Brands: Yer not gonna like it
Discussion
From Dingle Dell to Clearways basically is a no go zone. A few little brief areas where you can watch, access roads etc, but you now cant get anywher enear Stirlings or that straight.
They send you on a lovely walk through the wood, miles form the track at Sheenes, and also a new area on Hawthorn Hill, from Hawthorn Hill most of the way round is 10 ft high shiny silver catch fencing. With poke holes for cameras, but they are in front of the old fence so you cant stick your camera through them.
Basically long circuit is now only for drivers, been completely ruined for fans.
So, simply put I will never, ever go there again.
Well done JP
They send you on a lovely walk through the wood, miles form the track at Sheenes, and also a new area on Hawthorn Hill, from Hawthorn Hill most of the way round is 10 ft high shiny silver catch fencing. With poke holes for cameras, but they are in front of the old fence so you cant stick your camera through them.
Basically long circuit is now only for drivers, been completely ruined for fans.
So, simply put I will never, ever go there again.
Well done JP
I would think it was forced on him by the SEAT accident a while ago, as that is the area that you cant basically watch from anymore.
But the endless catch fencing is awful, like watching from the road and not paying to get in.
it will turn off an awful lot of fans believe me. I know 4 at least who will never go to Brands Hatch ever again because of it.
Admittedly they are keen snappers, but even as a punter it is pretty bad.
he might not have any choice, but in reality you might aswell just bloody close the hole old circuit down to speccys as do this as it has been ruined out of all recognition
But the endless catch fencing is awful, like watching from the road and not paying to get in.
it will turn off an awful lot of fans believe me. I know 4 at least who will never go to Brands Hatch ever again because of it.
Admittedly they are keen snappers, but even as a punter it is pretty bad.
he might not have any choice, but in reality you might aswell just bloody close the hole old circuit down to speccys as do this as it has been ruined out of all recognition
My friend was there yesterday and sent me a similar set of photos. Looks miserable.
I was considering heading over for the GT Cup and the Masters in a few weeks. I guess I will do but I think that some of the magic of Brands Hatch may have disappeared.
Are the pits still fairly relaxed?
I was considering heading over for the GT Cup and the Masters in a few weeks. I guess I will do but I think that some of the magic of Brands Hatch may have disappeared.
Are the pits still fairly relaxed?
If anyone has read the article on the Daytona 24 hr in this month's Evo magazine, then this has to be a classic example of what was being said regarding how Europe could learn a lot from how the US hosts motor sport with the specator in mind. I for one won't be paying to watch anything at Brands.
I posted about this under General Motorsport, thanks eastlmark for directing me to this thread.
I am really disappointed with what they have done. Brands has always been my 'go to' track because of the fantastic atmosphere and the freedom to take pictures from pretty much anywhere. Can it really be purely for one race type though - that is ridiculous if it is the case. I think there will be quite a few people reacting by simply not going anymore - I am glad I didn't renew my MSV 4 wheel pass this year now.
I am really disappointed with what they have done. Brands has always been my 'go to' track because of the fantastic atmosphere and the freedom to take pictures from pretty much anywhere. Can it really be purely for one race type though - that is ridiculous if it is the case. I think there will be quite a few people reacting by simply not going anymore - I am glad I didn't renew my MSV 4 wheel pass this year now.
As much as it pains me i'm surprised that it hasn't happend before.
Pilgrims and Hawthorns are massively fast in any of the series that use the GP circuit, there is minimal run off a small row of armco and then into the trees. I would suggest that DTM was the extra push that caused it to happen rather than the only reason.
There have been some monstrous crashes just on that stretch alone, without mentioning the Seat accident at Stirlings.
It's a sad sign of the times but really I don't think we should actually be surprised, i'm more surprised that the GP circuit hasn't been closed down by the people that live with their gardens literally on the circuit perimeter.
Pilgrims and Hawthorns are massively fast in any of the series that use the GP circuit, there is minimal run off a small row of armco and then into the trees. I would suggest that DTM was the extra push that caused it to happen rather than the only reason.
