Silverstone MotoGP Attendance Thread

I was actually pretty impressed with the set up there vs Donington. We gave up on going to the latter after several frustrating years there (finding decent (or even any) viewing if you're not at the track by 8:30am, getting out of the circuit - once took us 2hrs on a bike with our mates in a car taking 4.5hrs!

Silverstone isn't perfect, but there seems to be more space to move around, lounge about, and the extra facilities (food, drink, entertainments) were really good. There also seem to be a lot more screens, and several places to view whether or not you had a grandstand place.

We had a grandstand seat at Copse, but also had a good walk around to check out some of the free-viewing places around the track and there seemed to be a few options. With Silverstone being so wide there are lots of potential overtaking spots, so I don't think there is one place that is clearly way better for action than others. Copse was a decent spot, and had loads of banking and steps for people to sit on for free, opposite the grandstand. Seems to be a good place for rider's celebrations, oh and people running on at the end of the pit straight (Capirossi being one of them!)

Think next time I might try either Stowe or Luffield/Woodcote area though, as they are a couple of the harder braking spots.

We had to go in the car this year as bike not working, and it took us 1.5hrs to get from the car park to the A43 (left after 125 race). Mind you, it was lovely and sunny and there was nice scenery, so if you kicked back with some good tunes it went pretty quickly.

Would definitely go again anyway

[Littlepeahead]

I went on Saturday as guests of Nicky Hayden's sponsors, Tissot. I'm not usually the one swanning about in hospitality - my job at Lord's means I'm normally rushed off my feet on match days, but as a thank you for looking after the media launch and Nicky at Lord's last week they asked me if I'd like to go along for qualifying and I got to take Mr LPH.

We arrived at about 11am. I'll admit I was totally spoilt as I had parking in the media car park just to the back of the copse, then we were escorted through to the VIP village area.

First up was a drink, the bar was free all day but I was driving Ileft Mr LPH to enjoy that part. We then had a pit lane tour which was brilliant. It's good to see that those ladies are keeing the fake tan and hair spray industries in business.

After a spot of lunch at our table in the big marquee, we watvhed the MotoGP qualifying from the viewing platform then were given a paddock tour. Then back to watch the rest of qualifying before being served afternoon tea. I ate way too many scones and truffles.

We sat with some of the MCN and other bike journos out on a jolly, and the Sunday Telegraph writer who had been taken round the track on a Ducati, which he said was terrifying.

We drove straight out at about 5pm, a bit deaf and windswept but having had an amazing day.

[mattSV]

Originally Posted by Littlepeahead

We sat with some of the MCN and other bike journos out on a jolly, and the Sunday Telegraph writer who had been taken round the track on a Ducati, which he said was terrifying.

The two seater ducati is usually ridden by Randy Mamola (GP legend), and the bike is pretty much a full MotoGP bike (240bhp) - I am not surprised he was terrified

I have got a few pictures of ducati when it was going round two-up - I'll post them on the photothread when I get round to doing it

[CheGuevara]

Went the last 2 years as a VIP guest of Rizla. This year I went with a guy I know who was in the 250 support race, so I was camped out in that paddock for the weekend. I agree with MR UKI - the entertainment was good (spermoto was awesome but could have used some dirt), but the viewing was mediocre. Also from the practical side the facilities and some of the organisation were pretty poor- not many toilets, ridiculous showers, not enough rubbish bins and not emptied often enough, parking nazis who first told me to move from being parked alongside our awning, and then towed my truck across the track although I had a pass and was parked exactly where they had told me to!

I left the track at about 18:15pm and it took me an hour to reach the A43 and then another hour to get back to Rushden.

EDIT - Almost forgot - we had Sam Ermolenko (former world speedway champ and Sky Sports commentator) around our tent chatting for an hour or so -that was pretty cool!

[Littlepeahead]

I've put a few pics here - though the thread appears to have gone slightly off course onto the subject of boobage!

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.p...93#post2300893

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by CheGuevara

Also from the practical side the facilities and some of the organisation were pretty poor- not many toilets, ridiculous showers, not enough rubbish bins and not emptied often enough,

Sounds just like Donnington !

Traffic chaos sounds comparable, I would average that most years its taken an hour or so to get out of the carpark, best time was 20 minutes from getting into the car and being on the M1, worst was 4 hrs, would have been longer except for some nice chap got fedup with waiting and took some bolt croppers out of his van and cut the chains off the gate that we were all near but the marshalls refused to open !

[mattSV]

Facilities over in the Woodlands campsite were pretty good I thought - bit of a queue sometimes for the showers but they were clean and hot. Loos were also kept clean, and (usually) had paper

Big screen on next to the beer tent for footie, stage with some good bands. Huge pitches for tents/vans/motorhomes, decent roadways and loads of security.

It was a only about a 10 minute walk from our tent to Club corner, however we were in section A - if you were right over the back then it was probably a good 20 walk. The 'lively' section was very loud until about 2/3 in the morning - lots of banging bass music - but nothing that earplugs couldn't deal with

[Littlepeahead]

Hayden at Lord's

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/moto...es/8750564.stm

I stayed at Whittlebury (?) campsite (golf and country club, dontcha know!). The big plus for me was, unlike Donington, although you had to leave the bike in the bike park, you could take your bike AND all the luggage to your chosen site, put the tent up, and THEN take the bike back to the bike park. NO lugging the stuff forty million miles away in the sweaty heat!! AND it was sweaty on the Thursday.
BUT, Silverstone is NO Craner curves. I watched on Sunday at Maggots/Becketts. I also watched a wee bit there on the Saturday - saw Hector Barbera slide from my right to my left. I still hear that sound when I close my eyes. Have to say, although I got burnt to a crisp, it was bloomin' freezin'. So much so that I didn't see the Po boys, cos I had to go back to the camp-site for a hot shower to de-frost!

Meant to say, the highlight of the week-end for me (almost) was the George White hot air motor-cycle and rider balloon, landing in my camp-site on the Sunday night. Especially when some random guy shouted out "F***ing put out that BBQ", cos it almost landed on it! haha!