2017 Formula 1 Rolex British Grand PrixFormula 1

[Jimlaad43]

Formula 1 descends once again to the venue where it all started back in 1950. Silverstone has been the permanent home to the British Grand Prix (one of only two races to have appeared every F1 season, along with Italy) since 1987, and remains a fan favourite. Featuring some of the best corners on the calendar - Copse, Becketts, Stowe and Abbey to name a few - this is probably the first circuit on the calendar where we will truly see how impressive the new 2017 cars are. Expect windy conditions, changeable weather, a lot of fans and me in orange again as we reach the British Grand Prix.

Silverstone Circuit

First Race
1950

Laps
52

Circuit Length
5.891km (3.660mi)

Race Length
306.198km (190.263mi)

Lap Record
1:33.401, Mark Webber (Red Bull - Renault) 2013

Qualifying Lap Record
1:29.287, Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 2016

2016 Results
1: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2: Max Verstappen (Red Bull - Renault)
3: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)​

 

[Jimlaad43]

There will be an F1 demo in central London on Wednesday from 5:30pm onwards.
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-to-hold-london-street-demo-on-wednesday-929347/

 

[Touring Mars]

Meanwhile, Silverstone have just announced that they will cease to host the British GP after 2019, leaving the future of F1 in the UK in doubt...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/40566434

 

[Blitz24]

So does that make it a wide open competition to replace the circuit (if at all?) Donnington I doubt could be used. Is Brands Hatch up to FIA Spec?

 

[Jimlaad43]

So does that make it a wide open competition to replace the circuit (if at all?) Donnington I doubt could be used. Is Brands Hatch up to FIA Spec?

Donington and Brands are Grade 2 circuits - ie, not up to scratch. Both need upgrading significantly. The only options are a Silverstone renegotiation or a street circuit, with the first being the only option. Liberty aren't stupid, a new deal will be signed before the 2019 race to keep the race at Silverstone.

 

[psychoazubi]

In their official statement (http://www.silverstone.co.uk/news/s...acing-drivers-club-brdc-trigger-break-clause/), they say they are open for a new contract with Liberty with better financial conditions. I'm 95% sure we will see Silverstone after 2019 in F1

 

[doblocruiser]

Well everywhere where F1 drops circuits are literally ruined and hosting F1 is too expensive. I have the feeling we go to a situation where you simply pave a couple of square miles, draw a few lines on it and we are safe for F1. All those major changes have killed a lot of atmosphere at all those great circuits. I wish we went back to kitylitter and grass and not this nonsense of never ending run-off areas.

I see why Silverstone wanted to quit the contract. Hope they find a better deal and can reduce costs 👍

 

[Dotini]

Formula 1 descends once again to the venue where it all started back in 1950.​

No, this is not where it all started. Formula 1 started in 1947, and the first race was the Swiss Grand Prix. What started at Silverstone in 1950 was the world championship for drivers. Such a championship had been proposed prior to WWII, but the war prevented its institution for a number of years. At the end of 1951, Alfa Romeo withdrew from racing, and due to lack of cars, the WDC was held for drivers of Formula 2 cars until 1954.

 

[JC_Dude]

There will be an F1 demo in central London on Wednesday from 5:30pm onwards.
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-to-hold-london-street-demo-on-wednesday-929347/

And guess who won't be taking part...

 

[EngieDiesel]

Donington and Brands are Grade 2 circuits - ie, not up to scratch. Both need upgrading significantly. The only options are a Silverstone renegotiation or a street circuit, with the first being the only option. Liberty aren't stupid, a new deal will be signed before the 2019 race to keep the race at Silverstone.

This, pretty much. Liberty wants to keep the historic races on the schedule, there really aren't any other circuits in Britain that either have the facilities or the money to host the GP, and the logistics of a London street circuit are far too great to properly hammer out in the time frame they have; just the security concerns alone would probably be a massive undertaking, never mind the overall prospect of shutting down a large part of one of the world's busiest cities for basically an entire weekend.

 

[F1GTR]

Looks like I'll pop down to Trafalgar Sq after work tomorrow. Crazy how short notice it is though.

 

[TheCracker]

This, pretty much. Liberty wants to keep the historic races on the schedule, there really aren't any other circuits in Britain that either have the facilities or the money to host the GP

I don't think any other British circuit owner would want to take on the British GP. After seeing the mess made at Donington and the troubles and expense Silverstone have had to go through to keep it - why would you want to host it? It just means running up massive debts. Silverstone really is the only viable option available in the UK.

 

[shoemaker]

If Liberty media have any doubts on what to do, around 300,000 fans this weekend should show them why this race has to be kept. I am confident they will redo the contract, they seem to be doing all the right things so far !

 

[TRGTspecialist]

FOM are streaming the London event on Youtube, coverage has just begun:

 

[EngieDiesel]

I can only imagine the madness that will ensue if Hamilton wins this weekend and matches that record.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Hamilton has shot himself in the foot by not turning up to the London event. All the boos have been directed at him

 

[sems4arsenal]

Hamilton has shot himself in the foot by not turning up to the London event. All the boos have been directed at him

Yeah, astonished at the boos.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Yeah, astonished at the boos.

