Forum Home / Silverstone New GP - 21st March 2011 / New GP pros and cons

22/03/2011 14:05:08
michaelcngm
I think everyone will agree that the new circuit is a really interesting challenge - it boggles the mind that the F1 guys get round in half the time! The only problem was the bit longer for each of the longer laps plus the in lap cut into the available track time. I only managed 110 miles this year compared to about 130+ previously. (Mind you, with current fuel costs that's not such a bad idea!). What I wondered was whether slightly increasing the session times, say to 25 minutes would deliver more track time. On a quick look-see, a 25 minute session would allow six full laps plus in lap. With three groups as per usual, each group could get six sessions between 9am and 5.30pm with an hour for lunch (could be cut to 45min?). This would give potentially nearly 130 miles excluding in-laps, which would be a significant increase over the seven 20 minute sessions we had yesterday. Just a thought, and I'm not complaining at all - yesterday was great!
22/03/2011 14:44:53
Martin C
Hi Michael, Always welcome ideas and suggestions and it does make an interesting idea, except for one thing. Our contract with the circuit states the track is available from 09:00 - 17:00 with one hour for lunch compulsary. This is the cut off time for all day circuit hires at SIlverstone and most other circuits for summer hire that I have seen. As you say that extrta 1/2 a mile of track does make a difference, but bear in mind also that in the morning there were 4 end of session of problems which required recovery off the circuit, so that ate into the out time. Once the decision was made to put out two more chequers on the far side of the circuit and tell everybody see a chequesr flag and pit straight away. Every session bar the abouit the last four, somebody missed the flags out the back at Abbey and Village and continued past the pits which lost about 31/2 minutes. If they then cruise in at 45-50 it is about 4 - 41/2 minutes. So whilst we understand your point, you perhaps can see the problems in setting up a day and running it to try and maximise peoples time out on track. But keep the thoughts coming folks :D