Free admission to A1GP testing at Silverstone 28-29th Aug
Discussion
Nice to see open access these days. Especially since it's no longer free to see the F1 testing.
Crash.net said:
A1GP officials have announced that for the first time, spectators will be welcomed to the official A1GP session at the British circuit later this month.
All 22 A1GP teams will be running at the test session on Tuesday 28 August and Wednesday 29 August, with many trying new drivers in the build-up to the 2007/08 season, which begins at Zandvoort, the Netherlands on September 30. Many cars will have new liveries which will be unveiled at the test, and it will be the first chance to see teams trial new driver combinations.
There will be no entrance fee and no charge for parking, and covered grandstand seating will also be available at no extra cost. In addition, fans will also have the chance to get up close to the teams and drivers, with paddock access also free where there will be a tyre-change challenge. Food and refreshments can also be purchased.
“We are delighted to be able to welcome members of the public to the test session reinforcing the fact that A1GP is the most accessible motorsport series around,” said Pete da Silva, CEO of A1GP.
“It's the first time we've ever done this so it will be a great way for people to experience the thrill of A1GP, especially as entrance is free. I'm sure it's going to be a great day out for our visitors.”
A1GP Official pre-season testing schedule:
Tuesday 28 August
A1GP Official Testing Session one 09.00 to 12.30
A1GP Official Testing Session two 14.30 to 17.00
A1GP Paddock opens with tyre change challenge 16.30
Wednesday 29 August
A1GP Paddock opens with tyre change challenge 09.00
A1GP Official Testing Session three 09.00 to 12.30
A1GP Official Testing Session four 14.30 to 17.00
All 22 A1GP teams will be running at the test session on Tuesday 28 August and Wednesday 29 August, with many trying new drivers in the build-up to the 2007/08 season, which begins at Zandvoort, the Netherlands on September 30. Many cars will have new liveries which will be unveiled at the test, and it will be the first chance to see teams trial new driver combinations.
There will be no entrance fee and no charge for parking, and covered grandstand seating will also be available at no extra cost. In addition, fans will also have the chance to get up close to the teams and drivers, with paddock access also free where there will be a tyre-change challenge. Food and refreshments can also be purchased.
“We are delighted to be able to welcome members of the public to the test session reinforcing the fact that A1GP is the most accessible motorsport series around,” said Pete da Silva, CEO of A1GP.
“It's the first time we've ever done this so it will be a great way for people to experience the thrill of A1GP, especially as entrance is free. I'm sure it's going to be a great day out for our visitors.”
A1GP Official pre-season testing schedule:
Tuesday 28 August
A1GP Official Testing Session one 09.00 to 12.30
A1GP Official Testing Session two 14.30 to 17.00
A1GP Paddock opens with tyre change challenge 16.30
Wednesday 29 August
A1GP Paddock opens with tyre change challenge 09.00
A1GP Official Testing Session three 09.00 to 12.30
A1GP Official Testing Session four 14.30 to 17.00
Fingers crossed I should be going to this - just need some one to cover a meeting for me at work!!
Glad to see that it's free - hopefully this will encourage a few more people to check it out. i thought the racing at Brands was pretty good ealier in the year.
Will hopefully be going o the Tuesday - will make the bankholiday weekend feel a bit longer!
Chris
Glad to see that it's free - hopefully this will encourage a few more people to check it out. i thought the racing at Brands was pretty good ealier in the year.
Will hopefully be going o the Tuesday - will make the bankholiday weekend feel a bit longer!
Chris
Centurion07 said:
funkyrobot said:
Its a 3-4hr journey down to brands for me but i'm very very tempted to go on the Wednesday.
Well posted FWD!!
I wouldn't bother going to Brands, title says it's at Silverstone?! Well posted FWD!!
Thats a classic mess up due to being up at 3am in the morning when you have been ill for the last few days and slept for about 4 hours!!
ROFL i'm an idiot
Right then, went to this today and I think the organiser's (A1GP) have missed a trick.....
Public access is only from Bridge to just before Copse - with most of the enclosures open but only the pit straight grandstand
- what about the rest of the (international) circuit??
There were a burger van, a mobile bar, a donut van and an ice cream van - all located behind the pit grandstand, so your choices for lunch are limited - unless like us you go for a walk down into the village and have lunch/beer in the White Horse
.
There wasn't any access to the paddock area until 16:30 (which we knew about anyway), and when you do get to the paddock there isn't much there - just got to look at the back of the garages and do the 'wheel change challenge'.
Now I was under the impression that A1GP were trying to push this as a bit of 'family fun' etc - well TBH I wouldn't have wanted to take kids with me - they'd have been well bored if there for the whole day. There was nobody selling any A1 merchandise and you couldn't get to the paddock cafe - which lets face it if it rains is the only place you can go!
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be too hard on then, but I think they could have done better. It was free, and also great to see the cars (well between Bridge and Copse anyway....) on the track - if not upclose and personal in the paddock.