There have been some monstrous crashes just on that stretch alone, without mentioning the Seat accident at Stirlings.
It's a sad sign of the times but really I don't think we should actually be surprised, i'm more surprised that the GP circuit hasn't been closed down by the people that live with their gardens literally on the circuit perimeter.
I agree
But what direction are most of the corners?
right handers, most cars will leave the track left side.
There must have been a risk assessment done, and they obviously concluded this was not what happens, and this is the result.
It's awful, utterly ruins the GP loop experience and is going tom lose them hundreds of fans.
God only knows what the bike racing fans, who no doubt have no idea, will make of it when MSV's biggest series comes to the GP loop.
They will hate it even more as bikes NEVER crash on the inside to be hoenst
But what direction are most of the corners?
right handers, most cars will leave the track left side.
There must have been a risk assessment done, and they obviously concluded this was not what happens, and this is the result.
It's awful, utterly ruins the GP loop experience and is going tom lose them hundreds of fans.
God only knows what the bike racing fans, who no doubt have no idea, will make of it when MSV's biggest series comes to the GP loop.
They will hate it even more as bikes NEVER crash on the inside to be hoenst
Totally agree, although this accident which I guess is part of the reason for the fencing going up is on the inside of the corner... Big bad crash
I'd just like to say that I love Brands just as it was and i've been going since I was 10 yo, I find it really sad but i'd much prefer that the circuit is there and used rather than either shut down or turned into some sort of concrete run off zone like Silverstone, where you're both behind the fencing AND f
king miles from the action.
I'd just like to say that I love Brands just as it was and i've been going since I was 10 yo, I find it really sad but i'd much prefer that the circuit is there and used rather than either shut down or turned into some sort of concrete run off zone like Silverstone, where you're both behind the fencing AND f
king miles from the action.n3il123 said:
Totally agree, although this accident which I guess is part of the reason for the fencing going up is on the inside of the corner... Big bad crash
Yeh but that was what... 8 years ago now ?? they moved the fences further back anyway after that happened... You asked what we bike racing fans think it - it sucks. I went to one of the three GP circuit bike meetings today - two are BSB rounds - and was stunned by it, and very glad not to have booked to go to the July round of BSB. The Bemsee meeting is over two days and I have often camped nearby to go both days. Other commitments - luckily - restricted it to just today. I like taking photographs but also prefer to watch racing outside the confines of a prison camp. That's why I love Irish road racing - fence? that's what you sit on to watch!
I have been to other circuits - Assen for example has fences mainly to keep the crowd from invading the track. Not sure what they would make of the strands of wire Brands Hatch has had for decades. But, there is plenty of photo opportunity as the circuit has viewing banks all round and you can shoot over the fences. There is nothing at Brands. My day was saved by watching from the trees on the outside of the approach to Hawthorn Bend where they forgot to put up any fence to stop access. The marshals don't seem to use the track up to their post any longer so in time it will become overgrown, if they don't close it off first. To think, before my first visit in the early 80s there used to be a stand there looking down the Minter Straight. The toilet block was still there for a decade or so.
Different viewing areas for bikes and cars would make more sense but probably not worth the effort to suggest.
I have been to other circuits - Assen for example has fences mainly to keep the crowd from invading the track. Not sure what they would make of the strands of wire Brands Hatch has had for decades. But, there is plenty of photo opportunity as the circuit has viewing banks all round and you can shoot over the fences. There is nothing at Brands. My day was saved by watching from the trees on the outside of the approach to Hawthorn Bend where they forgot to put up any fence to stop access. The marshals don't seem to use the track up to their post any longer so in time it will become overgrown, if they don't close it off first. To think, before my first visit in the early 80s there used to be a stand there looking down the Minter Straight. The toilet block was still there for a decade or so.
Different viewing areas for bikes and cars would make more sense but probably not worth the effort to suggest.
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