Jul 7, 2011
The Home of British Motorsport, as Silverstone is known has had an almighty makeover since last we were here in 2010. Back then, the track layout had been modified slightly, but this year, it’s the paddock that has undergone the biggest change.
Actually, change is the wrong word, because a completely new pits, Paddock Club and Media centre complex has been built between Club and Abbey corners. The new facility, known as the Wing, because of its wing-like shape is very striking and the most modern design ever seen at this previously rather conservative race venue. However, none of that is of much interest to the F1 drivers and their engineers, who have a different take on the new location. This afternoon, our engineers, who had so far only seen drawings of the new layout, will in fact be measuring the new pit lane and the pit lane speed limit zone. Depending on the data – is it shorter or longer than the old one?- it could affect strategy for the race in terms of number of pit stops, even if so far this year, we have seen far more of those than in the past.
For the drivers, the new pit location means two things. Firstly, they have to effectively learn two new corners, at the pit lane entry and then the exit. Even if they won’t use these corners on all 52 laps of the race, they will need to use them when they make pit stops at crucial points in the race, so finding the best lines is as important as at any other corner on the track. Secondly, they will also have to learn new corner numbers for when they describe their car’s behaviour round the race track to their engineer, with Abbey now replacing Copse as Turn 1.
We will get a first opportunity to see how all this affects a lap of Silverstone when free practice starts on Friday morning. Let’s hope the circuit management has had the good idea to block off the approach road to the old pit complex. In the past, we have often seen drivers pulling into the wrong team pit at their first test with a new team, but it would take this absentmindedness to a whole new level if they actually tried to drive into the wrong pit lane!
Credit: Toro Rosso (www.scuderiatororosso.com)
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