'Official' Testing at Silverstone this month?

[shoestring7]

Young SS7 junior is F1 mad and would love to see the cars in action, but the GP is too expensive/stressful etc for a youngester.

I understand that most teams test at the venue a couple of weeks before each race, and that this is open to the public. Is this correct, and if so when is the Silvertone test? Or have I missed it?

Any other tips?

thanks

[Marc W]

Hi,

you are correct there is testing at Silverstone this month (Next week, I believe on Tuesday-Thursday). Before this season there used to be 3 or 4 tests open to the public at silverstone per year with at least two teams sometimes more turning up. The pre BGP test was the big one with most of the teams turning up. Entry was always free This year however the other tests have been cancelled and the test next week is the only public accessible test at Silverstone this season. They have also started charging £10 to get in. Up till now, unless you are a team guest or a member of the Silverstone racing club, (Silverstone racing club members get access to the pits in the lunchbreak and paddock acess all afternoon.) you have only been able to watch from the final complex and part of the start/finish straight. Whether this will change now they are charging I'm not sure, although I hope so! I've been going to these tests since 2001 and I'm quite disapointed they've started charging, especially as you aren't guarnteed what on track action will happen, if it rains they rarely do any running at all.

Some photos from my last test at Silverstone;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19193662@N00/sets/721...

If you want any more specific advice, let me know and I'll try to help