Silverstone Classic Media Day
The weather has been pretty wet and miserable for the last few weeks and it has been a while since I was last out trackside. I was becoming irritable. However, yesterday was the Media Day for the 2012 Silverstone Classic so I was to head there with eager anticipation.
I love classic cars and of course classic racing cars. I love the fact that these iconic vehicles that are mostly from before my time and worth an absolute fortune, are still raced for everyone to see. Those who remember these race cars get the opportunity to see them again and to revoke past memories and those, like me who weren’t about to see them first time get the chance to experience what they were like and gaze in awe of how beautiful these machines are.
Group C’s are always a big favourite at the Silverstone Classic
Last year’s Silverstone Classic was a huge success. Over 1100 race entries and a further 7000 plus classic cars on display from various car clubs and societies made it the biggest race weekend in the world. Throw in all the additional things to see and do such as trade stands, fun fairs, live music, driving experiences and simulators and the world record for the most E-Type Jaguars on circuit at the same time and you get a good idea of what a fantastic weekend it was. I enjoyed every minute of it and a real highlight for me was the Group C ‘Dusk’ race on the Saturday evening.
Over 1100 iconic race cars took part last year
The weather back then was amazing, sun all weekend. A huge contrast to the weather that greeted us for the media day. But after parking up in the paddock behind the fantastic Silverstone Wing complex and catching a glimpse of some of the cars in the garages that were to be out on track during the day, the miserable weather was soon forgotten.
After signing on, having a coffee and catching up with friends, the press conference took place. During this, plans for this year’s event were unveiled. The last Silverstone Classic would be hard to beat, but it looks like expectations will be exceeded. A new partnership with the AA was announced and their commitment to the weekend was impressive. They are planning so many off track activities and driving experiences to keep everyone entertained if the racing wasn’t enough. A number of anniversaries will be celebrated such as 50 years of AC Cobra and to mark the 25th anniversary of the Ferrari F40 more than 60 examples of every school boy’s wet dream will be out on track. The celebrity race line up was also announced and joining regulars like Heston Blumenthal, Dave Vitty & Brendan Cole will be Chemmy Alcott and Sir Patrick Stewart to name just two.
After the press conference it was time to head down to the garages to see what machinery was about and to take part in a passenger ride. I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to go out in an awesome 1962 Jaguar E-Type driven by Andy Dee-Crowne. As I was getting strapped in, Andy told me he would need to take it a bit steady in the wet conditions as he had just spun at Stowe with the last passenger on board. I told him not to spare the horses for my sake, but obviously I didn’t want him to damage his beautiful car. The grin plastered across my face as we headed down the pit lane was not going to be moved for some time.
My experience in this E-Type wont be forgotten.
As we headed out onto the track the car sounded fantastic and despite the age of the machine ran smoothly and quickly. Very quickly. Andy told me the brakes would take a little while to warm up so would take it steady into the first few corners. This didn’t deter him from getting on the throttle as soon as possible though as the car squirmed on the exits as he expertly kept it under control. The conditions were wet and the original style cross-ply tyres the Jag runs on meant grip was at a premium. It also meant fun was in abundance! Drifting and sliding through the corners, Maggots and Becketts were especially fun, Andy was working the steeling wheel masterfully, whilst controlling the throttle to time the acceleration down the straights just right. Not only was I impressed with my chauffer’s ability as was in awe of this incredible machine. We all know how far technology has progressed over the years but this 50 year old beast still knew how to perform and put a lot of modern day machinery to shame. It really was a credit to Jaguar and their engineering.
With the brakes up to temperature on the second lap, Andy was happy to push that bit harder and was loving it. With speeds of 120mph on the straights in the wet the E-Type had impressed me immensely. It was great that people still raced these machines and following the AC Cobra along the Hanger Straight, I got my very own taste of what it would have been like to have raced these cars back in their hay day. The passenger ride was over too soon for my liking, mind you I would have stayed out there all day if I could and not got bored, but as we came back into the pits I knew I had experienced something very special for which I was truly grateful to Andy for. The E-Type Jag has now been added to my list of cars to buy when I win the lottery. If only eh?
Steve Soper’s DTM BMW M3 looked gorgeous
After a nice lunch back up in the wing complex, I was back roaming around the garages to check out some of the cars there. This years Silverstone Classic will feature 1980’s & 90’s British Touring Cars, DTM cars and Super touring cars so there were some fine examples of these cars on show. Steve Soper’s BTCC & DTM BMW’s were there along with Tim Harvey’s Labbatt’s liveried Sierra Cosworth RS500, John Cleland’s Vauxhall Cavalier, Anthony Reid’s Ford Mondeo Super Touring car and Matt Neal’s Independent Nissan Primera along with a few others. A couple of Porsche 962’s were there along with some more historic Touring cars such as Mini’s & Ford Cortina Mk1’s as well as a selection of historic single seaters. Most of which took to the track for some test laps giving us a chance to take some photos despite the worsening weather. It was great to see just this handful of cars so it really whetted my appetite for the main event in July.
