Silverstone Classic 2022 moved to Aug Bank Holiday

[Geraint Owen]

News out today that Silverstone Classic is moving to Aug BH weekend

Cant help but think that is a daft idea. Lots of people are already busy doing lots of other things (drivers and spectators). Add to that the "dont want to blow it up 2/3 weeks before Goodwood" crowd and I cant see it being a success.

Depending on when in Sept the Revival is it could mean that the 3 major meetings in Europe will be spread across 5 weekends

I guess it means the Gold Cup at Oulton is also moving slot (or is a dead duck).

I wonder what the driver is? They usual use some infrastructure left over from the GP. Maybe that is moving too?

[brands]

If the dates on the website are correct, 26-28th August, then that's still Friday to Sunday, which is odd.

[The Fat Clerk]

Historically Silverstone rarely has events on Bank Holiday Mondays

[kipper]

Originally Posted by brands

If the dates on the website are correct, 26-28th August, then that's still Friday to Sunday, which is odd.

I assume it's to catch foreign drivers. The Masters event at Brands used to run on Whit Monday, but it wasn't popular with overseas drivers for whom the Monday wasn't a public holiday.

I'd assume the Gold Cup will be moving as I don't think the HSCC have the infrastructure to run two events simultaneously and it would make no sense to run the two alongside one another.

[kickstart]

I assume the Gold Cup for historics is now over which on a personal level I find v disappointing as I must have either spectated or watched at least 10 times
We thought this year numbers looked better than for a few years
Personally I detest Silverstone from a spectators perspective whereas wandering round the infield at Oulton Park on a sunny day is one of my favourite things
Maybe it’s time to find a new hobby

[john ruston]

Silverstone, Goodwood and Spa in four/five weeks
Makes it interesting

[Geraint Owen]

Originally Posted by john ruston

Silverstone, Goodwood and Spa in four/five weeks
Makes it interesting

Add the Oldtimers two weeks before and it is even more silly.

[coppice]

I look forward to it - and I like the idea of evening racing being run in an earlier dusk , actually . Yes, it will impact the Gold Cup but enjoyable though it is, it is living on past glories and is now no more than a good club meeting .

August bank hols have form for appalling weather though - remember the Fastnet race? And I was at the first Birmingham GP in 86...shudder

[bauble]

Originally Posted by coppice

I look forward to it - and I like the idea of evening racing being run in an earlier dusk , actually . Yes, it will impact the Gold Cup but enjoyable though it is, it is living on past glories and is now no more than a good club meeting .

August bank hols have form for appalling weather though - remember the Fastnet race? And I was at the first Birmingham GP in 86...shudder

I knew I has seen you somewhere before

My friend dubbed me 'Mr Wet Tee Shirt 1986', so i bought an Anorak from a local shop, and it was as rainproof as a sponge. 'Happy days'

[ascarracinguk]

Bonkers decision. The august bank holiday clashes with so many other events whether it be motorsport, equestrianism, music festivals etc. I hope they reconsider.

[dwh43scale]

Originally Posted by ascarracinguk

Bonkers decision. The august bank holiday clashes with so many other events whether it be motorsport, equestrianism, music festivals etc. I hope they reconsider.

But, given that a fair proportion of the attendees are car club folks away for the weekend with their mates and they'd do that whatever weekend, maybe it doesn't matter. You don't need that many from across the country to make it work. I reckon there's some don't watch a moments racing ...

[GCCheddaris]

Presumably the reason for the Silverstone Classic's move to next years August Bank Holiday weekend is that the Moto GP, held last Bank Holiday weekend, is moving to the weekend of 5th to 7th August next year.

[Anyopenroad]

Originally Posted by GCCheddaris

Presumably the reason for the Silverstone Classic's move to next years August Bank Holiday weekend is that the Moto GP, held last Bank Holiday weekend, is moving to the weekend of 5th to 7th August next year.

That certainly frees up the date but that weekend has been free before without moving the Classic there.

My guess is that a 2-week turnaround between F1 and Classic is too tight given the large amount of build/teardown each requires. It’s also possible that the F1 GP will be later in 2021 (ie 23-24 Jul) and a one-week gap would certainly not be manageable.

