F1 Fanatic - The Formula 1 Blog » F1 Tracks

What F1 Fanatics say about… Interlagos | 2011 Brazilian Grand Prix

Keith Collantine — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 09:01:27 +0000

Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Interlagos, 2010

This weekend the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace circuit will be packed to the rafters with passionate F1 fans for the last race of the season.

Several F1 Fanatics have been in the crowd at Interlagos and shared their advice for anyone else planning to do the same.

Read on for their tips on going to the Brazilian Grand Prix.

There are some spectacular viewing opportunities at the track. Here are some thoughts on where to watch the action:

I’m going to G grandstand at Reta Oposta. Less expensive, but you can see the Senna S and the pit exit at your left, and from the right, the final of that straight as well, so, you manage to see some overtaking.
Giuliano Carrieri

The pit straight offers some excellent viewing opportunities across the track as Gibbo explains:

Sector D at the end of the pit straight. This is where most overtaking occurs.

If you sit towards the back you can see all down the pit straight and over one-third of the rest of the circuit.
Gibbo

Lopes prefers a similar vantage point:

I’d say Sector A at the entrance to the pits. You can see most of the pit straight and the entrance to turn one, then half the back straight and turns four and five, the entrance to turn six, as well as multiple bits and pieces of the slow complex and the two last corners.
Lopes

Another vote for the pit lane entry from Luiz:

I was at the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2009. It was a very good experience, as my first and unforgettable one.

I bought a ticket for sector A, in front of pit lane entry, at last corner, where the cars run more than 200kph, and where you can see 70% of the track.

The track is very nice, the food is expensive but good quality.
Luiz

As Jenson Button found out last year, security can be a problem at this track. Here are some thoughts on how to transfer to and from the circuit safely:

Most hotels will be able to book you onto a shuttle bus.

Failing that find three others and get a taxi.
Gibbo

Driving to the circuit is a tricky task as Teo Marcus explains:

I’m Brazilian and my advice to you is do not drive and park your own car nearby the circuit.

Instead, you can use hotel’s transfer services (but you’ll need to wait the others that are using that too) or you can take a cab from the hotel and another one to go back. Ask the cab driver where is the best place to find a cab after the race.

Try to know some Portuguese words because are not all Brazilians speak English very well.

Another important thing: Get there early and be prepared to face the crowd.
Teo Marcus

The “get up early” message was reiterated by several people who’ve been to Interlagos:

You have to wake up early if you want to get good seats. There are people who goes to the line just after the saturday race in order to get good seats on sunday.

This year I woke up at 5am and the seat I had was suitable.
Gustavo

That view is also echoed by Vox Vocis:

I would certainly plan on getting there early! The Brazilians love their Formula 1 and I can tell you that the grandstands are always chock-a-block each year.

Some hotels do offer a transfer service to the Grand Prix, however, you’re probably best off getting a cab to the circuit. They can drop you right at the front gate.

While it can be a bit of a wait when leaving, cabs are fairly cheap and might be the best, easiest and safest way in.
Vox Vocis

Are you going to the Brazilian Grand Prix this weekend? Find other F1 Fanatics who are here:

Image © Mercedes

Circuit of the Americas halts construction in contract dispute | 2012 F1 calendar

Keith Collantine — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:55:54 +0000

Austin F1 track construction

A dispute over the Circuit of the Americas’ contract to host the 2012 United States Grand Prix may put the race in jeopardy.

The circuit owners released a statement on Tuesday saying construction work had been stopped at the track because they had not received the race contract from Formula One Management, “per a previously agreed upon timetable”.

It added: “While construction at Circuit of The Americas has progressed as scheduled with over 300 workers at the construction site daily, all work will suspend immediately. The delivery of the Formula 1 Grand Prix race contract will allow construction operations to resume.”

Bobby Epstein, founding partner of Circuit of The Americas, said: “We have spent tremendous resources preparing for the Formula One and MotoGP Championship races, but the failure to deliver race contracts gives us great concern.

