What’s happening at Silverstone?

What’s happening at Silverstone?

Author
Discussion

Robmarriott

Original Poster:

2,880 posts

169 months

Friday 7th February
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Google maps imagery has been updated recently and there’s a load of construction work going on at the good bit of the circuit (Bridge). Anyone know what’s happening?

I’ve had a look online but can’t find anything which makes any mention of work other than those stupid hotels outside Maggots/Becketts.


Vsix and Vtec

870 posts

29 months

Friday 7th February
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Yes, there's a whole little village of trackside accommodation being built. It's on the Silverstone websites I believe.

Robmarriott

Original Poster:

2,880 posts

169 months

Friday 7th February
quotequote all
Found it, it’s not apartments, it’s a Kart track, which is cool.

https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/politics/c...


ralphrj

3,756 posts

202 months

Friday 7th February
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Vsix and Vtec said:
Yes, there's a whole little village of trackside accommodation being built. It's on the Silverstone websites I believe.
Some already has been built between Copse and Maggots. I wonder if they are planning to do the same behind Hanger Straight and are relocating the Porsche demonstration area to the former Bridge corner.

bergclimber34

724 posts

4 months

Friday 7th February
quotequote all
The apartments are part of a private development and are largely finished, there has been no access to the exit outside Copse for nearly 3 years now as a result, the Bridge stuff is a kart circuit, so the track that bleats about not having any money is able to spend millions on a kart track that might pull in revenue, might not, but will certainly affect nearby karting venues I imagine who are established and very happy thanks.

I do hope the old access to the Maggotts complex is renewed.

lloydie-67

6 posts

15 months

Friday 7th February
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I've always thought it a shame that they didnt keep using the bridge layout for events like the classic, or even some club level events.
Looks like that wont be an option to ever happen moving forward....

ChevronB19

6,994 posts

174 months

Friday 7th February
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Getting rid of Bridge is comparable to getting rid of Eau Rouge, it was one of the most challenging corners in the world to go through at full blast.

PatreseBT52B

11 posts

27 months

Friday 7th February
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bergclimber34 said:
The apartments are part of a private development and are largely finished, there has been no access to the exit outside Copse for nearly 3 years now as a result, the Bridge stuff is a kart circuit, so the track that bleats about not having any money is able to spend millions on a kart track that might pull in revenue, might not, but will certainly affect nearby karting venues I imagine who are established and very happy thanks.

I do hope the old access to the Maggotts complex is renewed.
I was at the Walter Hayes in November. It has been re-opened but not what it was...





Edited by PatreseBT52B on Friday 7th February 14:50

bergclimber34

724 posts

4 months

Friday 7th February
quotequote all
interesting, they will stop you standing on those ledges before long, there will be marshals there to stop it. I got told off a few years ago for standing at the concrete blocks before Wellington straight, just hastened my desire to go home early!!

but at least you can still walk there and access that part of the track, the entry to Maggots for very quick cars was always staggering. Hope you can still get a bit close, but not at all shocked if you can't, this is development sadly. And Silverstone has not been about real fans for a very long time now sadly.

bigmowley

2,216 posts

187 months

Friday 7th February
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ChevronB19 said:
Getting rid of Bridge is comparable to getting rid of Eau Rouge, it was one of the most challenging corners in the world to go through at full blast.
Very sad day. I loved bridge, one of the very best corners in the world. In my GT4 XBow it was absolutely flat but only just and if the tyres were in good shape. A proper big balls corner.

coppice

9,086 posts

155 months

Saturday 8th February
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It was a fabulous place to watch F1 cars. I remember watching tyre test in the early noughties there and one's elevated position gave a real insight into different drivers' technique . Alonso was very noticeably using bits of the track which nobody else was ,and was scary quick in the Renault .