Tim Harvey’s Sierra Cosworth RS500 gained many admiring glances
The day was over too soon but I left with a lasting memory and the excitement of this year’s Silverstone Classic. I cannot recommend the weekend enough to anybody. There is so much to see and do and it is a weekend that should be high on the ‘to do’ list for any car fan young or old. It will be a great event and you really don’t want to miss out.
You can find out more by heading to their website here: http://www.silverstoneclassic.com/ and you can see more of my photos from the day on the Chris Gurton Photography Facebook page or in my Flickr Album.
A Bridge Too Far?
The weekend just passed was the Silverstone Classic. I was fortunate enough to be there covering it for The Checkered Flag. You all know how much I love classic and Historic racing, so I was really looking forward to it. Hundreds of amazing racing cars that would grace many a museum were out on track doing what they were designed to do, race. Particular highlights for me were the Grand Prix Masters, the World Sports Car Masters and of course the Group C races. Thankfully the weather stayed dry and the action on track was fantastic.
Roger Wills on track in the ex Nigel Mansell 1983 Lotus 92
It was to be my first visit to Silverstone since the much anticipated Silverstone Wing Complex was completed. I was looking forward to checking it out and seeing what the facilities were like. Having arrived on Saturday morning the Media car park was by the main entrance. Having walked through a few of the car club areas James, writer for The Checkered Flag and I waited to jump on one of the busses to take us to the new Pit and Paddock. On arrival it all looked very impressive. The garages were very clean, modern and pretty big too. The paddock area was smart and a number of teams had set up there for the weekend.
A 1936 Maserati 6CM powers past the new pit wall.
However, as we entered the building, which look stunning on the outside, it became a little less impressive as we headed to the media centre. It was clearly unfinished as bits of carpet were missing and paint jobs had yet to be completed. The media centre was huge and very well equipped with power and internet points and plenty of TV screens. The Canteen next to it was a nice touch too. Unfortunately though, the main issue was that you couldn’t see the circuit. A row of small soundproof commentary boxes stood between the media centre and the glass front looking onto the pit straight. Obviously commentary boxes are important but the only time all of them would be used is for the Formula One weekend and perhaps the Moto GP. None of them were used this weekend and perhaps only one or two would be used for the rest of the season. Also, did they need to be there? Could they have not gone upstairs? On inspection of the boxes, we found that the desks inside them were high and deep, so you couldn’t lean forward to see up and down the pit straight. You had a view of a very small section of the track right in front of the box itself.
A Jensen 541R chases a Lotus Elite past the new Wing
So the media centre could have been designed better, a big race weekend has live TV which can be broadcast on the many TV screens inside the building, so it wasn’t a total loss not being able to see outside. But what happens on the smaller race weekends when there isn’t live TV feeds? I’ve likened the new Wing to Lindsay Lohan. Attractive, but one or two things missing upstairs. The bigger issue with the new complex though, which I heard from a number of photographers there was somewhat different.
Many Mini's & Ford Lotus Cortina's took part in the Under 2 litre Touring car race
Busses and courtesy cars were laid on for media and VIP’s to get to the new building from the car park 50A by the main entrance. Now those of you who know Silverstone will know that car parks 50A, 50B and 50C are almost right opposite the new Wing. So why the busses and cars? Simple. You cannot get to the new Pit and Paddock complex from the outside of the circuit. So that meant a drive through the main entrance, over the bridge on the Wellington Straight, around the back of Aintree and the loop, behind Village and Farm Curve and along behind the paddock to the entrance at the end near Vale. You could have walked from the car park in less than a quarter of the time and with much less hassle if there was a crossing point on the Start/Finish Straight. Add that to the fact that access to the track from the paddock was extremely hard, a long days walking was in store. This meant careful planning to get round in between races and some action was inevitably missed. Something that could be rectified very simply. I really hope the people at Silverstone will put in a bridge or some crossing point in the near future. It will be of great help to all and save a lot of time and effort for anyone wanting to access the new Paddock, whether they are public or media, VIP’s or team members.
One of my favourite cas of the weekend was this Ex Henri Pescarolo Ligier JS2
Despite the disappointment of the much hyped Wing, it was a good weekend. There were lots to see and do away from the action on track, and thousands of classic cars from various car clubs around the country. So if it’s you’re interested in classic cars, it’s an event well worth a visit.
