2016 Blancpain GT Series

[SS Supporter]

Originally Posted by Truckosaurus

I'm sure they will be caught out and do a 71 second stop before long and end up with a big penalty.

I quite like the idea of 'big risk, big reward' in trying to do a blisteringly quick pitstop.

WRT tried this trick 3 times at Silverstone , twice they succeeded and once they missed resulting in a drive through for Frijns .

The risk reward balance is determined by the time penalty of a drive through , at Spa the penalty for missing will be massive as both pit lanes are used in the 24 hours so I doubt they will try it there .

[rwstokes]

Well I like many had a great time at Silverstone this weekend. Glad the weather played ball unlike at the WEC.

Was surprised at how busy it was, Silverstone even having to use the second carpark. Seems like word is getting how just how good GT3 racing is.

Some pictures from myself:







and a full album here: https://flic.kr/s/aHskwFrgX5

[Rodger Davies]

Superb shots, always difficult at Silverstone!

[Miguel]

Yes, very nice for such a shitty track.

[tux]

Originally Posted by Miguel

Yes, very nice for such a shitty track.

Sorry that our country is an inconvenience to your life.

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by tux

Sorry that our country is an inconvenience to your life.

Well said sir

[fergus_r]

Well I for one agree with Miguel. Nothing to do with our country...

[Miguel]

Haha what!? I didn't know Silverstone is a country! Does it also belong to the UK?

[Truckosaurus]

Originally Posted by fergus_r

Well I for one agree with Miguel. Nothing to do with our country...

Indeed.

Those Plus Points for Silverstone in full:

1) it has more than one grandstand with a roof
2) ... that is all.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by fergus_r

Well I for one agree with Miguel. Nothing to do with our country...

Originally Posted by Truckosaurus

Indeed.

Those Plus Points for Silverstone in full:

1) it has more than one grandstand with a roof
2) ... that is all.

Unless something has changed at Silverstone to move spectators nearer the track, removed a lot of the fencing, improved the viewing experience hugely and generally improved everything else about it then it's a crap circuit to spectate at. I assume nothing has changed - I haven't been for several years now - because for the money it's just not worth it.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Blancpain Sprint meeting at Brands Hatch (and British GT as well) - so the product (GT3 racing) isn't the problem.

[rwstokes]

Yeah Silverstone does leave a little to be desired in the whole, closeness to the track area, as well as the huge catch fencing. But I guess thats the price to pay for being the only FIA Grade 1 circuit in the UK (I think, correct me if I am wrong).

Still, it gets good events, and now the security company they use are a bunch of hostile *******s on a power trip I actually enjoy going to the track. Just a shame there aren't more photographers windows.

[Rodger Davies]

I'm with Miguel here: modern Silverstone is a horrible, soulless wasteland that only exists for a GP or two per year.

The rest of the time it's inconvenient to spectate at unless you're in hospitality and, even with a decent crowd such as the WRC rounds, it looks sparse and empty due to the number of closed grandstands around.

For me personally, my favourite section was always Abbey and Bridge; without that area it just feels wrong.

So yeah, it's flat, featureless, terrible for spectating and photography so all credit to those that take good pictures from events there.

Such as the above and http://www.danbathie.com/motorsport/...verstone-2016/

So Miguel doesn't slight "our country" at all, just a justifiable barb towards what Silverstone has become.

Originally Posted by rwstokes

Still, it gets good events, and now the security company they use are a bunch of hostile *******s on a power trip I actually enjoy going to the track. Just a shame there aren't more photographers windows.

That's handy to know, cheers (assuming you mean "aren't" instead of "are") - they're one of the reasons I've not been for a few years.

[TheNewBob]

Originally Posted by Rodger Davies

I'm with Miguel here: modern Silverstone is a horrible, soulless wasteland that only exists for a GP or two per year.

The effect is amplified when the series was at Brands Hatch just seven days earlier.

Only visited Brands for the first time last year, its quickly becoming one of my favourite places.

What could they do to breathe a bit of life into Silverstone? A few more trees? Couple more photographer windows in the fences?

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by TheNewBob

The effect is amplified when the series was at Brands Hatch just seven days earlier.

Only visited Brands for the first time last year, its quickly becoming one of my favourite places.

What could they do to breathe a bit of life into Silverstone? A few more trees? Couple more photographer windows in the fences?

Just from TV, the national circuit that they run in BTCC looks quite a bit less sterile - I don't think that would be a feasible solution for BES or the WEC, though.

[Beryl]

Originally Posted by SS Supporter

WRT tried this trick 3 times at Silverstone , twice they succeeded and once they missed resulting in a drive through for Frijns .

The risk reward balance is determined by the time penalty of a drive through , at Spa the penalty for missing will be massive as both pit lanes are used in the 24 hours so I doubt they will try it there .