“We believe the United States is vital for the future of Formula One and its teams and sponsors. Given the purpose-built Tilke design, creating a unique fan experience and iconic challenge for drivers, we hope that Texas will not be left behind. More than 100,000 fans have expressed an interest in purchasing tickets for Formula One alone.”

The race organisers added that its readiness to hold a race in 2012 had not yet been affected by the delay.

2012 United States Grand Prix

What F1 Fanatics say about… Monza | 2011 Italian Grand Prix

Ben Needham — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 08:35:20 +0000

Make sure you hang around for the podium celebration

Historic Monza positively oozes atmosphere.

And with its long straights and the highest average speed lap on the calender, this is one of the most dramatic places to see F1 cars in action.

It adds up to a ‘must-see’ race for any Formula 1 fan. Here’s what F1 Fanatics who’ve been to Monza have to say about the race.

Thestig84 sums up the race’s unique appeal:

For atmosphere and just the feel of the place it’s a must for any F1 fan. I’m so pleased I made the effort. Good luck and enjoy it.
thestig84

Graham ventured to Monza to see Rubens Barrichello’s victory in 2009 on his own – he tells of an “awesome atmosphere”:

I had three-day tickets for Section 26A of the grandstands (pit straight). I was in line with rows five, six and seven of the grid and had a great view of the Brawn and Force India pits as well as a giant TV screen just to my left.

I thought the race and atmosphere were awesome, I was awed by the history of the place. Monza is one of my favourite circuits so to be there was mind-blowing.

I went on my own and found this okay as there are usually a few other people who do the same thing. I met people over the weekend who I buddied up with on the Friday and Sunday, did my own thing on the Saturday.
Graham Maltby

If you are going on your own, a lot of comments suggest that the majority of fans at Monza are open and welcoming in sharing their love of Formula 1, so don’t be shy!

With advice on photography and also enjoying Brawn’s dominance in the 2009 Italian Grand Prix – Mystic Pizza:

I was at the Ascari chicane for the 2009 race. For any budding photographers, forget it – the cars are too fast and the fence is too high but although it was incident-less this year you could see a fair chunk of tarmac.

You can take in your own food and drink as these were pricey inside the circuit e.g. €6 for a large beer, €2 for 500ml bottle of water. There are a couple of local supermarkets that were cheaper but remember the Sunday trading laws and stock up earlier in the week.

If you have a grandstand ticket, the pit walkabout on Thursday was excellent and most of the drivers were signing autographs if you were prepared to be crushed. Said ticket allows roaming on Friday so for fairly good photos, aim for the grandstand opposite the end of the pit lane so you can get them when they are doing practice starts.
Mystic Pizza

Be sure to have a look at Jamey Price’s article from last week on Photography. Despite Mystic Pizza’s thinking that it will be difficult to get many pictures, the camera is still worth taking in case you bump into a famous face on Thursday.

If you have a three day grandstand ticket, do go on the Thursday. I promise it’s worth it! You get to see the pitlane (though finding your way into it for the first time isn’t as simple as you’d think), the teams and the drivers much closer than you otherwise would. If there’s a particular driver you want to catch, loiter outside their garage.

Often it’s a case of being in the right place at the right time – I managed to run into Nico Rosberg, Rob Smedley, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Stefano Domenicali and Luca di Montezemolo while just wandering around. The pit lane entrance is a good place to hang around to meet drivers coming back from their track walks.
Spiffy

Sebastian Vettel rounds Parabolica

Although many fans recommended walking the circuit, Rabs reckons he’s found the best General Admission vantage point:

Get there early and go to the inside of the Parabolica – entry or exit is your choice.

I went there in 2004 and did a walk on Saturday looking for where to watch the race from and found this to be best for General Admission.
Rabs

When you’re not at the track, Coefficient has advice on where to sample some fine Italian food:

I went to Monza in 2005 and stayed in Milan. The trip to the circuit is pretty bad because of the congestion but it’s worth it to take in a bit of the city in they evenings.

