Does the UK need more circuits?

[pink69]

Do you think we need more high quality race circuits in the uk? personally I think we do, as we have about 4 or 5 top quality circuits and some lower quality circuits, not naming any names.

[rlinter]

Originally posted by pink69
Do you think we need more high quality race circuits in the uk? personally I think we do, as we have about 4 or 5 top quality circuits and some lower quality circuits, not naming any names.

Spot on Pink69 - I have spent 2001 at most of them and range the facilities as between wishy-washy and terible with a few notiable exceptions - Dare I name names - I am a Journo so why not..

My vote for the best facilities in 2001 as both a working Journo and a spectator must go to Rockingham - It is true you can see 95% of the track from your seat or almost 99% from the top of the pit garages.

For racing it has to be either Castle Combe or Knockhill in the dry.

As for food - Erm.... None of them - Take a packed lunch.

For the record the track the treated me best as a working scribe has to be Rockingham with Thruxton a very very close second.

[Takuma]

The Bacon and Brie on Garlic bagettes at Castle Coombe were very good, but that was down at camp corner, a bit far from the paddock for most journo's!!!!!

Otherwise food at circuits is a risky experience and an expensive one.

What is needed is investment into the current circuits to bring the facilities up to an acceptable standard. Although a nice street circuit around Birmingham would be good.

[Rob29]

Rockingham has shown the way to go,but if oval racing does not catch on they are going to have to rebuild it as the infield part to too distant for the crowd.
Brand Hatch actually has WORSE facilities for the public than when I first went there in 1955,in that the only decent stand at a British circuit has been demolished!

[AndyF]

I don't think we need any new circuits.....just improve the ones that are not up to the standard of Rockingham/Brands!

[Craig]

Are you mad ?!

It is far too obvious from the mess the national racing scene finds itself in today that we already have too many circuits and far too many series to go round, meaning small grids and less and less interest from the paying punter.

What we need to be doing is renovating our existing circuits and encouraging new people through the gates. Until we improve the facilities at most of the circuits, there's not a hope of getting new fans in...

[AndyF]

Originally posted by Craig Antill
Are you mad ?!

It is far too obvious from the mess the national racing scene finds itself in today that we already have too many circuits and far too many series to go round, meaning small grids and less and less interest from the paying punter.

What we need to be doing is renovating our existing circuits and encouraging new people through the gates. Until we improve the facilities at most of the circuits, there's not a hope of getting new fans in...

But is it really worth improving some circuits??? Both Thruxton and Castle Combe have very restricted planning laws which means only a handful of events each year. In these cases, would the investment be worth it!?

[THR]

dont you dare say dont spend money on castle combe and thruxton!!

both are great places, good racing and more importantly SOUTH!

wouldnt say we need any more, altho rockingham was welcome addition.
they need improving a bit i guess. but not if it makes it more expensive for people, or competitors.

[rlinter]

Originally posted by THR
dont you dare say dont spend money on castle combe and thruxton!!

both are great places, good racing and more importantly SOUTH!

wouldnt say we need any more, altho rockingham was welcome addition.
they need improving a bit i guess. but not if it makes it more expensive for people, or competitors.

Provided the spend some cash on safety at both tracks and improve a few of the basic facilities then the will both be great

IMHO - Thruxton needs to redevelop it's pitlane and sort out the chicane.

Castle Combe need to add a few garages and a proper pitlane and sort out the bump at tower.

[Rob29]

Originally posted by rlinter





Castle Combe need to add a few garages

Please NOT!
Pit lane garages are my no1 hate.The people who demolished perfectly good pits with spectator balconies on top,and replaced them with a row of lock up garages should be hanged IMHO

[rlinter]

Originally posted by Rob29

Please NOT!
Pit lane garages are my no1 hate.The people who demolished perfectly good pits with spectator balconies on top,and replaced them with a row of lock up garages should be hanged IMHO

If castle combe had a row of pit garages with a balcony on top that would be excellent as you would be able to see most of the track.

there is after all plenty of space to do it.

[AndyF]

Combe must be one of the only circuits without anything on the inside of the course, bar a few marshall's posts. Perhaps this space could be exploited?!

[Marshal]

No it can't. The management at Combe applied for planning permission for moving the whole paddock and pits to the inside about 3 years ago, and the local planning authority told them to get stuffed. Pity really.

[Chris Y]

I'm not too convinced that this country has too many circuits..

Whilst I agree that it may be diluting grids/encouraging more, smaller championships, on the other hand - one of the main reasons why racing in this country is so good, is the number of excellent circuits in relatively close proximity to each other. The facilities need to be improved at many of them, but each circuit has its own unique character and many would be sad to lose any of them.

The other thing is - a lot of people hope that having a good number of circuits, the competition would drive down the costs of running race meetings. Doesn't seem to be working though, does it?

[Craig]

The problem is though Chris, currently five of them are operated by a single company. Rumours are rife that Rockingham could become a future acquisition. This fact goes a fair way to explaining why circuit costs are not being driven down by market forces (though I do stop short of allegations of artificially high pricing because I don't agree with these)

The idea of more circuits is wonderful. On paper. Sadly though we can hardly sustain the number we have.

One thing which we all agree on I think is that there is currently far too many different national level race series. Obviously a reduction in these series will mean a reduction in income to these very circuits we're talking about - there could be a risk of losing one or two of the smaller circuits, especially in the current economic climate, so there really is no viable opportunity of additional UK circuits.

[Chris Y]

Correct. There are just too many race series. No one has a solution that would keep everyone happy, and in that respect I can't see anything happening anytime soon.

Like you say, if a couple of series were to be merged, the losers would be the circuits, and I can't imagine them liking that. They'd probably put the prices up again. Square one anyone?

[josvandeperre]

Without wishing to get involved in the too much racing discussion my guess is that most circuits would actually prefer fewer race meetings as test / track days are more lucrative

[Marshal]

Very true I believe.