2018 Blancpain GT Series

[merak1974]

Originally Posted by Miguel

A little interview with Jaguar racer Alex Fontana: https://www.gt-report.com/2018/04/29...ve-the-jaguar/

Really liking how he describes how seriously Emil Frey Racing is still taking the Jaguar project. Will be interesting to see how the car will go at Silverstone where it has always gone very well.

Great to see that Jaguar having some success. Fingers crossed for the team for the rest of the season. I wish Swiss Team had done likewise and pushed their Maserati GT3 project further.

[tbtstt]

Can't wait for the sprint round at Brands Hatch this weekend. Been my favourite event at Brands for the last few years, so fingers crossed it's another good one.

My only reservation about the weekend is seeing what they have done to the GP circuit. The latest spectator map suggests that the access is largely unchanged, but with new high fencing everywhere I suspect that the vast majority of photo spots are going to be blocked now.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

Can't wait for the sprint round at Brands Hatch this weekend. Been my favourite event at Brands for the last few years, so fingers crossed it's another good one.

Yep - looking forward to this, should be good even though it's a smaller entry than last year.

Originally Posted by tbtstt

My only reservation about the weekend is seeing what they have done to the GP circuit. The latest spectator map suggests that the access is largely unchanged, but with new high fencing everywhere I suspect that the vast majority of photo spots are going to be blocked now.

As far as I know the only bit that you can't get to is between Sheene and Stirlings (the bit where the SEAT ended up in the spectator area a few years ago). As you say though - the amount of new debris fencing will be a concern.

[Badlands99]

Haven't seen any pictures yet of the work that has been done.

It will be a shame if they have blocked too much off as it was one of the few places where you really could feel the 'thunder' of these cars.

It never bothered me standing between Sheene and Stirlings as I have always enjoyed Brands as one of the few venues where you can get really close, but my good lady has commented in the past that she felt a little unnerved by the closeness of the track at certain points and that she didn't want to stand there for too long ............

Hopefully they haven't moved us back too far and that trhere are still a few places out the back where you can see over the fences. Maybe they have added a few photographer's holes in the fencing?

[Martin Bull]

Entertaining TV coverage of free practice from Brands ; Bortolotti certainly seems to like the circuit, great to see the sun shining and oof - a big impact for Mercedes #35 but the damage is hopefully confined to front and rear.

I'll be there tomorrow as always......

[chunder]

Long circuit is now basically a no go zone especialy if you want to take pictures, will be hideous in bad weather as you are now being made to walk on paths laden with woodchip. SO in the mud will be awful.

Basically from Sheenes round the Clearways has been dumped, they send you on a merry country walk through the trees with a couple of access roads where you can see nothing, and brings you out at the Hawthorn Hill bridge. SO you lose roughly the whole area from Sheens to the entry to Clearways. Stirlings is gone totally, you cant see it at all.

You can get down to Hawthorns, but the latter part is now ruined by a huge silver catch fencing that will totally ruin it for bike racing

I understand why they need to do it, but that's me done, will never, ever go there again. Aof now the GP loop is for drivers only, fans are an inconvenience and that is made obvious to you.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Badlands99

Haven't seen any pictures yet of the work that has been done.

It will be a shame if they have blocked too much off as it was one of the few places where you really could feel the 'thunder' of these cars.

Photos attached - it's worse than I thought it would be.

Originally Posted by chunder

Long circuit is now basically a no go zone especialy if you want to take pictures, ....
Basically from Sheenes round the Clearways has been dumped, they send you on a merry country walk through the trees with a couple of access roads where you can see nothing, and brings you out at the Hawthorn Hill bridge. SO you lose roughly the whole area from Sheens to the entry to Clearways. Stirlings is gone totally, you cant see it at all.

You can get down to Hawthorns, but the latter part is now ruined by a huge silver catch fencing that will totally ruin it for bike racing

I understand why they need to do it, but that's me done, will never, ever go there again. Aof now the GP loop is for drivers only, fans are an inconvenience and that is made obvious to you.

Sad to say but you're largely right. They really have made it awful, I was expecting more fencing but not as much as that.

There are some photographer holes in some of the fencing - but they're very small and very few (and not particularly well placed). Not much chance of using them at a busy meeting I'd have thought. All in all a bit of a disaster.

[chunder]

Lol I must have walked past you sometime today bert!

Such a shame isnt it.

especially the bit after Sheenes

[Alfaholic]

That catch fencing really is ugly isn't it, but it won't stop me taking a walk round the GP circuit tomorrow as the cars still look spectacular round there. It's a pity if you can't get to the exit of Stirlings as I loved watching them accelerate out and down to Clearways.

Hope the marshals have their catching gloves ready at Paddock for the large grids of GT4s and Clatterhams.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by chunder

Lol I must have walked past you sometime today bert!

Such a shame isnt it.

especially the bit after Sheenes

It's a real shame - there was a chance it could have been done a bit more subtly but in the end it's awful.

Originally Posted by Alfaholic

That catch fencing really is ugly isn't it, but it won't stop me taking a walk round the GP circuit tomorrow as the cars still look spectacular round there. It's a pity if you can't get to the exit of Stirlings as I loved watching them accelerate out and down to Clearways.

I'll still take the walk but it really has taken the shine off it. I was surprised by how much is inaccessible now - I expected the run down to Stirlings to be off limits but not the stretch down to Clearways.

Originally Posted by Alfaholic

Hope the marshals have their catching gloves ready at Paddock for the large grids of GT4s and Clatterhams.

The GT4 grid is big - but the Caterhams have a full grid plus reserves - as you say could be very busy for the marshals!

[S griffin]

The Blancplain series seems to be on the up, and certainly seems to be producing some great racing. I hope it continues that way

[chunder]

Was a bit disappointed with the line ups.

