New trunk road/rail links coming, I'm told, and lots of investment in the track and surrounding areas. I think Rockingham is going to become much more viable as a major event location in the next couple of years.
Poll : Silverstone? Donington? Either? Don't care?
Closed since :
Keep the British GP at Silverstone!
58
Either, as long as there's a British GP!
20
Move the British GP to Donington!
18
Enough's enough, get rid of the British GP. (Silly prices, etc..)
4
New trunk road/rail links coming, I'm told, and lots of investment in the track and surrounding areas. I think Rockingham is going to become much more viable as a major event location in the next couple of years.
Well I live about 8 miles away, and indeed there's a new rail link being built atm. I hope there's going to be new roads, because there ain't alot around here tbh
It's biggest problem is that it's actually in a town called Corby. Which, basically, is like a really rough part of London but full of Scottish people. Thats why it's called Rockingham [a tiny country village with a medieval castle] and not Corby
EDIT: I've been to Rockingham once, and it definitely has potential for some good events. However it's not that large and so might be a bit short for the really fast stuff.
Took the words from my mouth. I live not too far away as well and well lets just say it makes Chernyobyl look like a nice holiday destination... ok thats being a bit harsh but the place is a shite hole.
One of the big problems Rockingham has is the 'natural acoustic bowl' they thought they would achieve with the layout of the place that directs sound upwards failed to take into account of the typical British overcast day and the sound bouncing back down again.
Consequently Rockingham is limited to only running 4 major events a year, whilst F1 would certainly find it's way to the top of the bill, the fact is they already have 4 major events a year and have managed to adapt their business model around it - whilst recouping their investment is slower than originally planned, it doesn't need to change anything to eventually do so.
I would like to see the Grand Prix stay at Silverstone, but not really for any love of Silverstone (I alway preffered Brands Hatch back in the day), but because Donnington is going to get spoilt to bring it up to F1 spec.
Donnington is a wonderful track for club and national racing, as you yourself know Sam from the day we watched from the embankment you can see almost the whole circuit (and indeed would see all of it if they ditched that big advertisement billboard at the back of the start straight) - that vantage point is going to be pitlane. The motox track is becoming the infield, displacing the central theme park, stands and exhibits etc. The whole character of the place is in jeopardy and the viewing experience will become more like Snetterton where you only see a very small part of the lap from any given place.
Donnington is wonderful for national and club racing, far better than the Snetterton viewing experience it will become, and it will loose that charm.
As for the GP at Silverstone, well, i've seen it there twice and thoroughly enjoyed each visit - if you havn't been and love motor racing I say stomach the cost one year if you can, it'll rock your world. I particularly like viewing around the stadium area, I hear the Vale is also good although i've not tried it.
I guess I just like things as they are. I dont know if we really need 'facilities'. These much vaunted 'facilities' are not for the spectators benefit - they are for business, corporate hospitality, and commentator boxes... I dont care about those. What we get is entrance roads and the like, and Silverstone has that now.
There is a balance that needs to be struck. Having been on both sides of the fence there is nothing worse than going to a track that has terrible pit areas and no hospitality. Drivers need to attract sponsors and do you really want to take them to some shit venue. So it's a balance for sure.
As much as I have great memories of going to watch bikes at Donington (watching the 500s comin under bridge and Rossi all yellow will stay in my brain forever) progression shouldn't be someting to be scared of.
EVen club racers need sponsors so taking your sponsor to some grimy dump isn't something you really wanting to be doing.
Good because last time I went the place felt like a ghost town.
I voted for "Either, as long as there's a British GP!"
1. Silverstone is a great track, and would like to keep it.
2. Would be exiting with Donington as a new track. If it is a good overtaking track and stuff.
I would like that they change it each year. Silverstone, Donington, Silverstone, Donington, yea you get the picture
1. Silverstone is a great track, and would like to keep it.
2. Would be exiting with Donington as a new track. If it is a good overtaking track and stuff.
I would like that they change it each year. Silverstone, Donington, Silverstone, Donington, yea you get the picture
Donington Park is a nice track
As I understood it, there were new and well placed fixed toilets in there (probably no bidets though) and a new covered stand, as part of the £28m package. If it really is all just corporate hospitality stuff then that is pants. But the ticket prices for events have to come down. The teams also recognise that, just because they CAN fill the stands at these prices, it doesn't work to promote the sport in a positive way.
The fact that so much of taxpayers' money would finish up with Bernie means that the government wouldn't dare put money into Silverstone. Not every tax payer is a motorsport lover, and not every motorsport lover is a Bernie lover.
Part of the problem is that other government subsidised circuits allow Bernie to charge overwhelming amounts of money to host races. This is what pushes the prices up for places like Silverstone to host a race. How can you expect businesses to cut prices if they are being outbid by countries with unlimited funds from their governments.
You really have to look at the bigger picture here Sam.
Don't talk at me as if I'm an imbecile, Alan.
Well you keep saying they should 'lower' prices yet provide no viable alternative. When other tracks are being subsidised by governments raising the price of hosting a race how on earth could a track like Silverstone lower it's ticket prices, while improving facilities, and maintaining a healthy profit (which is around 53m per year). Your the ex-business consultant where's the plan to increase that profit margin?