I think the long pit lane is the reason why a short pit stop strategy will be untenable at Spa, but not for the reason you identified. At a longer race, WRT wouldn't cut it so close and presumably would diligently monitor pit stops so the cars wouldn't be released once the pit stop time crosses a certain threshold.

If a BES 24 hour race were to be held at Silverstone, doing 65 second stop to do 50-55 minute stints would be the ideal strategy as it is more time efficient than doing 65 minute stints off 90 second pit stops. The major contributing factor here is the mandated maximum 65 minute stints; the cars can do 70-75 minute stints, but the sporting regulations do not allow it.

However, due to the considerably longer pit lane at Spa, more of the 70 second allowance for a short pit stop would be spent in pit lane transit and less would be spent stationary and refueling. Compounded by Spa being harder on fuel, the stint length off short pit stops would likely be too short to be worthwhile.

*The above assumes all relevant regulations are unchanged for the Spa 24 hours.

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by Rodger Davies

So Miguel doesn't slight "our country" at all, just a justifiable barb towards what Silverstone has become.

Definitely not, I love Brands Hatch and Oulton Park and want to go there sometime soon. But the dullness thanks to 15 years of Tilke Terror (or whoever cut down the few trees that were growing there, paved all that run-off and placed a characterless piece of tarmac between Abbey and Brooklands) has really ruined a somewhat decent race track.

Thanks for the link to Dan's photos. Here are some more photos from my friend Jurek Biegus: http://www.gt-report.com/2016/05/18/...n-black-pt-ii/

[Bcarr6]

I don't know, I get your points about Silverstone being a bit too spacey, but I've never left a race there feeling anything than throughly satisfied. Probably because watching 54 GT3s anywhere is awesome, and the same applies for the WEC and ELMS.

I have however also been to plenty of GT3 races at Brands Hatch, and there is NOTHING like watching a pack of cars drop down paddock hill bend


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[carbon_titanium]

am I wrong or it seems that in BES doesn't exist anymore a driver and teams pro cup like past seasons?

[rwstokes]

Originally Posted by Rodger Davies

I'm with Miguel here: modern Silverstone is a horrible, soulless wasteland that only exists for a GP or two per year.

The rest of the time it's inconvenient to spectate at unless you're in hospitality and, even with a decent crowd such as the WRC rounds, it looks sparse and empty due to the number of closed grandstands around.

For me personally, my favourite section was always Abbey and Bridge; without that area it just feels wrong.

So yeah, it's flat, featureless, terrible for spectating and photography so all credit to those that take good pictures from events there.

Such as the above and http://www.danbathie.com/motorsport/...verstone-2016/

So Miguel doesn't slight "our country" at all, just a justifiable barb towards what Silverstone has become.




That's handy to know, cheers (assuming you mean "aren't" instead of "are") - they're one of the reasons I've not been for a few years.

Yes, I did mean aren't ha! as typos go that one kind of changed the meaning a little.

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by carbon_titanium

am I wrong or it seems that in BES doesn't exist anymore a driver and teams pro cup like past seasons?

Pro is now part of the overall classifications. And I like it that way. If you're gonna pretend to be a pro, you should first beat the Am's. And if an Am line-up is better than the Pro's, they should take the championship crown.

[carbon_titanium]

Originally Posted by Miguel

Pro is now part of the overall classifications. And I like it that way. If you're gonna pretend to be a pro, you should first beat the Am's. And if an Am line-up is better than the Pro's, they should take the championship crown.

agree with that; it was weird that I never read about this before in any site (blancpain site too).

[Miguel]

A press release did go out and it was published but I guess it was buried under all the other changes that were presented along with it.

[Rodger Davies]

I hadn't noticed that but it's an excellent change, how all series with amateur classes should run IMO.

[B0U170NS]

Couldn't disagree more with what's been said on here. Silverstone is one of the best circuits in the world. It's a driver favourite and as I spectator I love it there. The suggestion that it is terrible for spectating is utter nonsense - we had 53 cars driving a few meters from where we were standing and you have the freedom to watch wherever you want. As for the fencing - it makes taking photos that bit more challenging which I enjoy. I'm not the best photographer and I don't have the best camera but I was still able to get plenty of decent shots.

[Truckosaurus]

Originally Posted by B0U170NS

...The suggestion that it is terrible for spectating is utter nonsense....

They say there is no such thing as Bad Pizza. Likewise, (to steal another cliche) a bad day at the track is better than a good day in the office.

But I'd still rate Silverstone one of my least favourite places to spectate.

It does have positives: top events (F1, WEC, Blancpain, etc), large variety of corners, plenty of stands, easy access by road, convenient location for both the midlands and the south east, Secret VIP toilets in the paddock etc.

But places like Brands and Donington are so much more interesting.

You could claim Silverstone isn't even the best track in Northamptonshire to spectate at. Rockingham also has a massive covered stand that you can see the whole track from, and also the unique roof-of-the-pits viewing area.