The Group C race at dusk was a great draw and the 1989 Jaguar XJR9 looked stunning.
I won’t be trackside this coming weekend but the remainder of this week and most of next will see me shoot horsepower of a different kind. I’ll be photographing the local Pony Club’s summer camps. It’s been a while since I last did an equestrian event but its where my life as a photographer started so it will be fun to get back into it.
The GP Loop
Everyone has their favourite racing circuit, whether you are a racing driver, spectator, photographer or marshal. There are a number of different circuits scattered throughout the UK and most of them have various layouts. But for me, my favourite of all is the GP circuit at Brands Hatch. I love it not just from a photographer’s point of view, but from a motorsport fan’s as well. For me it has great variety, numerous vantage points and some brilliant corners. Add to that the undulations, climbs and descents and you have a stunning race circuit.
A Group C Nissan R90C approaches Druids Hairpin
I understand that a number of circuits are built on old airfields and to be fair, it is a good use of the land, however this leaves you with flat, but by no means featureless race tracks. The undulating layout at Brands however adds to the excitement. We all know what an awesome sight it is to see cars thunder round Paddock hill bend, down the hill and then up to Druids. It is akin (well almost) to Eau Rouge at Spa Francorschamps. Having been out in the Indy layout at Brands in a race spec Radical SR3 RS, I can tell you, it’s a rollercoaster ride.
A Jaguar E-Type exits Druids.
The GP circuit, steeped in motorsport history, provides some fantastic viewpoints not just a trackside photographer but as a spectator too. Obviously being trackside provides me with great photo opportunities but there was I time before I had media access and I loved the circuit then too. From the Desire Wilson and Paddock Hill grandstands you can see a great deal of the circuit thanks to the high vantage point. Around Paddock Hill bend, along Hailwood Hill and on the outside of Druids Hairpin provide great spectator viewing despite the high catch fencing. But if you like to take photos, the large area on the inside of Druids provides a great opportunity to capture some shots without the fencing being a Problem. I also love the Southbank parking area. It is ideal if you have the family with you, as you can watch from the comfort of your own car (great if it’s pouring with rain) but is a good central point to start from if you want to wander around the track.
Some interesting angles can be had at Stirlings Bend
Head out into the woods and you can also get some great unobstructed views of the GP section too. You can walk round pretty much the whole of the inside section with many great vantage points for the budding photographer. If you are there for a touring car head out to Westfield Bend. It may be a bit of a trek but it’s great to see the likes of Andy Jordan launch his car on to two wheels as he catches the inside Kerb, plus you can see it from just a few feet away. Another good spot, and one of my favourites is Stirlings Bend. A banked 90 degree left hander before the blast to clearways always gives good opportunities for a nice photo.
Zoe Wenham kicks up some standing water on the Inside of Stirlings
There are so many aspects of the circuit that come together to make it a very spectator friendly race track. Many people tell me how hard it is to take motorsport photos as a spectator due to all the high fencing everywhere. My response to them is that whilst catch fencing can be the foe to any photographer, it is there for a very good reason. It can be frustrating as well I know as I was a spectator too and sometimes still am. However, get yourself down to Brands Hatch and you will find you are spoilt with the amount of area’s you can take unhindered photos from.
Katherine Legge (left) sends sparks flying at the bottom of Paddock Hill and Andy Jordan cuts the kerb at Westfield. Both Photos taken from Spectator Area's.
A Williams FW08-3 back at Brands Hatch.
I’ve been to Brands Hatch twice in recent weeks and both race meetings have been run on the full GP layout. I like shooting it and each time I’m there I manage to find a nice place to shoot from that I wasn’t aware of before. The most recent visit was for the Historic Sports Car Club meeting. I love historic and classic racing and it is something that greatly interests me. Although you won’t see Formula One at Brands anymore, it was there just 25 years ago so it was a great thrill to be there to see some of those cars back there, along with the Group C monsters that used to take part in the famous 1000km race there. You can read my report from the weekend on the Checkered Flag website here.
Its great to find new spots to shoot from at Brands.
I’ve given my reasons for why I love the Grand Prix circuit at Brands Hatch so much and I know it is a favourite among many racing drivers too. Although I will more than likely never experience it as a racing driver, I have been out at racing speeds on the Indy loop which you can read in a previous blog post. However, thanks to Will at the Radical Owners Club, I will be experiencing the full GP loop on Monday. He has very kindly invited me to their trackday and I will be sampling first hand what it is like to travel round the famous track at high speed. Of course, I cannot wait and I will be writing about my second Radical experience, but until then, I will be running around like an expectant five year old on Christmas Eve.
