Apalling Silverstone GP support package...

[gringottsdirect]

Originally posted by Williamp
But didnt they say that Silverstone this year was a sell-out? If that was the case, why do they need to drop the prices, and where would the "real" race fans fit?

I dint go, far too expensive for what it is.

A sell-out with 100,000 tickets sold, during the nineties, crowds of well over 140,000 were at Silverstone F1. Plenty of room .
Out of interest would you have gone if it was cheaper ?

[Spudgun]

Originally posted by Tweed
Well, after returning from Silverstone a few hours ago, I can tell you that I fell asleep during the Maserati race. Admittedly I was knackered anyway, but who wants to watch 20-odd gentlemen drivers driving round slower than the safety car and medical car?! Even the big Jag 'fire vehicle' was catching the Maseratis up on the 1st lap!

They might as well bring back the one-off GP driver's bicycle race!

Taku would win

I saw on one of the big screens a Maserati (obviously) lose it and do a 180 at Abbey. Rather than wait to give oncoming traffic a chance, tried an immediate spin turn directly into the path of a following car who had taken the appropriate avoiding action. This caused a practically head-on collision and a red flag. Absolutely appaling driving standards.

[hgmonaro]

In Australia, the F1 circus turns up to support the V8s...

[rdmdog]

Well for what its worth the TV we saw (ITV?) wasnt too classy either.

[simon drabble]

Well I hope that the Historic Sportscar support race was ok - as a competitor in it I have a prejudiced view but I think we put on a good race....

[TimD]

The fiftes sportscars were definitely a highlight - good clean race with lots of battles throughout.

And we couldn't really miss you from where we were sitting, Simon. Your grid slot was right in front of our seats! We did wave.....

[simon drabble]

I am pleased someone appreciated the race!! Sorry missed that I was more concerned about how long they held us on before the Green flag lap as my water temp was almost off the scale - fortunately one lap on the GP circuit was sufficiently long to coll the water down for the start! Pity about the coming together of the Lotus 15 and 17 at Luffied as I had to go over the gravel to avoid it all and as a result lose a lot of places... but I had a lot of fun getting my place back!
I was impressed that about half the stands watched the race - I guess that they were waiting for traffic to die down!

[TimD]

Yes, those pirouetting Lotuses (Lotii?) were a bit of a heart-in-mouth moment. Fortunately there wasn't a lot of panel damage, but it did break up a good fight which had been going on for a few laps, sadly.

The crowd were a mixed bag - those around me were either curiously interested, waiting for the Beach Boys, or dedicated Johnny Herbert fans. JH was getting a rousing cheer every time he came by, twice as loud when he chose to tackle Woodcote in a classic D-Type drift. Sadly, I didn't get the impression there were many in the stand who could tell a Lotus 11 from a Cooper Monaco, but perhaps a few converts were made. Having Martin Stretton on the commentary team was a masterstroke. He was able to add personal interest to the commentary by highlighting the series stars as well as talking about the car histories.

Good show I thought.

[simon drabble]

apparently the video screens were switched off for our race which was a real shame as anyone who was near the heliport (ie my wife!!) couldnt hear any commentary
however even she was impressed by the sight of the Ferrari and Lister Jaguars etc (and to a lessor extent the humble Loti!!)
I thought it amusing that given the values of some of the cars we were (like last year) in open marquee with no cordened off area yet the Maserati and Porsche have swipe cards security guards etc.... !
lets hope the BTCC cancel again next year!

[Sodemo]

Yes, the Historic Sportscars were great to look at with the cars sliding through Stowe, looked spectacular, however my problem with historic racing is that because the cars are so valuable, the drivers don't push as hard as they would in say a BMW330i, which leads to kind of "delicate" racing.
My idea of a great race was the Porche race, which I felt was the best race of the whole weekend, big field, close scrap for the lead, and some great doorhandle bashing.

[simon drabble]

well if its door banging that you want then the BTCC would have fitted the bill!! I think the racing is as hard as you will see anywhere - door banging is optional and normally the preserve of tintops...
glad you enjoyed it and I agree what little I saw of the Porsches did look good

[Gnomex]

Originally posted by The Monster
Can I just say that I think the support race package is absolutely terrible yet again.
Each year we only have about 3 or 4 races on the Sunday.
Why so few?