It's the only way he knows...
Back on topic - personally I don't mind either of them to be honest, both of them are decent enough tracks and both of them need improvements.
On Silverstone - Given a good bit of investment it would be great. First thing first - they need to improve the grandstands to a level like football grounds at least on the start finish straight/Copse. They aren't covered and are made from scaffolding. I can understand that full utilisation is rarer than at a football ground but I can't imagine how miserable paying full whack- £150+ for a day ticket to sit in a stand you get at golf tournaments must be in the rain. Proper stands are a must, Abbey is simply terracing with 'tractor seats' bolted on- great in the British weather!
On Donington - Needs a lot of improvement also, mainly more to do with the track and facilities to make it F grade, but if they had the funding sorted from the start then should have been fine, but they have ran inot 'complications' and are behind.
@ Insipid: But it's a GIVEN that part of reducing the cost of tickets is adjusting Bernie's ridiculously inequitable fees and ad revenue control. It doesn't NEED stating! Everybody already knows all that!
The British weather experience comes as part of the deal.
But yeah the seating capacity is a bit inadequate, a lot of the stands are just covered standing only areas I believe (or at least thats how it was from what I remember back in the 90s, I think its changed since then).
But apart from that the track is very well kept, much better than the average British circuit used to be, I would say e.g. Snetterton (last time I was there it was a dump), but the overall state of Britain's tracks has improved massively the last few years.
Big grandstands do not equal great racing however, Bernie knows this but dosen't give a toss, to him big grandstands means more money to be made. Bernie is a businessman, but not a racer.
In my opinion silverstone is a great track. It offers the overtaking manouevers, just F1 doesn't have the capacity to use them. If you saw/can find any footage of the F-BMW race you will see what silverstone has to offer.
The stands are fine imo, but yes places like abbey and bridge with the toy car seats planted in the concrete must be pretty shit on a wet day. Toilets are ok in terms of quality, there is one at every corner near enough but i recon they could do with 2 more in some areas. Where i was (stowe) the que was just massive so most people just went up to the bushes for a piss after the GP had finished. It was quite funny seeing 30 people at any time pissing in this big bush. But something needs to be done about the toilets imo.
But anyway, last time i went to donnington it was 10x worse so please, F1 dont go there! Also it's gonna be a lot harder to access and parking is no where near as good as silverstone.
The stands are fine imo, but yes places like abbey and bridge with the toy car seats planted in the concrete must be pretty shit on a wet day. Toilets are ok in terms of quality, there is one at every corner near enough but i recon they could do with 2 more in some areas. Where i was (stowe) the que was just massive so most people just went up to the bushes for a piss after the GP had finished. It was quite funny seeing 30 people at any time pissing in this big bush. But something needs to be done about the toilets imo.
But anyway, last time i went to donnington it was 10x worse so please, F1 dont go there! Also it's gonna be a lot harder to access and parking is no where near as good as silverstone.
Absolutely, Snetterton is a great place to race, i've been to a few race meetings there, GT's F3 and the like and although I can say I enjoyed it and it was worth the money - that's more from my passion for motor sports than the spectator facilities or viewable area of the track.
I'm very worried about Donnington ending up like the A1 Ring.
If Bernie decides he wants to stay at Silverstone, Donnington loses the only reason for the refurbishment and probably most of its financial backing. With no money the work will stop and we'll be stuck with a half finished track in a state where no racing can take place and therefore no money can be made to finish it or even get it to useable quality.
If Bernie decides he wants to stay at Silverstone, Donnington loses the only reason for the refurbishment and probably most of its financial backing. With no money the work will stop and we'll be stuck with a half finished track in a state where no racing can take place and therefore no money can be made to finish it or even get it to useable quality.
Donington all the way, if any of you are like me and had the pleasure of going around both these circuits then you will know Donington is the far superior in terms of excitment and racing.
Snet is certainly far better since MSV bought the place, used to be an absolute dump when I last went but then again that was about 10 years ago.
Partly thanks to Jonathon Palmer and MSV, british circuits are probrably better kept that ever.
I too am worried that Donnington has bitten off more than it could ever chew, and have potentially ruined a prefectly good club circuit.
But now F1 will be there, the best viewing point will become that long left hand loop. Also it wont provide good racing in the f1 cars of today, too many high speed corners and not enough straights.
You have never been to Donington have you and if you have you clearly were standing outside the main gates LOL
The viewing is perfect and if you have seen the plans of the track you would know where the grandstands are going to be built.
Donington is superior!
It's not really possible to know if Donington will be superior until the work is done. My fave spot is either down near Starkey's, on the bank (though it's difficult to sit on anything but a blanket there) or standing/sitting on the mound near the Dunlop Bridge. Anywhere, where you're far separated from the action is pants, and anything with fencing obstructing the view is less than desirable.
However you regard Donington NOW, it's going to be A LOT different when the place is packed with crowds of the size that accompany an F1 event.
However you regard Donington NOW, it's going to be A LOT different when the place is packed with crowds of the size that accompany an F1 event.
Wherever Waldorf and Statler...Bert and Ernie....Max and Bernie arn't
British GP Preference - Silverstone or Donington?
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