Postcard from Silverstone
Friday ,8 July 2011
As the host of the first ever World Championship Grand Prix in 1950, Silverstone has a special place in the sport’s history. Through various changes of layout, the place has retained its character over the decades, and it truly is the home of British motor racing – as well of course as being the home of Force India!
This year for everybody arriving at the track there’s a strange feeling of disorientation, thanks to the construction of the magnificent new pit buildings. Many established venues have had such a facelift over the years, but the big difference it’s not just a question of new construction, as the location of the pit and paddock has moved from its traditional home between Woodcote and Copse to a new location between Club and Abbey. Getting around the venue is a bit more difficult now, and finding your bearings is no easy matter.
For the teams it’s nothing but good news. Inevitably there are a few teething problems – one mechanic said there are not enough WCs in the garages – but the new buildings are a huge improvement over what went before, and the crews have a lot more space with which to play. The paddock is also big enough for even the smallest teams to park four trucks, and you can’t say that about a lot of other races.
The location change also means that the start/finish line also has a new home, and in turn the first corner is now the high-speed complex at Abbey rather than Copse. It’s going to be a novel experience for everyone come Sunday afternoon, and not least the drivers. They will have to quickly get a feel for where they can and can’t pass through that sequence of corners on the first lap.
One thing hasn’t changed, and that is the Silverstone weather! Sometimes we can come here in July and have four days of brilliant sunshine, but history has shown that there’s a good chance of rain as well.
Indeed after some poor weather earlier this week on Thursday it was grey, cold and windswept. The forecasts suggest that there will be rain as the weekend progresses, so there will be plenty of opportunity for the drivers to sample the Pirelli wets and intermediates. The good news is that wet races here tend to be exciting, because the wide open spaces allow for different lines, and that helps to encourage overtaking.
The weather may be a little unpredictable, but one thing is certain – we will have a capacity crowd on Sunday, as all tickets have been sold. Rain or shine, the British fans are an enthusiastic bunch, so a great atmosphere is guaranteed.
Credit: Force India (www.forceindiaf1.com)
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