I recommend Ristorante Rigolo and a place called Biffi which is in La Galeria. Very nice food and wine.
Coefficient

Another traditional feature of the Grand Prix at Monza is the post-race track invasion and podium celebration. Thestig84 witnessed this first-hand:

I chose Parabolica for the track invasion. Just before the end of the race get your stuff ready and head for the gate it looks like people are going for. It’s amazing, every race should have it.

I sprinted down the main straight and just made it in time to hear the British national anthem playing for Brawn. The atmosphere is incredible, so much fun.
thestig84

Heikki Kovalainen checks out the Monza banking in 2006

Finally, you must find time during your visit to see the daunting old oval circuit, as Carlos explains:

The atmosphere at the “Parco di Monza” is superb, as long as this is one of the most beautiful parks in Europe.

So don’t hurry and take your time to do a walk round the park when there’s no activity on the track. You can easily see the “walls” of the old oval circuit in the middle of the trees. Awesome.
Carlos

If you’re going to Monza this year, find other F1 Fanatics who are going and read about Jamey’s experience of being at last year’s race:

We’ve got a special guide for fans who are planning to take pictures at the race:

How to take great F1 pictures at Monza

And if you shoot any good videos during the weekend, be sure to let us know (by email or using Twitter).

2011 Italian Grand Prix

Browse all 2011 Italian Grand Prix articles

Images © Ferrari spa/Ercole Colombo, Red Bull/Getty Images, Renault/ LAT

How to take great F1 pictures at Monza | Guest article

Jamey Price — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 09:45:29 +0000

Podium, Monza, 2010

If you’re heading to Monza for next week’s Italian Grand Prix, don’t miss your chance to get some great pictures of F1 cars in action.

Guest writer Jamey Price takes you on a photographer’s tour of Monza and points out some of the best spots to shoot from.

I have been fortunate enough to attend five Grands Prix, beginning with the infamous six-car fiasco at Indianapolis in 2005. I went to the United States Grand Prix again in 2006 and 2007 and was at Monaco in 2008.

Last year I made my first visit to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix. I cannot speak for all the circuits on the calendar but it is by far the most picturesque of the tracks I have been to.

If you’re going there next week planning to take some photographs, make sure you spend time researching where you want to shoot from to maximize your weekend of making images.

Pit walk

Heikki Kovalainen, Lotus, Monza, 2010

The Thursday pit walk is an excellent opportunity to get pictures. There are great images to be had and may be as close to the cars and drivers as you can get, unless you are very wealthy and have a Paddock Club pass.

Many teams do rolling pit stop practice which is a great chance to play with slow shutter speeds and watch the teams practice. Drivers also mingle outside the garages signing autographs for fans.

Because it’s Monza, don’t even bother with the big-name drivers. When I was there Alonso, Massa, Vettel and Webber were mobbed by a crowd of hundreds.

Instead, take a walk down the pit lane. The further you go, the smaller the crowds get and the better images you can make of drivers and cars. Use your feet and use your eyes and get those your creative juices flowing for the rest of the weekend.

Once the cars are on track, the real fun begins. Take full advantage of all the practice and qualifying sessions. Walk around the track, with your camera at the ready in case someone bins it or pops an engine. You have several hours of practice to see what works and what doesn’t – and that includes the non-F1 sessions too.

Curva Biassono

Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Monza, 2010

Let’s start at turn 3, properly called Curva Biassono.

At first sight, you wouldn’t think that getting anything from turn three would be possible. But here we need to apply the technique of shooting through catch fences I described in “How to take great pictures at F1 races” earlier this year.

You can pretty much aim straight through the fence and shoot the cars at a high shutter speed and wide open aperture to more or less make the fence go away. This particular area will be better suited to shooters with nice glass that can go to aperture f4 or wider.

Remember, when you want the fence to disappear in the photo, stand as close to the fence as possible. Shoot wide open with a high shutter speed.