[GCCheddaris]

Originally Posted by Anyopenroad

That certainly frees up the date but that weekend has been free before without moving the Classic there.

My guess is that a 2-week turnaround between F1 and Classic is too tight given the large amount of build/teardown each requires. It’s also possible that the F1 GP will be later in 2021 (ie 23-24 Jul) and a one-week gap would certainly not be manageable.

Presumably Silverstone thought that three big meetings in less than a month was more than they could manage ?

[Anyopenroad]

Originally Posted by GCCheddaris

Presumably Silverstone thought that three big meetings in less than a month was more than they could manage ?

Yes...and not unreasonably since the three are their three biggest meetings of the year.

Edit to add: I see now that your original point was that the new MotoGP date is only a week after the normal date for the Classic. You are undoubtedly correct. Sorry it took me a while to catch up, I was focused more on the MotoGP change liberating the Bank Holiday weekend

[morninggents]

As Geraint said in the opening post it is a daft idea. The Classic organisers care not that the August bank holiday has been the date for the Oulton Park Gold Cup for many years but the opportunity to capitalise on a popular weekend and ride roughshod over other organising clubs (not that the Classic is a club in my book) is typical.

[zefarelly]

Another example of Histrionics disappearing up its own rectum?!

[Peter Mallett]

Well, we've had the Gold Cup and various other events that normally occur on the August Bank Holiday. Time for the Classic itself. Who's going? Who's entered and in what?

I shall be there spectating for the weekend since it's only 30mins from home.

Hopefully good grids, I haven't seen many e mails encouraging entries but it may still be early days.

[GCCheddaris]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Well, we've had the Gold Cup and various other events that normally occur on the August Bank Holiday. Time for the Classic itself. Who's going? Who's entered and in what?

I shall be there spectating for the weekend since it's only 30mins from home.

Hopefully good grids, I haven't seen many e mails encouraging entries but it may still be early days.

I think not seeing emails is a good sign ! Hopefully it means entries are filling up well.

[dwh43scale]

Friday only for me this year.

[delta]

Friday is fine David. we will see you at the Delta / Ten tenths BBQ for marshals.
You are most welcome.

[Willmaz223]

Entry Lists out for MRL grids

https://www.motorracinglegends.com/entries-and-results/

[coppice]

Hmm , not bad , but a bit thin in places. I expected rather more in the pre 63 GT race especially . Ho hum , I will still enjoy it, and this time next week I will be savouring a bacon and egg sandwich before wandering over to the old pits .

[GCCheddaris]

I wonder if the proximity to the Goodwood Revival has affected entries in the Pre 63 GT race ? In previous years teams would have had an extra month to prepare. Even so thirty cars isn't that bad.

More worrying is that the saloon car series have all been lumped in together. The U2TC series has struggled for entries for some time and the later cars for the sixties series has so far produced just Richard Dutton's Escort. And the thought of that little one litre Mini being lapped every few laps by all those hairy turbo engined cars...

Meanwhile, in the HTCC section the number of RS500s and Skylines seem to increase with every race, while just a dozen cars are entered in the Tony Dron Trophy. Perhaps the attraction of the HRDC and GTSCC Group 1 series is proving too much for competitors fed up with their cars being outclassed by the later and much more powerful Group A cars.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by GCCheddaris

Meanwhile, in the HTCC section the number of RS500s and Skylines seem to increase with every race, while just a dozen cars are entered in the Tony Dron Trophy. Perhaps the attraction of the HRDC and GTSCC Group 1 series is proving too much for competitors fed up with their cars being outclassed by the later and much more powerful Group A cars.

Also note the lack of pre 1985 Group A cars. This was.mentiined to Duncan a while ago so not at all surprised. Trouble is, the HTCC was initially but around the group 1.5 and earlier Group A cars. I'm not sure the GTSCC event will be that attractive since the entry fee is about the same as that for MRL Silverstone. But it's noted that the next HRDC GM race for Group 1.5 cars is at the MRL Historic event at Silverstone in October.