Oh and the spectator marshall's hadn't got a clue as to which access you could use for the paddock when it did open (which was the foot bridge by copse).
Chris
Public access is only from Bridge to just before Copse - with most of the enclosures open but only the pit straight grandstand
- what about the rest of the (international) circuit??There were a burger van, a mobile bar, a donut van and an ice cream van - all located behind the pit grandstand, so your choices for lunch are limited - unless like us you go for a walk down into the village and have lunch/beer in the White Horse
. There wasn't any access to the paddock area until 16:30 (which we knew about anyway), and when you do get to the paddock there isn't much there - just got to look at the back of the garages and do the 'wheel change challenge'.
Now I was under the impression that A1GP were trying to push this as a bit of 'family fun' etc - well TBH I wouldn't have wanted to take kids with me - they'd have been well bored if there for the whole day. There was nobody selling any A1 merchandise and you couldn't get to the paddock cafe - which lets face it if it rains is the only place you can go!
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be too hard on then, but I think they could have done better. It was free, and also great to see the cars (well between Bridge and Copse anyway....) on the track - if not upclose and personal in the paddock.
Oh and the spectator marshall's hadn't got a clue as to which access you could use for the paddock when it did open (which was the foot bridge by copse).
Chris
Yes it was rather a dissapointing show - I was there 0910 to 1215 and barely saw 100 spectators in total ( I'm being generous there! )
I'd say it was similar access to F1 testing ( before this year's F1 test charge)...and as well catered for. Quite often F1 testing didn't have any catering at all, so was the norm to bring sandwiches and a tinny or flask.
On the plus side, loads of space in the car park
I'd say it was similar access to F1 testing ( before this year's F1 test charge)...and as well catered for. Quite often F1 testing didn't have any catering at all, so was the norm to bring sandwiches and a tinny or flask.
On the plus side, loads of space in the car park
the cars sounded awesome, my ears hurt now 
well I enjoyed it, was very empty of spectators and wasn't a lot else to do but wasn't really expecting anything as it was there test day.
was hoping to see a tyre change but whether I missed it or they weren't showing the public I don't know. Unless they meant the car in the container where you could change one tyre!!!!
also got to visit silverstone performance which was just round the corner and some poorly TVRs
but being well looked after 
and also visited some relatives who cooked me dinner so all in all I had a great day
was gonna stay over and go again this morning, but a couple of hrs was really enough to get a feel for it.
well I enjoyed it, was very empty of spectators and wasn't a lot else to do but wasn't really expecting anything as it was there test day.
was hoping to see a tyre change but whether I missed it or they weren't showing the public I don't know. Unless they meant the car in the container where you could change one tyre!!!!
also got to visit silverstone performance which was just round the corner and some poorly TVRs
but being well looked after and also visited some relatives who cooked me dinner so all in all I had a great day was gonna stay over and go again this morning, but a couple of hrs was really enough to get a feel for it.
Just got into work after going this morning. I took my neice & nephew (9 & 7 respectively) and we were there for about 3hrs. They didn't get too bored but were definately ready to go by the time we left.
I thought it was pretty good TBH. It would definately be better with more food stalls etc.
We went straight into the paddock area and had a wander round and got talking to a guy (A1GP dude) who suggested we ask to get into one of the pit garages. I wandered over and tried to get someones attention but to no avail. We wandered a bit further down the paddock and got waved over by the same guy. He then ushered us through the barriers with a 'they're with me' to the security and took us into the Team Austrailia garage. Quality.
Got some good pics of the driver (don't know who yet) getting sorted and into the car etc. Well chuffed with getting in there, so big thankyou to Mike (forgot his surname withing secs, useless idiot that i am) for getting us in there. Turns out he's the man in charge of pit & paddock logistics for A1GP - with guys like him helping get spectators into the pits i can certainly say i'll be taking more interest in A1GP this season.
Also - saw a nice red Enzo going over the bridge, a stunning Corvette Stingray roung the back of Woodcote and a lovely old Jag on the roundabout at the entrance. Once i get chance i'll (try) and post some pics.
All in all
I thought it was pretty good TBH. It would definately be better with more food stalls etc.
We went straight into the paddock area and had a wander round and got talking to a guy (A1GP dude) who suggested we ask to get into one of the pit garages. I wandered over and tried to get someones attention but to no avail. We wandered a bit further down the paddock and got waved over by the same guy. He then ushered us through the barriers with a 'they're with me' to the security and took us into the Team Austrailia garage. Quality.
Got some good pics of the driver (don't know who yet) getting sorted and into the car etc. Well chuffed with getting in there, so big thankyou to Mike (forgot his surname withing secs, useless idiot that i am) for getting us in there. Turns out he's the man in charge of pit & paddock logistics for A1GP - with guys like him helping get spectators into the pits i can certainly say i'll be taking more interest in A1GP this season.
Also - saw a nice red Enzo going over the bridge, a stunning Corvette Stingray roung the back of Woodcote and a lovely old Jag on the roundabout at the entrance. Once i get chance i'll (try) and post some pics.
All in all
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