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[texasmr2]

Can't wait to see the race !

[EwanM]

Hopefully they can tidy up the place before the race. So it doesn't look so building sitey

[Jensonb]

Hopefully they can tidy up the place before the race. So it doesn't look so building sitey

Oh I dunno...Lends it a certain rustic "Made In Britain" charm.

[texasmr2]

Hopefully they can tidy up the place before the race. So it doesn't look so building sitey

Oh I dunno...Lends it a certain rustic "Made In Britain" charm.

Maybe Tilke should be notified ?

[Jensonb]

Hopefully they can tidy up the place before the race. So it doesn't look so building sitey

Oh I dunno...Lends it a certain rustic "Made In Britain" charm.

Maybe Tilke should be locked away in a tower far away from the track design industry, never to be heard from again ?

Fixed that for you

[texasmr2]

Hopefully they can tidy up the place before the race. So it doesn't look so building sitey

Oh I dunno...Lends it a certain rustic "Made In Britain" charm.

Maybe Tilke should be locked away in a tower far away from the track design industry, never to be heard from again ?

Fixed that for you

Just don't fix anymore for me ok ??

[EwanM]

Mixed response to new Silverstone

By Simon Strang Saturday, May 1st 2010, 11:37 GMT

The new 3.7-mile Silverstone 'Arena' Grand Prix track has received mixed reviews from drivers competing in this weekend's FIA GT World Championship round.

Some, like Aston Martin's Darren Turner and former GT1 Le Mans winner Oliver Gavin gave the new layout - which was originally designed to cater for the return of the British MotoGP in June – a resounding thumbs up.

Others such as former Renault Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean believed the track not as good as its predecessor.

"It's nothing special," said Grosjean – who raced on the previous track in GP2. "We have lost Bridge and the complex which was very nice and we didn't gain much with the new part. I'm not a 100 per cent convinced.

"With the single-seater cars they are flat-out through Abbey and in Formula 1 it is going to be very fast as well. I don't think it gives any overtaking opportunities. So that's a bit a shame."

Sumo Nissan drivers Warren Hughes and Jamie Campbell-Walter added that they reckoned the new Village/Loop section following the fast Abbey section had broken up the flow of the track.

"I've got very mixed feelings simply because I really liked the old layout," said Hughes. "If I was driving here for the first time then maybe I would have a different perception. But for me they have taken away two really challenging corners at Bridge and Priory and replaced them with some good kinks but also a slow-speed section which is very frustrating.

"I'm not sure what that brings to the whole thing. It spoils the flow of the rest of the track. Abbey and the left kink afterwards are nice, you can get your teeth into them. The kink onto the national straight is nice as well, and Brooklands is good because you arrive at good speed – it's just that fiddly bit really breaks up the flow."

Campbell-Walter was more outspoken: "They have got no excuses. They had an open field and they could have done what they liked, but they chose a stop-start chicane.

"I know they have compromised for the bikes, but what's to stop us using the old Bridge section and keep the new bit for the bikes?

"Basically the new home of the British Grand Prix is a track suited to bikes and I don't think that should be the case."

Turner however, who took pole position for the qualifying race, was delighted with the changes.

"It's good," he said. "It will be even better when they get rid of all the mud, because at the moment it's quite easy to drag that back on the track. But I like the corners and it's got bumps – which is a good thing.

"There are a few on the entry of Abbey at the part of the track that you'd want to turn in, which makes the corner difficult."

Gavin echoed Turner's views adding that he felt it would add a new dimension to car racing at Silverstone.

"I think the circuit flows very nicely I'm very happy with it," he said. "It's got a nice combination of corners and some nice challenging stuff for us. There are two are three corners that are nearly flat and one or two that you have got to have a lot of commitment.

"The style of Silverstone has been carried on. The first right of Abbey and then the following left is a good combination and then heavy braking into Village.

"Surprisingly the Tarmac has got good grip, great for getting the power down and it is really unusual running on the national straight! You have got so used to racing under that Bridge. They have done a cracking job with it, I'm really very happy with it.

"I think that it is going to be a fantastic track not only for us, but for Formula 1, for MotoGP, they have really ticked all the boxes."

[racechick]

Hopefully they can tidy up the place before the race. So it doesn't look so building sitey

Oh I dunno...Lends it a certain rustic "Made In Britain" charm.

History, atmosphere, passion. I like it just the way it is!

[f1ea]

I dunno about the mixed reviews.... FIA GT is a good category, but their grip is more mechanical than F1... for me the biggest challenge of the new circuit will be the compromise set up with the long straights vs the sweeping corners (and of course the racing possibilities that come from drivers setting their cars differently and on the limit).

Obviously, from a romantic point of view its never nice when they change a classic... but I feel I (we) can wait for the F1 race without thinking it will be crap. I think it will be interesting.

[texasmr2]

Obviously, from a romantic point of view its never nice when they change a classic... but I feel I (we) can wait for the F1 race without thinking it will be crap. I think it will be interesting.

My thinking aswell.

[racechick]

Obviously, from a romantic point of view its never nice when they change a classic... but I feel I (we) can wait for the F1 race without thinking it will be crap. I think it will be interesting.

My thinking aswell.

No Im sure it wont be crap. I just hope they dont tidy up all the spectator areas too much and sanitise the place so that it looks like any other race track anywhere in the world. Its better a bit rough round the edges. It was ace when you could watch from inside the infield.The new race layout will be interesting, I reserve judgement till Ive seen it.

[Cubejam]

It looks fantastic.

[racechick]

It looks fantastic.

I meant till Ive seen the actual GP.

[Marc]

Hi all..

I've been working at the track for the last few months and I've got to give my opinion....
Copse has been extended and given a run off area.. expect lots of do or die action at the end of the pit straight.. Great views from the outside..
Becketts is going to effectivly become a long shikane (spelling?) and should serve to just close the cars together coming down the straight to Stow
Stowe is now really long and the f3 and f renault have been chompiung the bit out of each other going in and accelerating out.. Good views again from the outside edge heading up to vale, club and on towards the new Abey complex (where the new pits will be next year..)
Abbey into Village appears quite fast and almost instantly hard on the brakes into a 2nd gear complicated series of corners (right, right, left, right, right. Ireland and Aintree).
Onto the National Straight which leads into Brooklands and Luffield which is pretty much as before but with more run off and better viewing..

I'm guessing the drivers are going to struggle to find the best comprimise...Long straights as before.. with slow hard corners and combinations..

Makes for a great spectator sport.. doesn't it...

[Marc]

Hopefully they can tidy up the place before the race. So it doesn't look so building sitey

Was working there this weekend and got to confess... I'm amazed with how much cleaner the circuit has become in the last 2 weeks...
Top marks to the contractors..

Almost makes me wonder what Berni is going to find to winge about this year...
Probably that the new Pits won't be ready until 2011..