British Grand Prix tickets

[weedeek]

sorry to say it, but at that level you have to be good. he has some of the best machinery below his backside but can't do anything with it. I can't do any better I know but people like JV and Alonso will do a much better job.
Have any off you visited the Jim Clark trophy room in Duns in the Scottish Borders? DC gets pride of place there. Sorry but he is not worthy of that.
Thats me done again
take care all
weedeek

[Matt Harper]

[Sorry guys but silverstone thinks its home of British Motor Sport. CRAP spectating is so poor, atmosphere none, the list goes on and on.

Any off you guys been to the World superbike races or GT racing at these circuits? a good day out.

Absolutely agree on the Silverstone comments - I've attended the British GP 3 times - and even doing it the fancy way, via helicopter and full-on corp. hospitality, it was still not very impressive. The circuit is fast - but it's too flat to get a good view of anything. Donnington and Brands are far superior from a spectators point of view - but don't cut it, saferty-wise.
As usual, the paying public gets hosed (use a dull accredited circuit, rather than upgrade an exciting, but unaccredited one).
Donnington is great. I've seen everything from bikes to trucks there and the track layout is ace - the facilities suck, but what's new there. I've also done a couple of track days there, (both cars and bikes) which I would strongly recommend.
Next up for me is the Pepsi 400 this weekend. The Good 'ol Boys are racing under the lights at Daytona and because my business spends ridiculous amounts with UPS, they've come good with the Sky Suites hospitality as long as we pretend to support Dale Jarrett. I'm now practising my "Boogiddy boogiddy boogiddies" and will have a couple of teeth extracted, so I look the part.

[Andy Zarse]

Guhh-huurrrkkk!! Yo sho have got a real purty mouth Matt! Hot diggitty dang if that ain't so!

Frankly, they'd be better off having the British GP at Daytona rather than the dump that is Silverstone. I agree with your comments on Brands and Donnington. Used to go to Brands for touring cars early ninetys and Donnington early/mid eighties to watch the ETC with TWR XJSs and SD1 Rover Vitesses slugging it out with BMW 6 Series and Volvo Turbos. Top, top racing on a superb curcuit.

Silverstone could even make the late eighties British 1000ks race look dull, even when they were such fab cars as Porker 963s, XJR12s and Sauber Mercs. And that takes some doing I reckon. They should build houses on it and go to Donnington for a proper GP track.

[Matt Harper]

For all it's failings, spectator-wise, I'm told that Silverstone is a challenging drivers circuit. My boss's 15 year old lad races in the T Car series (Junior Touring Car) and claims that Silverstone is a tough circuit to get right. He knows his onions an' all. He's leading the championship and his tutor, Andrew Kirkaldy can't keep up with his 1600cc T car, in the boss's 360 F1 shifting Modena.
Our company also sponsors Andrew and Stevie Hodgson in the ASCAR 'Days of Thunder' series. They run a pair of Ecxel Motorsports (John Bintcliffe) Pontiac Grand Prix.
Being US based, I haven't seen 'em in the flesh yet, but it sounds like a good day out for not much dosh.
Finally, the rednecks here might look scary and are obsessed with dead Dale Earnhardt, but they are a friendly if drunken and interbred bunch. NASCAR puts on a good show and the hi'billies come in droves.
We seem to have veered wildly off topic - who's going to pay Weedeek an ungodly sum to stare at the back of someone's rain sodden umbrella?

[Barry]

WSB Brands hatch, the 2nd best weekends racing and atmosphere on this side of the planet, LM being numero uno of course.
Silverstone is a godforsaken hole for spectators, specially when that winds blowing across it, although I gather the WSB fans breathed some life into the place this year, didn't go myself as I swore I never go again after experiencing the attitude of the organisers to the paying public, if any of them are reading this, please remember WE provide the cash to pay your salaries!!

[jpchenet]

I've heard rumours that the CAA were down at Brands last year checking out some of the improvements.

Why would the CAA be involved? Because the British Grand Prix is the busiest air traffic weekend in the UK.

I'm waiting for some nes back from a friend of mine who is in charge of the recovery team down there.

[Barry]

If they moved the F1 GP to Brands, I'd go, but have to sell the children and put the wife on the streets to afford the tickets. On second thoughts I'll sell the wife as well, if only to put an end to the ' there's no problem if I zip down to Le Mans for a weekend in June do you' conversations.

[Bobblehat]

I know that is thread has not a lot to do about the real reason for Le Mans ie beer ..... I think some one stated on a differant thread, I paid to go to Le Mans to see concreat walls topped with barbbed wire, do you realy get a good view of the "race"

 But I will put my two pennies worth in.

The GP at Silverstone is one of the biggest rip offs in motorsport that is true. But as a track for drivers, the ones I have spocken to its a real challenge, not as fast or as daughting as pre Brooklands compex (but they put chicains on the Mulsane didnt they!) As for spectators it is getting better, a lot better than the 80's. No its not flat, try cycling or running it, as my nabours have (why? i dunno) So I suggest you take a seat allong the side of woodcote the higher the better to see them come out of bridge or down to stow for amazing breaking, or for a short while the out side of coppies and whatch the slide. I would like to add that most of the time I am at Silverstone - its my "home" track - I am whatching the older stuff.