That said , the best lap I've ever seen was Keke Rosberg's staggering 161mph pole in 1985 . In light drizzle , and with 1000bhp plus under his well educated right foot

bergclimber34

724 posts

4 months

Saturday 8th February
quotequote all
You should have seen the top BSB and WSB riders trying it, very cool, sadly the GP guys never used the older versions as it was thankfully still at Donington!! But they did use the old perimeter track as I call it, but long before my time

b0rk

2,381 posts

157 months

Monday 10th February
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ralphrj said:
I wonder if they are planning to do the same behind Hanger Straight and are relocating the Porsche demonstration area to the former Bridge corner.
PEC Silverstone have a completely separate planning application to redevelop their site in with the council currently which the circuit do not seem to happy about as it stands. The main experience / sales building would become significantly larger under the proposal.

marcosgt

11,208 posts

187 months

Thursday 13th February
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bigmowley said:
ChevronB19 said:
Getting rid of Bridge is comparable to getting rid of Eau Rouge, it was one of the most challenging corners in the world to go through at full blast.
Very sad day. I loved bridge, one of the very best corners in the world. In my GT4 XBow it was absolutely flat but only just and if the tyres were in good shape. A proper big balls corner.
I never drove it at speed (Although I think I might have been one of the first to drive it as we did a Norwich Union Run which finished there just after it was finished as I recall - A bit hazy now!), but it was certainly a great corner to watch at.

I never really liked Silverstone, though, saw the '79 GP there and have never bothered to visit another GP since and even in the heyday of Group C, it was always my 3rd favourite track in the UK to watch them at.

That said, Group C cars at full chat down Hangar Straight into Stowe was something to behold!

M

coppice

9,086 posts

155 months

Thursday 13th February
quotequote all
I adored pre-chicane Woodcote though. Very nearly 50 (Jeez) year ago I saw F1 cars go through it for the last time at the International Trophy in April 75. The sight of Hunt and Lauda trading fastest laps in practice (no qually then ) was mesmerising . As was , I have to say, watching Norris and Verstappen do the same thing in '22 at Copse . At -eek - 180 bloody mph

bergclimber34

724 posts

4 months

Thursday 13th February
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It is a very different place agreed, and now seems to cater entirely for one event a year, I fear they might lose MotoGP if crowds do not pick up. However they might gain WEC which is booming and is possibly the reason why in my view opinions have changed at Silevrstone towards bikes in recent years, I feel there is a clear shift happening there.

but when you have struggled for a long time and you find a cash cow, I do think you need to milk it, my only issue is they seem to care less and less about certain things.

Vsix and Vtec

870 posts

29 months

Friday 14th February
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My partner and I got into WEC thanks to the 12 hours of Silverstone back in 2018, so it would be great if it could return.

CKY

2,138 posts

26 months

Friday 14th February
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coppice said:
That said , the best lap I've ever seen was Keke Rosberg's staggering 161mph pole in 1985 . In light drizzle , and with 1000bhp plus under his well educated right foot
Agreed, for me the circuit has been on a gradual decline ever since... I still remember being there for the 1976 Silverstone 6 Hours race, Ronnie Peterson and Gunnar Nilsson sharing the Motorsport-built Group 5 CSL Turbo one-off with 750bhp; awesome machine and so grateful I got to see it used in anger before BMW turned it in to 'a work of art' and now do naff all with it. Still remember the tyre smoke pouring out of the back of the car from Woodcote all the way to the braking zone for Copse!

Rewtle Litand

2,232 posts

170 months

Tuesday 18th February
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Getting rid of Bridge sums up everything about Silverstone for me; and the new track layout just leaves me cold, and don't start me on the Wing complex.....

They appear to be only interested in one event a year......something they pay silly money for.

"The Home of British motorsport" - really??? Tell that to all the off-road competitors.....whether rallying, MX, Enduro, etc

acer12

1,157 posts

185 months

Tuesday 18th February
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Rewtle Litand said:
Getting rid of Bridge sums up everything about Silverstone for me; and the new track layout just leaves me cold, and don't start me on the Wing complex.....

They appear to be only interested in one event a year......something they pay silly money for.

"The Home of British motorsport" - really??? Tell that to all the off-road competitors.....whether rallying, MX, Enduro, etc
Very true, each year / development it is becoming more of a glorified private club for the BRDC members to drink tea and somewhere to invite their sponsors to tell each other how great they are. In their minds uk motorsport does not exist outside silverstone and is limited to a few types of motorsport, whichever ones they can earn a buck from