Well, don't say I didn't warn you. You could have been at Lydden for total thrills and spills both in the race meeting Saturday afternoon and again in the rallycross meeting on Sunday. I made my choice and was not disappointed. If BE would like to pop in to see us sometime, we'll gladly show him what good racing action is all about.....

[AndyF]

I though the Historic Sportscar race was the highlight of the weekend. Totally eclipsed the F1 or F3000 races in my eyes!

[TwoSheds]

Originally posted by Spudgun
I saw on one of the big screens a Maserati (obviously) lose it and do a 180 at Abbey. Rather than wait to give oncoming traffic a chance, tried an immediate spin turn directly into the path of a following car who had taken the appropriate avoiding action. This caused a practically head-on collision and a red flag. Absolutely appaling driving standards.

Thought it was Vale where this happened :confused:

[simon drabble]

the Maserati's were racing as I was driving in and I was listening to the commentary on Radio silverstone and it did seem that they were making heavy weather of the race! I get the impression that it might be a case of style over substance for all but the front cars.....

[Spudgun]

Originally posted by TwoSheds
Thought it was Vale where this happened :confused:

Probably my mistake. I only saw it as a close-up shot on one of the big screens.

[Spudgun]

I stayed to watch the Historics because I just love cars from that era as much as the current crop.

This shot isn't that great because I was using my little digital camera, but here is Simon going through Becketts.

[simon drabble]

Sadly that is not my pretty side as it sports a war wound I got last month at Pau! There were some stunning cars in our race (as usual I think I can safely say), the beautiful and well driven winning Ferrari being the most obvious..
I know what you mean about digitals I need a lesson in mine as I was having to take the photo as JB et co entered the braking zone to get the photo at the apex! I think there must be a quicker way than that!!

[Alan Green]

Originally posted by TwoSheds
Thought it was Vale where this happened :confused:

Yes, it was at Vale. Abbey only collected the Jordan in the F1 race, a front wing in the F3000, and three broken-down Porsches (including Piquet Jr.).

I'll be unpopular and say I didn't enjoy the Historics race because they were too fast to be using the 'old' Abbey circuit, and as I was in a head-on position to them at Farm, as they drifted closer and closer to the grass, it was looking more and more likely we were going to get something big. Probably looked better at other parts of the circuit, but not from where I was. Just a personal opinion.

Al.

[simon drabble]

that is why we were very pleased it didn't rain! So what you are saying is that you shared some of our exhilaration as we passed that corner!
My wife and I must have been just behind you watching the GP and after about 20 mins she decided it was boring and went to watch it on the video screen there is just no pleasing some people!
Alan did you see how out of shape the Minardi's were as the hit the anchors on - it was a great place to see the difference between the well set up cars and the not so well sett up ones!

[Sodemo]

I think all cars should use the "old" Abbey.
They should use the old abbey and make Priory a proper overtaking opportunity, maybe by making it wider and slower (maybe a hairpin).
In fact ive never been a fan of the layout of the 'complex' they should make Priory a hairpin, and have the circuit curl round to Luffield, to make Luffield less of a boring corner.

[zefarelly]

Originally posted by simon drabble
the Maserati's were racing as I was driving in and I was listening to the commentary on Radio silverstone and it did seem that they were making heavy weather of the race! I get the impression that it might be a case of style over substance for all but the front cars.....

don't you mean the Maseraits where driving as you where racing in ?

what I saw of them, they where all following different lines, badly, looked more like a bunch of middle aged Italian playboys out with their cheque books, not worthy of supporting a GP, let alone the British GP . . .but money talks, Old GP cars and or saloons or GT's would have been far more popular with a PAYING punters

[simon drabble]

they probably play with Bernie! They were there last year as well I presume they support the whole series or maybe the European legs, they also have a very flash area in the paddock (unlike us in our open sided marquee which wasnt even assembled when we arrived on Thursday!)

[Rob29]

Originally posted by simon drabble
they probably play with Bernie! They were there last year as well I presume they support the whole series or maybe the European legs, they also have a very flash area in the paddock (unlike us in our open sided marquee which wasnt even assembled when we arrived on Thursday!)

Silverstone was the third round of their championship.First 2 were at Ferrari/Maserati days at Monza & Spa which have their own TV programme.Italian playboys is about right,though there was a rumor that Jodie Kidd was going to do this-said she had signed to be the first woman to drive a works Maserati or Ferrari!

[simon drabble]

Italian playboys and "super model" there is a common theme forming here I think - presumably Tara P-T and the rest of the z listers are somewhere there as well!!!