As for Brands Hatch I am very suprised that they manged to get the CART cars there, the paddock must of been a shock for the teams, I seem to rember that they were not the best in the world. I am ammazed that they all got round paddock hill bend, I watched a F Audi race there, and was meet by a shower of carbon and fiberglass car parts and I was at the paddock bar! As for access well I always get lost has it improved in the last couple of years?

As for Donnington great track dreadfull facilities and paddock, but a great bar (Redgate )

Sorry to be boring, but I do get a bee in my bonnet about Silverstone knockers, expes those that have not returned.........

[Matt Harper]

Couldn't agree more. I think Le Mans is as bad, if not worse than Silverstone from the paying punters point of view - if watching race cars is the object of the exercise. Personally, I don't go to Le Mans to see spectacular race action anymore (Sebring and Road Atlanta satisfy my requirements in that area). Le Mans is a party weekend for a great many of us, with the race as a back drop.
With respect, Silverstone is f**k*ng flat compared to just about everywhere else in UK, apart from Snetterton. Granted it might be a bit of a chore on a pushbike, but we're discussing an automobile racing circuit aren't we?
I last visited the British GP in 2000, maybe things have changed since then, but I don't think so. I was lucky enough to get in and out by Jet Ranger (it took 4 hours to get out of the bastard car park the year before) - but even with that facility, I still felt hard done by.
I appeciate that F1 speeds require huge gravel traps, but I thought the majority of the 'grunt' spectator enclosures were way too far away from the track itself. In addition, in previous years the power parity and characteristics of the circuit made for a tediously processional race - maybe that will change this year - it damn well needs to.
Your loyalty to your home track is to be applauded, but both Brands and Donnington would provide a much better F1 race "for the fans", if either circuit were to be upgraded from a safety point of view - even taking into account that the run-offs would need to be significantly enlarged at spots like Redgate, Old Hairpin and Paddock Hill. If they can do it at Indy (which is my 'local' F1 circuit) it could be done at Brands or Donnington, for half the money.
Just out of interest, is there a road course at Rockingham?

[Barry]

Hi Booblehat
Sorry that I offended you, your surport of your local circuit is admirable. After all 'use it or lose it' can be applied to many things. My problem is not the circuit but the attitude of the organisers, I look forward to giving Silverstone another chance if the proposed LM series race does happen. My concern is that with the large LM fan base in this country, the powers that be at Silverstone will will see a golden egg and price tickets accordingly. I for one would love to regard Silverstone as a must venue to go to as its's the nicest circuit for me to get to, also with Brands apparently under threat of closure, I might not have much choice of venue in the future.

Matt
Rockingham does have an infield circuit which they use for Superbikes, prehaps somebody with more experience of the circuit could enlighten us if cars run on it, looks a bit tight for the fast stuff.

[mgmark]

If you want hills and good viewing, go watch a decent bike race at Cadwell Park - challenging circuit, lots of gradients, humps, odd cambers and twisty bits - humungous fun to watch and drive/ride.  

[Chrisgr31]

The Grand Prix at Silverstone is a rip-off.  Last year I had a Grandstand ticket for 3 days at Magny Cours and paid for the ferry for less than a general admission ticket at Silverstonew.  Not only that but at Magny Cours one can see a lot more.

However the spectator facilies at Silverstone have improved recently, and the new access roads do seem to work.  However generally speaking you can see bog all so have to be within sight of a big screen.

I'd love to see the Grand Prix at Brands but really can't see it happening, too much work needs to be done to the circuit.  Surely the CAA were there in connection with CART?

And at Rockingham there is a road circuit, did anyone see the BTCC on the TV last week?  Looked like a great race

[Bobblehat]

Rockingham has a good mix of infield tracks

 I think they can run about 4 or 5, there is the long (or "international"!!!) wich uses the long straight and turn 4 (carnt they think of names?) then plunges into the maddest chicain ever, this was the track that was used for the BTCC, then there is a bike track wich comes out just after turn 4, there is another that goes nowere near the banked track and one that puts a bit of a wiggle woggel inbetween turn 2 and 3. I have not yet driven the track, but it I have heard it is bloody tight.

Was at the British Super Bikes last weekend at Rockingham, a great day out, the viewing is spetaculer, its a bit like a giant open air TV set. And the facilites are top notch, if your kids are into skatebords and the like there was even a half pipe, and other skate bits, wich I think might be perminant. But the wind do whip across so take a jumper.

As for the two CART races there first one had one of the best overtaking moves I have ever seen, but 2002 was as a 200+ train all the overtaking was in the pits, mind you so was 2001 (Darrio whent from 2nd to 6th in one pit stop)

Its the F3 and GTs on August the 3rd, do pop allong,

Word of warning:- try not to park in the overflow car park as it took me 1.5 hours to get out......