Silverstone presents circuit for the future

Reuters - Thu, 29 Apr 17:05:00 2010

The home of the British Grand Prix, regularly slated by Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone, has unveiled a revamped circuit to take it into a new era.

2010 Britain's Prince Andrew sits behind former Formula One driver Damon Hill as Hill drives on the new Silverstone F1 Grand Prix circuit - 0

With Britain's Prince Andrew cutting a ribbon to open the new Silverstone track and then being driven around by 1996 Formula One champion Damon Hill in a two-seater race car (pictured), Silverstone's owners predicted a bright future for the former World War Two airfield.

The circuit, which hosted the first Formula One championship race in 1950 and last year agreed a 17-year deal for the British Grand Prix, includes MotoGP and world superbikes on its calendar.

"The development of Silverstone really is the crowning glory, and symbolises as a material representation of everything this country has done...in their successes on the track," declared Hill, president of the British Racing Drivers' Club that owns the track.

"This is a new circuit for a new generation of people to enjoy motorsport in the way we think they should and we hope it's also going to offer an incredible challenge to the drivers of the future."

The new layout, part of a major redevelopment that will have cost the BRDC nearly £40 million by the end of next year, includes six new corners and is also longer.

The pits will be relocated and a new Wellington Straight should become the fastest part of the circuit instead of Hanger.

Past and present racers gave the makeover a thumbs up.

"The good thing, mate, is that they kept all the good stuff," said Red Bull's Australian Mark Webber. "The quick kink off the new back straight looks very quick."

Retired grand prix winner Johnny Herbert seconded that: "It is the circuit for the future for sure," he told Reuters, looking out over a panorama of bare earth that will be transformed into a new pit and paddock complex by next year.

"I think it gives a little added spice to the track that we've lost...we've still got the historic high speed and I think we definitely have an overtaking opportunity. So I think it's a better facility overall.

"It's a circuit that Britain and Europe can be proud of.

We've got all these new modern tracks around the world that are vastly amazing in what they have actually produced but I think Silverstone is the best in Europe," he added.

"I think it's going to be the European fightback."

Britain's triple world champion Jackie Stewart, taking a break from accompanying visiting royalty, agreed.

"I think this circuit has always been one of the leading racetracks," he told Reuters. "I think the new part of it allows the development of Silverstone to really secure the long-term stability of Formula One and motorsports in this country."

Silverstone had been due to be stripped of the Formula One race this year, with Donington Park securing a long-term deal with Ecclestone until that venture became a casualty of the global financial crisis.

Ecclestone, a Briton who has taken Formula One to extravagant new venues in Abu Dhabi and China in recent years, has in the past likened Silverstone to a dilapidated old house and a country fair masquerading as a world event.

Hill was able to make light of that: "Some people like the country fair atmosphere at Silverstone," he told Reuters with a smile. "It's always had that nice British summertime feel."

This year's British GP, likely to attract a big crowd with Britain's world champions Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton now team mates at McLaren, is on July 11."

Reuters

Comment 11 - 30 of 30

Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

  1. MURRAY WALKER IS MISSED BY ALL PERCEPTIVE VIEWERS

    From Sue, on Wed 5 May 6:52AM

  2. CONGRATULATIONS TO SUPER STAR COMMENTATOR ```````````­ MURRAY***** WALKER

    GREATLY MISSED BY ALL INTELLIGENT­ VIEWERS

    From Sue, on Tue 4 May 8:55PM

  3. i dont know about anyone else but i have always said­ that ecclestones a **** if he had anything about him­ he'd put his own hand in his own pocket as a fellow­ briton and shell out some of his vast fortune on­ donington and silverstone so that us brits can have­ world class motorsport on world class cicuits instead­ of him and all his cronies lining there own pockets

    From IVANA, on Tue 4 May 7:13PM

  4. by the way leave mr murray walker out of anything, hes­ a good bloke and a good ambassador for all motorsport,­ what do you get out of slating a legend, which­ incidently he IS

    From raginape, on Tue 4 May 4:43PM

  5. donington is and always will be a better racetrack than­ silverstone. donington is far more scenic and far more­ interesting to watch, and YES the toilets are @#$%, yes­ getting out is @#$% (what racetrack isnt?). Donington­ is far better situated, airport,rail,motorway. it is­ far more easier to get to for most people. and i have a­ question for everyone? would you not like to see mr­ ecclesstone buy donington and use his billions to­ restore donington to its former glory, wouldnt cost him­ much : ) and then i think all F1, MOTOGP, WSB, BSB fans­ would be happy. i by fans i mean all true racing fans

    From raginape, on Tue 4 May 4:41PM

  6. if you want to make a track interesting, put a zebra­ crossing in the middle of the home straight, next,­ stick a few fivers on the white bits, and let the dwarf­ pick em up during the race... now that WOULD attract­ the crowds.

    From rod, on Mon 3 May 7:52PM

  7. Remember how sad we all were when Murray Walker was­ departing the scene? You'd have thought they would­ have named one of the 'new' corners after him.­ Out of sight etc.etc.
    Those who've commented ­ above about Donington, can now see how to SPELL it!

    From RICHARD, on Mon 3 May 10:18AM

  8. I would like to see the GP alternate between a variety­ of circuits but the problem is that BE & Co want­ Rolls Royce facilities as far as they are concerned so­ they can keep making trolleys full of cash from wealthy­ people. The real enthusiast always tends to get­ squeezed out. At least new technology is making slot­ car racing even more life-like. We can take our revenge­ stay home, play with the Scalextric and watch­ videos/DVDs of past races on the TV. And if petrol gets­ any more expensive, we won't be able to get to­ work, let alone out to play ...

