Well, I had a very enjoyable weekend, mostly in the company of Bentley03, but also with some other friends whose itineries didn't always match with ours. Generally lucky with the weather (actually got a bit burnt on Friday). Spent a surprising amount of time in the very pleasant little disabled viewing stand overlooking the end of the Vale/entrance to Club (as the Club grandstands weren't open until Sunday (and then I think only a small part of them). Managed to avoid Saturday's ELMS non-sun by keeping our backs to the front of that G/S and Sunday's non-sun by nipping into Woodcote G/S.
I still love Silverstone (I know many don't) but they really need to up their game and think about the fans. There were no food or drink vendors at all apart from near the car park entrance and at the Wing for most of the weekend. There was finally a (much in demand) vendor at Woodcote and another just round the corner at Luffield on Sunday (great chips) and another vendor who we thought was going to save our bacon (literally) at Becketts on Sunday drove off and we found them eventually repositioned at Club where there had been nothing on Friday and Saturday. It seems that Silverstone have no real understanding of fans not wanting to spend all their time at the Wing in the 'fanzone'....
Talking of Becketts, the stand was open there for ELMS on Saturday but closed on Sunday. Having walked all the way round specially for what is the best view anywhere (in terms of what you can see from there), finding it closed on Sunday at the start of the WEC race when it was billed as being open was a bitter pill. I messaged Silverstone and got a reply this morning apologising but giving no explanation.
And where did the big screen at Club go? (Or did it disappear last year - I can't remember).
And a 4 hour race? As I left I also felt cheated - as if I was leaving early. For 24 Hour diehards it felt like it was over before it had barely started. Disappointing.
So overall, an entertaining weekend with friends and with very good curry on Friday and Saturday night. But hoping for better from the FIA/WEC and Silverstone next year.
Oh and
Greem - I should have read your post more carefully - we must have walked past you at least twice during the weekend....
