[WEC Race] WEC / ELMS Silverstone - Who Went/Who's Going?

[Giba]

Just got to Silverstone, there's some light drizzle but hardly any wind. Safe journey everyone and hope to meet many of you over the weekend!

[Aysedasi]

Sleety snow here now in Buckingham.......

[P3ndula]

Originally Posted by rdjones

I keep watching the forecast, I think I am going to take every coat that I own, just to be on the safe side....

Dress like you're on Everest base camp three about to attempt final ascent. Froze my balls off last two years. That Silverstone wind... Watching Chinese GP in warm home this year.

[Alfaholic]

Next year I'll fit heated handlebar grips!

[isynge]

Originally Posted by P3ndula

Dress like you're on Everest base camp three about to attempt final ascent. Froze my balls off last two years. That Silverstone wind... Watching Chinese GP in warm home this year.

Higher camp at Everest clothing comment certainly applied - lots of mountaineering labels being sported today, and after the blizzard en route through Stowe to the circuit this morning such garb was totally appropriate.

That said, it did dry out and there were periods watching the ELMS round (not a classic like last year, but still entertaining) when it was almost like it was a balmy spring afternoon. Fingers crossed the weather's a touch more clement for tomorrow.

Good to see some familiar faces around the track today, and in particular over a good lengthy curry this evening. As GT6 said, it's a little like heading into race day at Le Mans - while there's a real relish that we're getting started with all this - there's also a regret that this time tomorrow it'll all be over.

[Mikelancs]

Morning all I'm not there I'm in leafy Lancashire, but woken to a ground frost ! Much the same as it was for me the last time I went 2 years ago!
Have a great day let the fun commence ( and for those camping - stove on tea brewing and Bacon frying!) See those who are going at Le Mans !

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[Adam43]

I've just checked the weather for today. The maximum is 10 degrees C. Well that's it I'm not going. If it was 11 degrees then I'd be there. I can't believe that they are holding this race on the 17th April, madness.

[YorkshireLad]

Originally Posted by Adam43

I've just checked the weather for today. The maximum is 10 degrees C. Well that's it I'm not going. If it was 11 degrees then I'd be there. I can't believe that they are holding this race on the 17th April, madness.

Was actually warm today Adam! I was completely shocked, might be another ten years before we get a day like today again in April haha!☀️

[Adam43]

Yes, It was lovely at Silverstone today. I got sunburnt.

[Martin Bull]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Yes, It was lovely at Silverstone today. I got sunburnt.

..as did I - and I bought an ice-cream, too......

[Simmi]

Good weekend all in all. I don't think the races were vintage encounters but the standard is so high now that there's always plenty to enjoy.

First time going to FP3 this year only to be greeted by massive snowflakes. I was literally sat there thinking 'what am I doing here?' - but from the ELMS race onwards the weather was great.

One random takeaway from the event. I definitely took the sound of the 458 Italia for granted. It will definitely be missed when the whole field is eventually switched out to 488s.

[isynge]

Went, enjoyed, didn't freeze (although Becketts was once again described as the coldest grandstand on the planet).

Overall Silverstone experience was the most polished I've seen. Good crowd, varied catering options, frequent shuttle buses, the Wing being open to ordinary spectators is useful, and to cap it all off, seeing the finish at 1800 and without running or missing a deballast stop en route to the carpark, was on the open road heading for home by 1820.

Great weekend of racing, made better by seeing some if not all familiar faces. Roll on Spa in a few weeks.

[Truckosaurus]

I reckon that was the best weekend I've ever spent at Silverstone.

With two major events there was constant high quality track action, no big breaks or random support races. We were there from around 9-10am both days and there was no 'waiting' all weekend.

As Ian said, even with massive crowds you could, if you parked strategically (ie. close to an access road), then you could get out from the car park without any queueing (we went from the stand opposite the Wing to the car and out onto the road by about 10-past).