Alternatively, you can shoot a wider angle photo with pretty much any lens, just slow the shutter speed down to get some artistic motion blur shots of the cars screaming by you. I have seen quite a few of Darren Heath’s photos from inside the general admission areas doing this exact thing.

Last note: don’t forget your ear protection here! The cars are close and they howl past at full throttle.

Variante della Roggia

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, Monza, 2010

On to the second chicane. If you stand facing turn the right-hand part of this corner, you will have a clear shot at the rear of the cars as they make the quick left then right of the turn. Use the “shoot through the fence” technique again, just play with it.

Once you’ve had a few minutes to try this spot, walk around and head up onto the grandstand. There is a photo hole facing directly up the track toward turn three where the cars will be coming straight at you. Kneel down on the front row and shoot through the hole in the fence. Just be sure you don’t block anyone’s view.

I also recommend heading up toward the very back of the grandstand and shooting some nice pan shots of the cars as they exit over the rumble strip at turn five. However, when I was shooting this spot during P3, I was one of probably 50 or 60 photographers trying to get the same photo.

Kerbs, Monza, 2010

If you want to be a professional photographer, you should see this mass of photographers and immediately keep walking. Make images that are different than everyone else’s or you will never stand out in a crowded world. Every one of those photographers probably has the same image, or something very similar.

Still, it is worth sitting for a few minutes, getting some pan shots and listening to the car’s engine bouncing over the exit rumble strip. It is an amazing sound for sure.

Lesmo 1 and 2

Mark Webber, Red Bull, Monza, 2010

Walk up the track toward the Lesmo bends. These corners create a particularly difficult challenge and you will need to be proficient at panning to make anything of it.

As I mentioned, Darren Heath has used this spot to make nice images of cars ripping into the second Lesmo with the big tall trees to create a very arty shot which clearly shows the beauty of Monza. Slow the shutter speed as much as you dare. It’s a difficult shot to nail, but it is possible: practice, practice, practice.

My favourite shooting spot is a little further on where the modern track passes underneath the old banking. The cars come screaming at you at over 200mph and the noise is something I will never forget.

This is a spot that not that many people know about or use to its full advantage. Wander around until you find a clear vantage onto the track and get to work. You can try panning but the speed of the cars and the direction of travel make getting anything with a slow shutter speed extremely difficult to get. But if it does happen to work, it works really well.

Make sure you walk over the bridge. There are a few holes in the fences but they were all filled up by photographers when I was there.

Parabolica

Jaime Alguersuari, Toro Rosso, Monza, 2010

The last spot I recommend is turn 11, Parabolica. Use the grandstand on the outside of the turn which sits high enough over the catch fencing that you can shoot over it.

Try using a pan shot, but I will tell you it is difficult. I recommend a fast shutter speed to freeze the car as it powers through the tight 180-degree turn.

Finally, don’t forget to enjoy the race! Make sure you’re in a position to run out onto the track once the marshals allow the crowd to do so. It was an absolutely amazing experience that I will never forget. And I’m glad I have the photos to re-live it.

No pass needed

Infield Flags, Monza, 2010

I saw several comments on my previous F1 photography articles saying that my tips and tricks, while helpful, didn’t apply to those who don’t have press access.

All the vantage point I’ve described above and all the photographs you see were taken without and kind of press pass whatsoever. All that got me into the circuit was a standard three-day general admission ticket.

I’ll say it once, I’ll say it a hundred times: There is absolutely no reason that anyone with a camera at a Grand Prix can’t take photos that will rival any professional’s images from the weekend – certainly at a gorgeous track like Monza.

What sets the professionals apart isn’t just their access, it’s their creative ability. Now get snapping!

For more tips and tricks see my guide to taking F1 pictures published here in April:

Find other F1 fans who are going to the Italian Grand Prix:

2011 Italian Grand Prix discussion

Jamey Price is a professional freelance sports photojournalist based in Charlotte, North Carolina. His work has appeared in F1 Racing Magazine, The Racing Post and many sporting websites. More of Jamey’s work can be seen at www.jameypricephoto.com

If you want to write a guest article for F1 Fanatic you can find all the information you need here.

