Silverstone’s 2010 layout (Pictures)

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Silverstone has revealed the changes it intends to make to its Grand Prix circuit after hosting its last F1 race in June this year. As the Northamptonshire track has lost the British Grand Prix to Donington Park, it has taken the British round of the Moto GP championship from its Leicestershire rival.

Part of the changes seem to be aimed at routing the bikes away from the bridge at Bridge bend for safety reasons. However this part of the existing circuit will remain for future use. Club corner has also been re-profiled and tightened.

The press release is below – keep an eye out for the subtle digs at Donington – but first here’s a look at the revised track:

Press release

Silverstone unveils dynamic modifications to circuit layout Silverstone Circuits Limited has unveiled provisional plans for a number of striking modifications to the track and spectator viewing areas at the UK’s premier motor racing venue.

The most significant addition to the circuit will be a new section of track running from the approach at Abbey corner to a spectacular ‘Arrowhead’ at the inside of Becketts. The Arrowhead will then join up with the existing National Straight. Additional sections of track will also be laid at Chapel and Club in anticipation of FIM Moto GP World Championship motorcycle racing at Silverstone.

The announcement follows the recent signing of a five year agreement between Silverstone and Dorna that will see MotoGP racing at the iconic Northamptonshire circuit from 2010. Several alterations are being made to make the circuit more bike-friendly. The alterations have already been extensively discussed with FIM and will be in accordance with their regulations and subject to final homologation.

However, the new Arrowhead, and fast section of circuit leading up to it, are designed to be a stunning feature for riders, drivers and spectators alike. The Arrowhead and its approach will provide a focal point for overtaking and will be surrounded by several new spectator areas. It will also be overlooked by the grandstand at Becketts, providing fans with an opportunity to see two sections of track from the one vantage point.

Both MotoGP and British Superbike riders will also be pleased to see that the plans include the moving of grandstands and safety barriers at Woodcote. This will enable the circuit to build a new run off area at the fast entry to Pit Straight and dispose of the slow chicane, which is currently a necessity for safety purposes. The new plans form part of a £5m investment by Silverstone, with work set to be carried out between November 2009 and March 2010.

In addition to changes to the track, improvements to spectator viewing facilities will include moving some of the existing grandstands to bring them closer to the track. Richard Phillips, Managing Director of Silverstone Circuits Limited, commented, "Silverstone is one of the easiest circuits to get in and out of in the world, we have sizeable hard-standing car parks, and the facilities for teams, media and fans are second to none. We are happy with the infrastructure, but we now have an opportunity to make some exciting changes to the circuit and fundamental improvements to the viewing experience for fans.

"The new Arrowhead on the inside of Becketts will be a major new feature of the circuit. The fast approach and sharp left should provide plenty of opportunities to overtake, making it a real focal point for spectators. The views will be fantastic, especially from the new spectator banking areas and grandstands we will be building around the Arrowhead.

"The viewing experience for fans is hugely important and we now have an opportunity to make sure it is absolutely right, all around the circuit. The new layout will also enable fans to circulate around the venue more easily, to watch all the action from different vantage points. We are making a significant investment but it is absolutely worth it. Early feedback from both riders and drivers has been very positive. The chicane at Woodcote is going and changes to other sections of the circuit should result in increased overtaking opportunities."

Phillips also confirmed that the planned changes would not mean the end for the current Grand Prix circuit, "This year’s Formula 1 British Grand Prix will take place on the current Grand Prix circuit and that circuit will continue to be available to us for appropriate events. However, the new layout will be more suitable for two- wheeled racing, and will be an exciting circuit for both two and four-wheeled events."

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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21 comments on “Silverstone’s 2010 layout (Pictures)”

  1. How the hell did they come up with this plan so quickly when they couldn’t agree on any of form plan to keep f1 for years.

    1. I guess with the ending of Bernie fees, they’ve got some budget to throw around now.

  2. Good to see the mock-up pictures full of the delightful grey British skies! :-)

    1. They’re realistic! 8-)

  3. Correct me if I’m wrong here, but isn’t this basically just reusing tarmac from the South and National circuits in order to avoid the slow section in sector 3, instead of actually laying down new tarmac?

    1. Pretty much, although the changes at Club are new. But on the inner extension they’re travelling the ‘wrong way’ down the national circuit, then turning left. That left turn must require some construction, I guess.

      Quite a clever solution, really. I understand the national track wasn’t getting much use before because it was hardly any less expensive to use than the Grand Prix configuration.

  4. Is that all they have done to the track?!

    That configuration already virtually exists. They’ve just just designed about 50m of track, containing a single corner. Hardly imaginative.

    I thought they wanted to move the pits and paddock down to hanger straight?

  5. I would get rid of a couple of those tight corners and have another high speed complex like Becketts:

    http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm8/EricMillerInKelowna/Silverstone.jpg

    “Arrowhead” be damned! ;)

    1. Can we use you instead of Mr Tilke?

  6. I like the mix of Grand Prix and National Circuits, and am not bothered that its an ‘easy’ way to create a new cicuit, I’m just surprised they haven’t done it before now.
    Maybe the Touring Cars will get a spin around it too, that will be fun!

  7. Eric M. – Your new Becketts style part will exit under a bridge, leaving little run off area.
    I think the safety police would throw this idea out.

  8. Should be fun watching the F1 cars on that circuit in 2010 if Donington fails… Although having driven past both circuits on my way home from a meeting down south yesterday I hope Donington pulls it off, it’s SOO much nearer to where I live..!!

  9. I wonder if we’ll see any car races using this layout, or whether it will basically just be for bikes.

  10. Those changes are supposed to cost £5 million… surely if that money is available it ought to have been spent on something else, like the garages or spectator facilities. And was this part of the planned upgrade announced before Silverstone lost the F1 contract?

  11. I can’t believe they’re making changes to Club! In its current configuration its produced all sorts of side-by-side action and is ones of those rare corners where more than one line can be used effectively.

    Otherwise the plans look good and I’m sure the new Arrowhead corner will make for some good overtaking.

  12. As Glen Cambell might sing, “Silverstone (Galveston) oh Silverstone (Galveston)”…

  13. The changes essentially come down to adding a hairpin. That’s all. (I hate the trend of adding hairpins everywhere!)

    Just like on Eric M.’s redesign:
    http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm8/EricMillerInKelowna/Silverstone.jpg
    …I would also eliminate the shicane, but further on – when they’ve put the hairpin (and Eric put a fiddly sequence of twisty corners), there should be a long ultra-fast sweeping left. :) or two blitzing balls-in-the-air-pedal-to-the-metal lefts, one after the other.

  14. “Your new Becketts style part will exit under a bridge, leaving little run off area.
    I think the safety police would throw this idea out.”

    Aye, your right, they probably would.

    1. Get rid of the bridge! This is the sort of design F1 needs more of. I can’t stand point-and-squirt track design.

  15. So much for that brand new, lovely looking pit complex they were going to build along the straight between Club and Abbey.

    How do they expect to win the F1 back now if they’re not going to continue with the plan of building the new pit and paddock facilities?

  16. “How do they expect to win the F1 back now if they’re not going to continue with the plan of building the new pit and paddock facilities?”

    They really don’t want to do a San Marino and do all the reconstruction and upgrading and find Bernie doesn’t want them back anyway…

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