With plenty of video screens, the commentary on the radio and the timing on the WEC app if was also very easy to follow the classes from all round the circuit.

[Martin Bull]

Even on reflection, hugely enjoyable day.

Silverstone is still something of a nightmare for spectator viewing when compared to years ago - but even with a pocket camera, it was nice to be able to get a simple shot or two. I know the Fords were disappointing, 'controversial' etc etc but the enthusiast in me still loved seeing 'Ford GT' in the programme - for me it's a bit like 'Martini Porsche' ; just something that's 'right' !

[rdjones]

I have too say it was a Jolly good day and the weather was pretty good too.

I arrived just before 9 and I was directed into a Car Park at the back of Luffield, I walked away thinking this is going to be a nightmare to get out of at the end of the day.

I headed down to the Wing (using a shuttle bus which worked really well) only to faced with two massive queues for the pit lane walkabout, however join and was the pit lane opened I was in, it was bit of scrum but that only to be expected, but as ever it was ever it was nice to see the drivers and cars up close.

I enjoyed the race and I just happen to be sitting in the Beckett's grandstand went Mr Hartley went flying so I got a good view of the end of the accident.

I headed back to Luffield for the end of the race (were I bumped to Bentley and Ayse so it was nice to see them after a couple of year's).

I had forgotten how big Silverstone was and think next year I am going to take my bike.

I was going to stay for the end of race but when the number #2 Porsche pitted with 10 mins to I thought I would head for the car park and I listen to end of the race before moving off. This was a good move as I was on the M1 by 18.20 (that included stopping to by a drink at the BP petrol station at Towcester).

[Sodemo]

I last went to the race in 2014, I went in 2015 but only to the cheapy Friday practice day. However I did go on Sunday and im glad I did, even though it meant missing the Donington BTCC.

The Fords and Corvette were so damn loud. When they came past they rattled my ears to the point at which there was almost pain. No other cars really did that.

I do wish there was an alternative venue for the WEC. I would prefer to see it at Donington or Brands Hatch, although there is the debate about whether the paddock is big enough for Brands I guess.

[TheNewBob]

Originally Posted by rdjones

I was going to stay for the end of race but when the number #2 Porsche pitted with 10 mins to I thought I would head for the car park and I listen to end of the race before moving off. This was a good move as I was on the M1 by 18.20 (that included stopping to by a drink at the BP petrol station at Towcester).

I did the same, can still pick up Radio Silverstone for a good few miles once on the M1 so didn't miss much.

Looked like a decent crowd, did they give any estimated figures during the day? I didn't catch it if they did. Saturday crowd didn't look too bad either, despite the snow!

Wasn't the classic race we had last year but still good entertainment. Still get surprised every time by the sheer speed of the manufacturer P1 teams through Copse corner and Becketts.

As Simmi said, the sound of the 458 will be sorely missed next year. Being able to hear it wailing round a few corners into the distance is a pretty special experience that was clearly grabbing some of the first-time-visitors (along with the 'Vette), and by comparison the 488 is pretty horrible. At least there will be a few 458 GTEs on the Brands Hatch GT Sport Club entry in 3 weeks or so!

The Fords didn't seem as spectacular as some of the pre-season 'hype' would have us believe, but as far as I could tell from the trackside they seemed to have a fairly solid run, never more than a couple of seconds apart most of the time.

I still think there is room for an additional support race on the Sunday morning. Something running from about 10:00 to 10:30 would have helped to fill the big gap before the main event. Would they be allowed to run that from the old pits while the WEC pitwalk was going on?

[rdjones]

Originally Posted by TheNewBob

Looked like a decent crowd, did they give any estimated figures during the day? I didn't catch it if they did. Saturday crowd didn't look too bad either, despite the snow!

Silverstone are saying that the crowd figure was 52,000 over the weekend.

[Mikelancs]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

I last went to the race in 2014, I went in 2015 but only to the cheapy Friday practice day. However I did go on Sunday and im glad I did, even though it meant missing the Donington BTCC.

