British GP 2011 - Silverstone

[Gerhard Berger]

If the pit entry is taken at racing speed, you would overtake cars on the circuit as you went in, and probably get to the speed limit line before they come round the final corner, pit stops could be quite short with this layout. Would need to see what the entry road is like, but we could see cars belting down it at racing speed. It essentially skips 2 out of the 3 final corners, which are both slow speed.

Club is really an acceleration zone after Vale. That's how Brundle usually describes it anyway.

Looks very similar to the final 3 turns at Barcelona.

[Gerhard Berger]

That new pit is very interesting. If the time lost in the pits is relatively small, teams may consider an additional stop which does not cost as much as on other tracks, me likey!

Yep should be interesting. Magny Cours used to be the same aswell (after they modified the final sector). MS managed to pull off a 4 stop strategy there in 2004.

[marcush.]

I think this is a very good approach to enhancing the racing : minimise the loss for going through the pits...On the other hand a drive through is not really hurting anymore ...

[Mandrake]

Good point Marcus, forgot about that one ^^

[MrBlacky]

Cool pits.

[richard_leeds]

Dangerous, pit crews have to climb stairs to evacuate.

It looks more enclosed because it is below ground, although I guess it has the same space a a normal pit lane with a normal pit wall

[toshinden]

is the pitlane lower than the track or its just my eyes?

[raymondu999]

I think the wall is playing tricks on your eyes.

[MrBlacky]

Few more pics:

[thestig84]

I think the wall is playing tricks on your eyes.

No, he is quite right the pitlane is lower. More so further towards the exit.

[richard_leeds]

The staircases give a clue! Also journalists visiting the new facilities have commented on the drama of the different levels.

Those handrails will be at 1.2m high. So the pitlane is probably 2.5m below track level?

[Just_a_fan]

It moves the "prat perches" a long way from the garages too. No doubt safer for those on the seats and for marshalls and other team members moving around too.

I'm going to Silverstone on Friday. Sadly only on a general admission ticket so won't get in to the pits/paddock as I have previously. Shame, I'd have liked a good look at the new pits.

[richard_leeds]

I've heard that they that strip of grass between the pit lane and the track was a feature of the traditional Silverstone track.

Perhaps the architect was a little too literal? Pits in a pit, grass in the paddock.


edit - Found the quote I was remembering ... http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson ... stone.html

The architects have used the contours of the land to create an interesting situation where the pit-lane entry is above the level of the track, but the exit is below it, in a fashion not dissimilar to Abu Dhabi, but without the tunnel.

Team personnel will walk to the pit wall from the garages down paths between areas of lawn in what for some will be an echo of the old Silverstone 'village green' F1 paddock, which was replaced by a characterless asphalt one in the mid-1990s.

[MrBlacky]

http://en.espnf1.com/fia/motorsport/sto ... MP=OTC-RSS

Only _ONE_ DRS zone now... Oh dear FIA...

[thestig84]

http://en.espnf1.com/fia/motorsport/story/53447.html?CMP=OTC-RSS

Only _ONE_ DRS zone now... Oh dear FIA...

Why oh dear FIA? Its a good move, thank god there is only one zone!!! It is totally flawed having two DRS zones with only one detection point.