Guest articles

Images © Jamey Price

How F1 failed in Turkey | Comment

Keith Collantine — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 09:37:07 +0000

The middle of nowhere: Istanbul Park

Eight years ago this month the Turkish Automobile and Motor Sports Federation (TOSFED) confirmed it had secured a place on the F1 calendar for 2005.

Within the space of those eight years, Turkey’s F1 involvement has come and gone. Its disappearance from the F1 schedule was confirmed by the publication of the 2012 F1 calendar yesterday.

How has F1 so conspicuously failed to establish itself in Turkey?

The race has not remained on the calendar beyond the duration of that original seven-year contract signed in 2003. It has clearly suffered from a lack of local interest.

At recent races, Formula One Management’s cameras have been aimed away from the deserted spectator areas. Some grandstands were covered over to hide the absence of spectators.

The location of the track, chosen by the promoters in consultation with Bernie Ecclestone, has been a key weakness. It might be called “Istanbul Park”, but it may well have been named by the same people who thought an airport just outside Bishop’s Stortford deserved the name ‘London Stansted’.

A coach ride from the city to the track takes in the region of two hours. And that’s assuming the driver doesn’t get lost on the way, as mine did when I visited in 2006.

Turkey’s race seems to have fallen victim to the short-sightedness of both the race promoters and FOM. It’s true the circuit offered some of F1′s cheapest ticket prices, but the country’s gross domestic product per capita is also among the lowest:

Turkey also showed the difficulty of importing F1 into a country with a limited motor racing culture. A glance at the circuit’s official website reveals little to nothing taking place at the venue on the 51 weekends when F1 isn’t in town.

Within three years of the track opening Moto GP, the World Touring Car Championship, German Touring Car Championship, Formula Renault 3.5 and various GT series all held races and then cut their ties with the venue.

Felipe Massa celebrates his hat-trick in 2008

The loss of the track will not just be felt by Felipe Massa, who scored three of his 11 career wins there. Drivers and fans alike will be disappointed by the loss of one of Hermann Tilke’s better – perhaps best – efforts at an F1 track.

Turn eight (was there ever a strip of track more worthy of a better name?) is surely the best corner built on any new F1 circuit in the last decade.

Istanbul Park proved a great venue for racing – even in dry conditions without DRS. No-one who has seen Lewis Hamilton’s storming drive through the field in the GP2 sprint race in 2006 will forget it.

Last year, a tense duel for the lead between the Red Bull drivers exploded as the pair tangled at high speed. Pity so few were there to see it.

If F1 is to make a success of new venues in India, America and Russia, it cannot repeat the mistakes it made in Turkey. It should not need pointing out that putting on a race in the middle of nowhere with little promotion, priced beyond the means of its potential audience, is not going to succeed.

Ultimately, someone has to take responsibility for ensuring F1′s new races succeed.

F1 Teams’ Association chairman Martin Whitmarsh showed the teams understand the problem when speaking at June’s Fans’ Forum: “I think what’s a worry is that we’re not doing enough.

“We talk about China, India, I think those are exciting markets, they’re markets [where] again, we can’t just have a race and come home. We’ve got to try harder.”

But it should not be the teams’ responsibility to promote the sport. It’s FOM and the race promoters who have fallen short and failed to gain a foothold for F1 in Turkey.