The Fords and Corvette were so damn loud. When they came past they rattled my ears to the point at which there was almost pain. No other cars really did that.

I do wish there was an alternative venue for the WEC. I would prefer to see it at Donington or Brands Hatch, although there is the debate about whether the paddock is big enough for Brands I guess.

Don't think anywhere other than Silverstone is big enough as ghe ELMs teams take up the national paddock and WEC in the international side. Doubt there would simply be enough room at the circuit as a whole!
Good race though, I didn't go as I went in 2013 when it froze over night - no snow but we camped and it was bloody freezing!
Make them annual pilgrimage to Le Mans now and possibly add Spa next year!

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[GT6]

Well had a great 3 days, great racing, strange weather, meet most of those i expected to, food at circuit even better than last year, only problem was getting home, took a hour almost before we were out of the car park and over 3 hours to get home due to problems with the dartford bridge.

[eps]

A great couple of days - admittedly Saturday was cold!! but even so the ELMS race was tip top.

I think they (WEC) now have the correct balance between having enough open and having it feel full enough to generate an atmosphere. Some good choices and quite decent beer on sale as well (Hobgoblin, opposite the Wing) as opposed to fizzy lager...

Met a few of the usual suspects and also met a few new people out and about as well!

[bella]

had a fantastic day on saturday. opening up the wing is a necessary stroke of genius when you're holding a major event in april, i was greatly appreciative of somewhere to regain feeling in the extremities. the catering effort looked much improved - some friends had the mac and cheese on offer and they were very impressed.

i disagree in the strongest possible terms about the sound of the ford gt. at silverstone you lose a lot of depth of engine note because it's so big and open, ricard is more compact so perhaps that's why there's a difference in opinion. it still made me take note and have a good look at where the noise was coming from!

a note on the pricing that has been covered previously - the walk-up rate for sunday was extortionate. £25 was decent for saturday but £40 for sunday was just inappropriate. imo they missed out on a bit of fair weather passing trade (perhaps intentionally) because of that. i can understand them preferring presales so they can make sure they cater/car park manage appropriately, but...

[Sodemo]

I too will miss the sound of the 458. Those downshifts.... aahh. You can hear it from across the circuit. Shame to lose a car of that calibre.

I think the GT3 field will have to satisfy my desire to have "wonderful" sounding cars from now on. I'll be going to the Blancpain. I think its such a wonderful formula, every car that came out of the pitlane when I was at Silverstone came out with a different grumble or scream. I love the variety.

[outnumbered]

I went up on Saturday for ELMS (waited until the rain had gone before getting there!) and Sunday for WEC.

Generally had a good time, coming home with mild sunburn despite having been freezing for half the day is the quintessential Silverstone April experience

The part that I really, really, disliked was the pre-WEC race buildup, with some clueless and inane commentator on the grid trying too hard to be enthusiastic, plus way too much music (at the wrong time, when the race was starting) and pyrotechnics. Just give us RLM or the TV commentary FFS !

[Aysedasi]

Had a great weekend, all three days. Saturday morning was extraordinary, we sat in the car for an hour as there was no point getting out - it was warm in the car and we could listen to the one or two cars trundling round.... Enjoyed the ELMS race and a curry in the evening with friends on both Friday and Saturday evening which left me jet propelled with hybrid power on Sunday.... . Race day was very pleasant when the sun came out, lucky as our favoured Club grandstand was one of those to have had it's roof removed..... Really enjoyed the WEC race (although disappointed with the aftermath). It made the (admittedly highlights) of the F1 race look sad and contrived. The quality of the food at the many outlets was vastly improved - but pretty pricey. Best bit for Silverstone? Having the Wing open again this year and the ability to watch from the balcony above the pits. Must have walked at least four laps of the track over the three days which has left my poor old legs a bit tired today. The three days went so fast and I can't remember the 6 Hours seeming so short before. Yep, a great weekend.