoyed it all too (10 and 8 year olds). I have to say I don't 'get' why Le Mans has such a huge following but WEC seems to struggle to get the crowds but is almost the same racing. Nurburgring had about 65000 fans so was a good crowd and atmosphere. I suppose April in Silverstone can be a bit hit and miss though for weather.
cailean said:
Going this year and also to Nurburgring. Went to Nurburgring last year and it was great. My little ones enjoyed it all too (10 and 8 year olds). I have to say I don't 'get' why Le Mans has such a huge following but WEC seems to struggle to get the crowds but is almost the same racing. Nurburgring had about 65000 fans so was a good crowd and atmosphere. I suppose April in Silverstone can be a bit hit and miss though for weather.
I was at Nurburgring last year and it was really good atmosphere. I think the crowd is growing year on year. They expect around 58k at Silverstone this year which makes it one of the bigger meetings of the year for them. Hope it keeps growing and growing.I went last year, and it represents astonishing value for money. My twins are 7 and they enjoyed both Saturday and Sunday, there's loads going on away from the track, and loads of racing. Not the crowds you get at F1, and superb levels of access to most areas.
It was a little chilly, and a few of the stands were shut off. However it's highly likely we'll be going again this year unless a BTCC round falls on a weekend where I can get off my arse and drive to it from Cornwall (Thruxton is pants)
It was a little chilly, and a few of the stands were shut off. However it's highly likely we'll be going again this year unless a BTCC round falls on a weekend where I can get off my arse and drive to it from Cornwall (Thruxton is pants)
I’m a relative newcomer to endurance racing, having only been going to international races for 20 years but right now it’s as good as I can recall during that period. While we don’t have any engines out there which will make you cry with joy like the BMW V12 or Judd GV4, the variety of cars and quality of racing are awesome. It’s well worth doing Saturday and Sunday so you can enjoy the ELMS race on the Saturday. Last year, the overall top three ended up battling on track right up to the final lap.
The WEC is shaping up to be fascinating in all classes and the great thing with a six hour race is that you can explore the entire circuit and enjoy the cars from every vantage point.
Download the WEC app (and make sure your battery is fully charged!) to take advantage of the live timing. Combined with Radio Le Mans and occasional glances at Twitter for other ‘citizen news’ updates, you can really get into the flow of the race.
The WEC is shaping up to be fascinating in all classes and the great thing with a six hour race is that you can explore the entire circuit and enjoy the cars from every vantage point.
Download the WEC app (and make sure your battery is fully charged!) to take advantage of the live timing. Combined with Radio Le Mans and occasional glances at Twitter for other ‘citizen news’ updates, you can really get into the flow of the race.
chevronb37 said:
Download the WEC app (and make sure your battery is fully charged!) to take advantage of the live timing. Combined with Radio Le Mans
WEC app is a must, well worth the full access season payment. I hear rumblings they are bringing an online on demand service which will mean you can watch the race in your own time.Been four times in the recent past (2008 before the WEC, 2011, 2014, 2015) and it's fair to say I like it a lot 
. My ticket for this year turned up with the pit walk bonus ticket last week, that was rammed last year, there were so many people there that they opened the pit lane gates onto the track so people could get back and into the grandstands before the start of the race. I was almost the only one nosing around the team Bykolles car though (mass manufacturer support is great, but P1 needs more independents as well!)
Over the times I've been it seems there have been more people there each time, the first time there were apparently 20,000 spectators, but it looked more like 200! This is my picture of the start of the 2008 race, back when the startline was in the original location and there was no Wing.
. My ticket for this year turned up with the pit walk bonus ticket last week, that was rammed last year, there were so many people there that they opened the pit lane gates onto the track so people could get back and into the grandstands before the start of the race. I was almost the only one nosing around the team Bykolles car though (mass manufacturer support is great, but P1 needs more independents as well!)Over the times I've been it seems there have been more people there each time, the first time there were apparently 20,000 spectators, but it looked more like 200! This is my picture of the start of the 2008 race, back when the startline was in the original location and there was no Wing.
Bring plenty of warm clothing and then bring some warmer clothing to put on top of your warm clothing. At this time of year it can be really hit-or-miss with the weather and there is nothing worse than being caught out freezing on a grandstand. Especially since Silverstone (and most circuits) seem to have a climate of their own.
playalistic said:
Bring plenty of warm clothing and then bring some warmer clothing to put on top of your warm clothing. At this time of year it can be really hit-or-miss with the weather and there is nothing worse than being caught out freezing on a grandstand. Especially since Silverstone (and most circuits) seem to have a climate of their own.
This^.Vocal Minority said:
Silverstone is also the windiest place in the world....
And also this^.I was there back in 2007, 27th May, when the second WSBK race was cancelled due to weather. It had been chucking it down all day and I kid you not, EVERY single lap saw at least one rider come off at the hairpin we were spectating from. Aside from the rain though, it was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO cold it was ridiculous. The other half disappeared back to the car saying she wouldn't be back BEFORE they made the announcement that race 2 was cancelled.
So, as above, wear plenty of warm layers...and take some more warm layers to put on top of those. And maybe a coat or two to go over those. And a scarf.
Stupid cold windy Silverstone. Brrrr.
I'm going this year for the first time, looking forward to it. Hopefully going to take my 18 month old son on Saturday too, wife isn't interested so gives her a day off. Hope I can keep him entertained. He quite liked watched some racing before so hoping for the best. Will take extra warm clothes for him though.
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