Westfield @ Brands Hatch

jonbryant · 23 Jun 2005, 12:42 (Ref:1338294)

Anyone got any idea what they've done to Westfields out on the Grand prix loop at Brands? This weekends Belcar and GT race meeting will be the first guys on it and I'm cuirous what they've done...

Elio · 23 Jun 2005, 13:23 (Ref:1338330)

Very little! If you`re familiar with the old alignment and you are going this weekend I almost guarantee that you`ll stand there looking at it and puzzle to yourself just WHAT they`ve actually done!

It`s very subtle. The first right-hand element of the corner now turns a few feet later than it used to, making the corner tighter. If you`re familiar with standing in the spectator enclosure inside the apex of that first bend you`ll now notice that the track is a few feet further away from you than it used to be.

The main difference is the run-off. A rather large chunk of woodland has now vanished on the outside of the corner to be replaced by a large, inviting gravel trap. Also gone is the old (ie original) tarmac of Westfield which used to be visible beyond the old gravel trap.

Raglanparade · 23 Jun 2005, 13:29 (Ref:1338336)

I thought they werent allowed to chop into the Woodland ?

Elio · 23 Jun 2005, 14:45 (Ref:1338401)

That`s precisely what I thought!

Also, from Hawthorns right the way round to Westfield (ie. behind the Derek Minter Straight) there has been a lot of "pruning"!! It was mid-May when I last ventured out there so now the trees are in full leaf it mightn`t look so "thin" - but back in May the woodland looked very thinned-out. I can`t understand why this was done as it was on the outside of the circuit along a straight (ie not to make way for a gravel trap or to move barriers back or anything). I can only assume that in order to be allowed to fell trees at Westfield the circuit owners might have agreed to carry out some "management" of the remaining woodland - ie clearing saplings, ivy, dead wood etc etc.......

jonbryant · 24 Jun 2005, 07:09 (Ref:1338985)

Cheers Elio. Always know you can get an answer on here! I was thinking of marshalling out there this weekend so I shall let you all know how the corner behaves now!

Elio · 24 Jun 2005, 21:39 (Ref:1339527)

Spent the day at Brands today but stayed around the pits. However, one of my spies who ventured out to Westfield in the afternoon told me that the new surface is breaking-up!! Could be some serious problems... there`s a lot of hefty machinery to go through that corner in the next 2 days.

Alfaholic · 25 Jun 2005, 20:03 (Ref:1340040)

I saw no sign of the track breaking up, but I did notice a dip in the track where the old and new surfaces met on the entry to Westfield - unfortunately it seems to be right on the braking point.

Work has also been carried out at Hawthorns Bend to install a very large gravel trap but without altering the circuit.

As the trees have been thinned out, it certainly seems a lot lighter round the back of the circuit, even on a gloomy day like today.

Elio · 25 Jun 2005, 22:40 (Ref:1340115)

I must admit, I wandered round in the final race today and the track did look OK at Westfield..... Got back just in time to see the finish.... I`ll be interested to see the repercussions out of that one!!!! Great days racing.

Rod Birley · 27 Jun 2005, 09:23 (Ref:1340870)

Driver was excluded from that race, but allowed to race on Sunday.

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