I'm not surprised to be honest. He should be there, all other drivers are, and Lewis is the driver most of these fans came here to see. He's got a lot to do to bring them back on side.

 

[F1GTR]

Just got back.

Didn't see much, absolutely rammed.

But that MP4/6 sounded heavenly. The V8s were insane too.

They should do this more often. Close off a few more streets to make a loop. Add a few grandstands. Make it a week long event. Award WCC and WDC points on the Sunday as well.

 

[shoemaker]

Hamilton has shot himself in the foot by not turning up to the London event. All the boos have been directed at him

Think he had somewhere better to be, good on him.

 

[F1GTR]

View attachment 659938
Think he had somewhere better to be, good on him.

I suspect that was when he visited the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital ('CWHospital') for a private screening of Cars 3 a few days back. See the stickers that everyone aside from Lewis is wearing, and his shirt:

http://www.chelwest.nhs.uk/about-us...fast-lane-at-chelsea-and-westminster-hospital

 

[EngieDiesel]

From what's being said, this was all the notification he had given that he wasn't going to be there:

...and neither Mercedes nor Liberty are terribly pleased that he didn't inform them officially, or at least before the last second. Kinda makes me wonder if he's starting to give up on his championship hopes already, since he was acting pretty erratically last year when it looked like he wasn't going to catch Rosberg.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

he was acting pretty erratically last year when it looked like he wasn't going to catch Rosberg

And in 2011 when he was expecting to fight Vettel for the title, but couldn't keep up.

 

[shoemaker]

Maybe Lewis underestimated how big F1 live was going to be, i was just expecting the usual, car demo's. Certainly wasn't expecting old cars and big music acts. He's probably kicking himself.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

They should do this more often.

Yes.

Close off a few more streets to make a loop.

Possibly; it depends on the city and the infrastructure.

Add a few grandstands.

If the space allows it.

Make it a week long event.

... Uh, what? You want to shut a major city centre down for a week?

Award WCC and WDC points on the Sunday as well

Absolutely not. Not unless it's a Grand Prix.

 

[Famine]

Absolutely not. Not unless it's a Grand Prix.

 

[F1GTR]

Yes.


Possibly; it depends on the city and the infrastructure.


If the space allows it.


... Uh, what? You want to shut a major city centre down for a week?


Absolutely not. Not unless it's a Grand Prix.

If you actually read between the lines you'd realise I was implying that there should be an actual race in London. If I recall correctly you teach/taught English right? How'd you miss that? Especially within the context of the BRDC triggering that break clause.

 

[RX-7_FD3S]

From what's being said, this was all the notification he had given that he wasn't going to be there:

...and neither Mercedes nor Liberty are terribly pleased that he didn't inform them officially, or at least before the last second. Kinda makes me wonder if he's starting to give up on his championship hopes already, since he was acting pretty erratically last year when it looked like he wasn't going to catch Rosberg.

One of the reason he quit McLaren was because they were forcing him onto PR stuffs. I'm not surprised he's not showing up in a event when he dont have much rest between both GP. I dont think it has anything to do with his championship bid. And it's far from over. He had some terrible luck compare to Vettel and is still well placed.

I understand the fans frustrations but I can understand him wanting to get some free times between Austria and Silverstone.

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Hulkenberg and Prost testing some old F1 cars. Spoken in french but Prost and Hulkenberg talk in english.

Pretty cool sequence, not sure if it was posted before, apologize if it has been.



Lol at taking Montagny instead of Palmer thought. I guess it shows how much trust Renault puts in Palmer. I know i'm probably reading too much about this and Franck probably jumped on the opportunity to drive one of those car for Canal + since he's working there on F1 coverage.

Spoiler

Hulkenberg having trouble with shifting made me smile

 

[prisonermonkeys]

If I recall correctly you teach/taught English right? How'd you miss that?

Because you didn't write it particularly well.

 

[EngieDiesel]

One of the reason he quit McLaren was because they were forcing him onto PR stuffs. I'm not surprised he's not showing up in a event when he dont have much rest between both GP.

I don't think anyone else who participated had much rest from Austria either, and Hamilton's been around long enough to know that PR events are a required part of the job, especially when you're a multi-time champion. Even if he was uncomfortable with it, he could have probably asked for a reduced role or somesuch that would've let him leave early.

I dont think it has anything to do with his championship bid. And it's far from over. He had some terrible luck compare to Vettel and is still well placed.

He's said himself that he feels his title chances "don't look great", and when he started saying that last year he was playing with Snapchat during a press conference and doing other stuff that were upsetting team management. It really does make me wonder if he's already psyched himself out of any chance of recovering, but that won't really be apparent for a couple more races yet so... I dunno.

I understand the fans frustrations but I can understand him wanting to get some free times between Austria and Silverstone.

And I understand that motorsports at any level is extremely demanding in many ways, and can affect people negatively like any other high-pressure profession. But just leaving a Twitter message and then jumping into his private jet and taking off to Greece is highly unprofessional, and gives the impression that he isn't taking things seriously.

I don't particularly dislike Hamilton and I'm not trying to be a hater by picking this apart, but it just looks really, really bad on his part and it's making me wonder if this might have some long-term effect later on.