Last time i went to this meeting they had British GT on the day, and some decent supports.

Porsche GB is not what it was, and Caterhams might be great to drive in, but to watch? Bit dreary unless you are watching racing. Only 20 cars in GT3.

GT4 was by far the highlight for me. GT3 is an Audi fest

[S griffin]

Maybe they just couldn't get enough support categories for that date?

I still think Blancpain is just above British GT in terms of prestige. And if the racing is good that should be enough

From the comments on here, it seems like the series is still going strong no matter what

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Maybe they just couldn't get enough support categories for that date?

I still think Blancpain is just above British GT in terms of prestige. And if the racing is good that should be enough

From the comments on here, it seems like the series is still going strong no matter what

Hard to think the support isn’t very good when you have the masses of cars in GT4 Euro series running two races on Sunday

[gert]

IMO GT sprint races on narrow tracks with next to no overtaking places just do not work.
And that is true for Zolder as well as Brands Hatch, and the Hungaroring, and Misano...

[crooky]

I’m at the circuit and it’s like the F1 cars at Monaco. Just one big fast line. Hoping to see things pickup after the stops.

[tux]

Have to admit while its great to see the cars pushed to the limit around the GP loop, I feel that the races were quite poor in both sprint and GT4. Although GT4 was marred by SC interruptions and a huge accident for one of the Mclarens.

[tbtstt]

A bittersweet day at Brands Hatch today: great weather and some decent racing overshadowed by the spectator experience being completely ruined on the GP circuit.

The GT4 crash was the fastest car accident I have seen in person, would like to see a replay of the incident as it didn't seem like there was any attempt to brake for the corner?

Originally Posted by BertMk2

There are some photographer holes in some of the fencing - but they're very small and very few (and not particularly well placed). Not much chance of using them at a busy meeting I'd have thought. All in all a bit of a disaster.

The photographer slots seemed like a poorly thought out afterthought to me. I counted six on all the new fencing. One of the two on the exit of Stirlings was too high to use and the two on Westfield were useless: it's a corner ideal for panning shots, but the way they are set out any decent shot you take through them is going to be more luck than judgment.

I'm absolutely gutted. Used to love going round the GP circuit for the GT cars, but the whole experience has been ruined. Unless something changes I have no inclination to go back there this year.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

A bittersweet day at Brands Hatch today: great weather and some decent racing overshadowed by the spectator experience being completely ruined on the GP circuit.

The GT4 crash was the fastest car accident I have seen in person, would like to see a replay of the incident as it didn't seem like there was any attempt to brake for the corner?


The photographer slots seemed like a poorly thought out afterthought to me. I counted six on all the new fencing. One of the two on the exit of Stirlings was too high to use and the two on Westfield were useless: it's a corner ideal for panning shots, but the way they are set out any decent shot you take through them is going to be more luck than judgment.

I'm absolutely gutted. Used to love going round the GP circuit for the GT cars, but the whole experience has been ruined. Unless something changes I have no inclination to go back there this year.

The knock on effect of removing the photo opportunities on the bulk of the GP loop is that the remaining decent locations were all more crowded than normal. I resorted to trying a few 'new' locations / angles - didn't achieve much though by the look of things. I wonder if MSV would like to buy me a longer lens as compensation so I stand a chance?

As far as the racing was concerned - loved the size of the GT4 field and the second race was good (first was a bit of a write off with all the safety cars). The GT3 field was a bit small - but the cars are still fantastic to see close up (although they'd be better still without all that fencing).

[Martin Bull]

Perfect weather at Brands yesterday and Blancpain remains my favourite series ( although the racing was far from classic ). The relaxed atmosphere of the Pit-lane walkabout was refreshing indeed.

But overall a sad experience - my 49 years of spectating at Brands hadn't prepared me for the ghastly vandalism 'out in the country'. If you've ever spectated there - DON'T DO IT AGAIN.

You will regret it.

[geordiecriag101]

Its prity much same comments from me about yesterdays trip to Brands. During the GT4 race i went into the main MSV office to talk to sumone about what has happened around the GP loop and was told its because of " Insurance Reasons" and also that the photographers windows are designed for " Accredited Photographers" and not for the general public.

Back to the GT's, great to see the GT4 field taking off, sum great racing if a bit too much contact at times. My biggest disappointment with the main Blancpain was not the size of the entry but the lack of diversity with no McLarens, Nissans, Aston's or Porsche's it made it seam like a Audi R8 one make race at times.

Also one other thing, this meeting seams to be a massive draw for the "Chav" crowd now, most of which have no idea what they looking at and seamed to spend most the day drinking and just being a pain. Sorry rant over.

[S griffin]

So was it really that bad? I guess we just have to accept the way things have gone

Yes Blancpain usually provides great racing, sometimes a little too close at times, but alls fair. Hopefully more cars will show up in time.

It's weird though from the above comment about how some motorsport events attract the wrong crowd for whatever reason

[piet]

Originally Posted by Martin Bull

a big impact for Mercedes #35 but the damage is hopefully confined to front and rear.

saw it live at stirlings...wasn't able to shoot it...thanks to the fences

[S griffin]

Well safety sometimes comes first. That’s a price you have to pay sometimes

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by S griffin

It's weird though from the above comment about how some motorsport events attract the wrong crowd for whatever reason

I suspect it was the 'supercar seige' that brought in the 'non-motorsport' types - there were some people who's highlight of the day was the demo laps by the hypercars (which I thought were a bit 'meh' really - the cars weren't really being pushed and just looked slow to be honest).

Looking for another positive - I thought the Porsche races had a nice touch with the Porsche Centre boxters and their nods to classic Porsche liveries (the 'Pink Pig' being a prime example!).