Kimi Raikkonen won the first Turkish Grand Prix

F1′s seven Turkish Grands Prix

2011 Turkish Grand Prix Vettel cruises to victory as the rest fight between themselves
2010 Turkish Grand Prix – McLaren take one-two as Red Bull hit self-destruct
2009 Turkish Grand Prix – Vettel’s mistake lets Button in for another win
2008 Turkish Grand Prix – Massa wins third consecutive race at Istanbul
2007 Turkish Grand Prix – Massa first as puncture stymies Hamilton
2006 Turkish Grand Prix – Maiden win for Massa
2005 Turkish Grand Prix – Raikkonen wins but Alonso limits damage

Comment

Browse all comment articles

Images © Tilke Gmbh, Ferrari spa, McLaren

Belgium and France to share F1 race from 2013 | 2013 F1 calendar

Keith Collantine — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 10:02:48 +0000

The 1987 French Grand Prix begins at Paul Ricard

The French Grand Prix is set to return to the F1 calendar at the Paul Ricard circuit, according to a report in L’Equipe.

The race will return to the calendar on alternate years, sharing a slot with the Belgian Grand Prix.

This means Spa-Francorchamps will only feature on the calendar in alternate years.

The French round will return to the calendar in 2013 at Paul Ricard, which last held an F1 race in 1990. The track held 14 world championship races beginning in 1971.

Thanks to Gwenouille for the tip.

View the 2012 F1 calendar.

2012 F1 calendar

Image © Williams/LAT

Circuit of the Americas will be “old-school” track | F1 video

Keith Collantine — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 07:13:12 +0000

They may not have laid the tarmac at America’s newest F1 venue yet – but that didn’t stop Red Bull getting an early lap in on the new track.

David Coulthard drove the team’s show car at the home of the 2012 United States Grand Prix, which is in the early stages of construction, last weekend.

“It’s certainly a circuit the drivers are going to enjoy,” said Coulthard, “there’s a lot of elevation change here.”

Race promoter Tavo Hellmund said he wants the track to have ‘old school’ appeal:

“We’re going to be able to accomplish building the closest thing to a traditional, old school Grand Prix track from the fifties and sixties – with the elevation, with the fast corners, with the technical corners.

“Unfortunately we have a lot of FIA requirements that are safety requirements, but I think that’s the one thing, the one characteristic that all the drivers and all the riders are going to come here and say, ‘man, that’s an old school-type track.”

Here’s video of Coulthard driving around the site, plus an interview with him and Hellmund:

Video: Red Bull explore the Circuit of the Americas

Images: Red Bull explore the Circuit of the Americas

Thanks to Dan Selby for editing the video

F1 video

Browse all F1 videos

Silverstone submits new plans for development | 2011 F1 season

Keith Collantine — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:11:58 +0000

Silverstone development map

Silverstone has taken a further step forward with its plans for future development at the circuit.

The circuit owners have submitted a planning application to the local council to construct a series of new buildings.

They will include a business park, technology park, education campus, three hotels, spectator facilities, kart track and outdoor stage.

The new spectator facilities will include a welcome centre and a museum of motor sport.

Silverstone managing director Richard Phillips described the development as “The most important initiative that Silverstone has taken in its 60-year history.

“Approval of this planning application will help maintain Silverstone’s position as a leading global centre for sport, leisure, education and technology and support its vision of becoming a world-leading motor sport destination.”

British Racing Drivers’ Club Stuart Rolt said: “The submission of this planning application is a big step forward in releasing the commercial potential of Silverstone and its 760 acre erstate.

“The timing of this planning application is closely linked into the process we are currently undergoing to seek potential investment from third parties that will enable us to move forward with our plans more rapidly.”

Last month Silverstone held its first Grand Prix using its new pit and paddock complex, The Wing, following changes to the circuit layout made last year.

2011 F1 season

Browse all 2011 F1 season articles

Hamilton: Watkins Glen ‘like the Nordschleife’ | 2011 F1 season

Keith Collantine — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 15:33:24 +0000

Lewis Hamilton, NASCAR, Watkins Glen, 2011

Lewis Hamilton described the Watkins Glen circuit as “absolutely fantastic” after driving it for the first time on Tuesday.

Hamilton compared the track to Germany’s celebrated 14-mile Nürburgring Nordscleife, which he drove two years ago:

Hamilton told F1 Fanatic: “This building here is fantastic, even though the facilities of the most modern F1 circuits are above and beyond anything else I’ve ever seen.

