After what seems like barely any time since its announcement last summer, Silverstone has opened its new track layout for use.
The new section of track, which extends the historic circuit’s length to 3.66 miles, was originally planned in order to accommodate the riders of the Moto GP series, which will be visiting the Northamptonshire venue for the first time this year.
At the time, it looked as if Silverstone had lost the British Grand Prix to Donington and so all efforts were being made to accommodate the bikers with the new layout. Once it became clear that Donington didn’t have a hope in hell of raising the necessary finance to host a Formula One Grand Prix, a deal was struck between Silverstone and Bernie Ecclestone which granted the track the rights to the British round of the championship for the next seventeen years.
It was this guarantee which allowed the circuit to push ahead with a £30 million re-vamp of the facilities and work has already started on a new pits and paddock complex which will be completed in 2011. When it is finished, Silverstone says that it will be one of the best motor sport facilities in the world for competitors, organisers and spectators.
The redevelopment is intended to diversify the circuit’s offering in the areas of leisure and education and create a technology hub for motor sport, ensuring a vibrant and healthy business for the circuit for many years to come.
On 29 April, His Royal Highness the Duke of York formally opened the new section of track that completes the new layout of the famous circuit. David Coulthard demonstrated a Red Bull Formula One car while Ron and Leon Haslam represented the world of MotoGP and Superbikes.
Damon Hill president of the British Racing Drivers’ Club, which owns Silverstone, described the new layout as providing ‘not only a stunning new driving challenge’ but also ‘an enhanced spectator experience’.
The new layout leaves the old circuit at Abbey and turns right into the infield. A gentle left called Farm Curve leads to the shaper right-hand ‘Village Corner’ which is followed immediately by the left-hander known as ‘The Loop’. Another left-hand bend, ‘Aintree Corner’, leads onto the long ‘Wellington Straight’, which used to be known as the ‘Club Straight’ on the old circuit. This rejoins the original layout at ‘Brooklands Corner’.
Silverstone has a policy of not naming corners after drivers, as some circuits do. Hence the names have been chosen to reflect local features or motorsport links. ‘Wellington Straight’ refers to the Wellington bombers which operated out of the old Silverstone airfield during the second world war.
The new layout was christened over the early May Bank Holiday weekend when it drew mixed responses from the drivers competing in the GT World Championship race there.
Some felt that it was nothing special and that the slow section around ‘Village Corner’ and ‘The Loop’ in particular broke up the flow of the circuit. It was also felt that the layout had been designed too much with motorbikes in mind than for cars and that the track was better suited to bikes.
Others were quite happy, feeling that the combination of fast and slow corners provided plenty of challenges.
Meantime, repairs are being carried out to the Donington circuit which hopes to re-open in August after its disastrous attempt to host this year’s British Grand Prix.
