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We clearly got there early enough to get the Stowe complex parking, which was nice. Then we were told we needed a minibus to get to the circuit. Which seemed odd as the circuit was in front of us. We may have had the same steward, I've never met someone know so little about the subject matter that he was there to help with. Ended up just heading off to find our own way and was pleasantly surprised how accessible most of the circuit was to spectators. Though I completely accept the point that if there are 15000 people there it will be busy and the views will be terrible (owing to the flat circuit).
Honestly, I have no idea how they will cope with the WRX. The minibus system must be awful, particularly if it's raining. The car retrieval system made Lydden look advanced. The paddock was awful and chaotic with cars heading in every direction. The track was dull with one main overtaking place. So it will encourage banger racing.
Of course it's great to have a new venue in middle England. But this was akin to a car park (to use Chunder's turn of phrase). Not just the pokey track but also the feeling of the outside of the circuit just didn't feel like a proper race track, but a Car park with a grandstand and a few outbuildings. Compare to the other F1 track cum rallycross venue, Catalunya, and it's chalk and cheese. That's the difference between using the existing infrastructure or just dumping a track in the infield (see also Brands Hatch). With the former, you can use the established grandstands and facilities. The circuit should have been in the infield of the Nuffield complex. That would have been awesome, using the old pits as the paddock.
This track will work well as a British rallycross venue as it will never attract the support of a WRX event, and the facilities are fine for a few thousand fans. But this is categorically not a step up from Lydden in terms of excitement or facilities. Significant infrastructure improvement is required or they will have a lot of very unhappy (and significantly poorer) punters in May.
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