“But the track layout itself here is absolutely fantastic. It’s a really cool circuit to drive, I thoroughly loved driving both cars on it – they don’t make circuits like this nowadays.

“The way they make cambered corners, the different undulations, going uphill, downhill… that makes it so much better to drive.

“Whilst it’s a lot shorter, it reminded me a bit of the Nordschleife in Germany, as it’s a very long circuit. It had very similar characteristics to that I think, which is one of the best circuits – if not the best circuit – in the world.”

Watkins Glen last held an F1 race in 1980, four years after the original Nürburgring was dropped from the calendar.

Asked whether he might find overtaking easier driving in NASCAR, he said: “Firstly I think it would take some time to get up to speed in NASCAR, just as it would be for anyone moving into a different category.

Lewis Hamilton and Tony
Stewart seat swap pictures

“I think it’s potentially a little bit easier to overtake in NASCAR. In Formula 1, it’s so difficult and that’s why they keep changing the rules and trying to make it easier for us to overtake, but it’s very tough to get close in order to do so.

“NASCAR perhaps makes it a little bit easier for the drivers to be closer to each other and to then give themselves the opportunity to overtake. I think that that would perhaps suit me. I’d probably love it!”

Looking ahead to the next round of the F1 calendar, Hamilton said: “Valencia will be a weekend of consolidation after two disappointing results in Monaco and Canada.”

He added: “We’ve arguably had the fastest race car in the last three races, and that’s really encouraging because I know that, when it’s put to best use, I should be able to finish at the front.”

Lewis Hamilton and Tony Stewart seat swap

Silverstone opens “The Wing” – its new £28m pits and paddock | 2011 F1 season

Keith Collantine — Tue, 17 May 2011 14:33:05 +0000

Damon Hill, HRH the Duke of Kent, Stuart Rolt and Richard Phillips

Silverstone’s new £28m pit and paddock complex, known as The Wing, was formally opened today by HRH the Duke of Kent.

The new pits and paddock will be ready for use next month and will be used for the British Grand Prix this year.

Damon Hill, president of the British Racing Drivers’ Club which runs the circuit, said the new construction was essential to ensure the circuit’s future and place on the F1 calendar.

He said: “Around the world people are putting up palaces to motor racing.

“This cements the Grand Prix contract and kept Britain at the forefront of motor racing around the world.”

Unusually, the pit lane does not run level with the track. It stays flat while the tracks rises, meaning the pit wall is higher than the garages towards the end of the pits.

The pit lane exit slopes upwards and the drivers rejoin the track in the revised Abbey and Farm corners.

The old Abbey corner is no longer available for use as the previous Grand Prix circuit configuration has been decommissioned.

The repositioned start/finish line leads into Abbey. Jenson Button predicted a lot of action at the start with drivers going through the first two corners flat-out before braking for the next corner:

“Turn three is going to be interesting. The first time through with 24 cars nose-to-tail we’ll get a queue of cars on the inside, and it’s going to be who’s brave enough to go around the outside. You’ll see a lot of action.”

While Button praised the new circuit configuration, Stirling Moss couldn’t resist teasing host Jake Humphrey, saying “the original circuit was better”. “You weren’t supposed to say that”, replied Humphrey.

Derek Warwick praised how quickly the work had been completed, saying: “Three weeks ago there was no way we were having this today. This is the next phase of Silverstone.

“I don’t know if Bernie got square feet mixed up with square metres but it is rather large!”

Bernie Ecclestone was not present for the opening, but sent a statement saying the circuit’s facilities were now “state of the art”.

He added: “It’s a great shame it couldn’t have been completed ten years ago.”

Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn hailed the changes, saying: “The history of Silverstone cannot be manufactured. We had to preserve it.

“The fact the BRDC have preserved the future of Silverstone is magnificent.”

Silverstone Wing pictures

2011 F1 season

Browse all 2011 F1 season articles