    From ST Wuggles, on Sun 2 May 4:18PM

  9. Carolyn,
    They have spent a fortune - of spectators'­ money - constantly changing the Silverstone circuit­ over the years and they may not have got it right yet!­ Would like to know if they have improved the view,­ built up the banking, got the spectators closer to the­ action and provided decent loos?

    From ST Wuggles, on Sun 2 May 4:08PM

  10. Whilst it is nice to see Silverstone develope into a­ more interesting track, I am still disappointed that­ Donnington didn't go ahead. OK, so Silverstone­ hosted a GP in 1950, but what about all the amazing­ Grands Prix in the 1930's at Donnington. It has­ every bit as much heritage as Silverstone, has more­ relief and variation in terrain, and is more accessible­ to all those of us who live "up North". ­ Unfortunately, though, money does rule and the numbers­ didn't add up for Donnington. Anyone who has­ stood on the bank above the old hairpin and watched­ cars or bikes for more than half of the lap from that­ one point will understand why I think it is such a­ wonderful circuit.

    From Matthew, on Sun 2 May 5:31AM

  11. Real Adrian - sadly I have to report the Bernie­ Ecclescake is actually a member of the BRDC - you­ wouldn't think so when you hear him potificating on­ about us.
    The worst part of it is that he can actually­ get access into the BRDC clubhouse - outrageous! He­ might just fall over the balcony next time he visits­ (except he's a bit too short to reach over the hand­ rail - it may need a good hard push to get him over.)

    From Nick B, on Sat 1 May 11:31PM

  12. I think its great that we have a new circuit but to be­ fair there was nothing wrong with the old one. I raced­ there for many years and it was always my favourite of­ all the UK tracks. The only thing that could have been­ improved was the facilities. The pits were a bit­ wartime and the competitors toilet/shower block was­ always a bit stretched. The spectators facilities were­ bad but no worse than any other circuit in the country.­ They spoiled the circuit when they built the new loop,­ hopefully thats all gone but its a shame they havent­ reinstated Abbey, when you went through there flat out­ you couldnt help but grin.

    From Stubbsey, on Sat 1 May 6:26PM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    THE TROUBLE WITH SILVERSTONE IS NOT THE TRACK BUT ALL­ OF THE SMALL MINDED "HAS BEENS" THAT HAVE­ HELD BACK ITS DEVELOPMENT FOR MANY,MANY YEARS.SPEND THE­ MONEY ON THE TRACK AND STOP REVELING IN THE GLORY DAYS­ OF SENNA AND PROST ETC,LIFE MOVES ON BUT THE­ SILVERSTONE CIRCUIT REMAINS LOCKED IN A TIME WARP.THE­ BRDC AND TRACK OWNERS SHHOULD BE THOROUGHLY DISGUSTED­ WITH THEIR BUSINESS EFFORTS OVER THE YEARS,GIVE F1 THE­ BRILLIANT CIRCUIT AND FACILITIES THAT THEY DESERVE.

    From CAROLYN, on Sat 1 May 2:06PM

  14. @ Arthur "a 300mm lense just to get a birds eye­ view" lol. I like that. Maybe you should take a­ Bigma. If they let you in with it that is. It looks a­ little sinister.

    From kipketer1411, on Sat 1 May 7:47AM

  15. Just hope the new track is not as sterile as the other­ new build around the world, with the public kept so far­ back now (in the perceived interest of safety) that you­ need a 300mm lense just to get a birds eye view.

    O­ bring back the little notices spread about every 100­ yards which said "Warning to the public, motor­ racing is dangerious" and Alan Jones in the­ Williams on his 1:11:88 qualifying lap which had us­ moving away from the circuit every time he arrived at­ our spot.

    From ARTHUR, on Fri 30 Apr 5:46PM

  16. To comment 17,
    While i agree with you whole heartedly­ that its great to see silverstone finally being­ improved, it'll a massive shame and kick in the­ teeth to British motorsport if we lose Donnington Park.

    From Jonathan, on Fri 30 Apr 5:45PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Reading the artical here everything is sounding­ positive here, a new straight and the circuit actually­ being lengthened which sounds great. I am looking­ forward to seeing the new layout and what they have­ actually done to the circuit. If Donnington had gone­ ahead all of this would not have gone ahead and­ Silverstone has finally picked itself up. I don't­ what to sound arrogant here, but I have been saying for­ a while that Silverstone needed strong investment and­ once the investment pounds came through, well see what­ can be achieved. The UK can finally be proud of­ something really good, I just hope that all of the­ British Motor Racing fans will appreciate what has been­ done here.

    From official_formula1police, on Fri 30 Apr 4:55PM

  18. fantastic !!
    all we need now is somebody to run over­ the dwarf on the fast bit
    well done silverstone up­ yours bernie !

    From rock, on Fri 30 Apr 12:21PM

  19. nice artist's drawing.
    kinda why i was drawn into­ clicking on the story...cause i wanted to see what the­ future had in store for Silverstone.....the headline­ even said it.

    From cabana boy, on Fri 30 Apr 12:11PM

  20. Lets face it F1 is BRITISH... even if most of the teams­ are financed from "abroad" 80% of the teams­ are based in the UK and I would think 90% of the F1­ tech's are British... you just have to listen to­ the team radios during a race...very rarely a foreign­ accent, except the drivers.
    Silverstone is the British­ GP so why the hell did BE try his hardest to move to­ the middle east ? .. stupid fart !

    From davids, on Fri 30 Apr 12:00PM
Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account