What I got up to at the Weekend ....

[joff-turbo-nova]

Well,got back late last night from a trip to Northamptonshire to see the F1 chaps blat round the new Silverstone Circuit - ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC .

I have never been to a full F1 weekend and enjoy every minute (well nearly - it rained alot on Friday!)

Took over 1000 pics and various bits of footage - here are just a few from my 1st memory card I am working on ....

Camp Joff - Patrick was more excited about the camping than seeing the cars ...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone6a.jpg

I've never been in such a big campsite - this was just a small part of the overall site at Woodlands ...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone7a.jpg

A few of the cars on Saturday qualifying at Becketts ...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone1a.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone2a.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone3a.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone4a.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone5a.jpg

Then on race day I was lucky to be sitting on the new pit straight - just opposite grid position 10 & 11 (Hamilton & Sutil) - watched the drivers do their parade round ...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone8a.jpg

Then all the cars came out onto the grid - here's Jenson Button being pushed to his slot ...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone10a.jpg

During the race took lots of pics of the cars blasting past - here's an action shot of Petrov and Schumacher in Club corner....

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone11a.jpg

And here's Alonso taking the chequered flag ....

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone12a.jpg

A fantastic weekend that I will remember for a long long time !

Joff

[w_wall_2001]

looks like you had a great time Joff,always wanted to go to silverstone, im hopefully heading to the belgain GP next month on a "works outing". is the pit straight hard to see now as i read its slightly lower level than the rest of home straight?

[joff-turbo-nova]

looks like you had a great time Joff,always wanted to go to silverstone, im hopefully heading to the belgain GP next month on a "works outing". is the pit straight hard to see now as i read its slightly lower level than the rest of home straight?

It is as there is about a 1 foot kerb and arnco at the entrance and as the straight inclines up slightly by the time to get to the exit its about 10 foot high . I could see into the Virgin and Lotus garages easily and could see the pit stops - but further up you wouldn't see either into the Redbull or McLaren garages or see the pit stops due to the high wall.

See this pic (taken from the Telegraph website - not mine!)

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01941/silverstone-pitlan_1941900c.jpg

Joff

[w_wall_2001]

ah i see, strange why the planners did that as stopping grandstand on other side seeing pit stops, shame really.

Will

[Edd]

Looks awesome ! I'd love to go at some point

What's the cost ? I have always thought it to be expensive, never actually looked in to it though

[Edd]

.

[Damo]

I went last year had an awesome time once in a lifetime experience i my veiw the noise was awesome.

[joff-turbo-nova]

I went last year had an awesome time once in a lifetime experience i my veiw the noise was awesome.

The noise is just deafening - 1 car is VERY loud - 24 all bouncing off the limiters was just unbelievable - I am just uploading some video of the start - it still doesn't capture how loud - I had in ear headphones and ear defenders on and it still hurt ! Some numpties were sat in front of me with nothing in their ears!

Joff

[joff-turbo-nova]

Here's the video of the start ...


http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/?action=view&current=MVI_7682.mp4

[joff-turbo-nova]

Looks awesome ! I'd love to go at some point

What's the cost ? I have always thought it to be expensive, never actually looked in to it though

Depends on what type of view you want really.

Firstly to camp (open from Wednesday to Monday) cost £25 per person which I didn't think was bad.

Then on top of that you need to select what type of ticket you want. General Admission for all three days was about £149, you get to sit in the stands on Friday, but Saturday you are limited to the various grassy areas around the circuit perimeter.

If you want a seat you have silver gold and platinum. Silver and gold tickets are usually in uncovered stands - silver was about £199 and gold was £249 and the platinum tickets which give you cover stands in the best positions were £299 this year.

So it depends on how big your budget is - you could do it for as little as £174 or if you wanted the full hospitality option , it would cost about £2500 !!!

You could also save waiting in the queues of traffic and get yourself choppered in which was about £385 per day !

Joff

[craig green]

Nice pics, I bet its a good weekend but I couldnt justify the cost myself + after going to TRAX a few times I dont like the layout of Silverstone.
Such a shame the Maclaren/Brits had a bad weekend of it.

[draper]

some great pics joff

i went to silverstone for the grand prix in 2000 when it was a washout (i dropped my school prom for it aswell) and agree with the noise at the start being awesome - i had goosebumps !!

ive got the oppurtunity to go monza this year on a long weekend/lads roadtrip but im not sure i can afford it

[Hayley]

My dad gets free tickets coz he is (now) 2nd in command of the pits for the grand prix ....and im still waiting for my free tickets :roll: but Id love to go next year.
Might have to start playing the "but Im your only child and you never see meeeee" card. lol

[Deanosri]

I went Silverstone the weekend of 10th-12th June for the Moto GP and the new track looks pretty awesome if you ask me

[Hobbit]

Joff, your video is more exciting then the bbc coverage lol Guees Mowglers was right, the uber smooth cameras of today take you away from the feel of the thing.

[Spudly]

Ummm, can i just point out, Joff, camping...?



Errrr, who are you and what have you done with mr Evans:p





lol

[joff-turbo-nova]

Ummm, can i just point out, Joff, camping...?



Errrr, who are you and what have you done with mr Evans:p





lol

Well it was a choice of either camping for £25 each , or trying to find a hotel at around £300 per night plus the travelling in and out of the circuit.

We were literally 200 yards from the back of Stowe corner - this is where we were located :-

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/campingmap1.jpg

This was more like glamping anyway - we had air beds , tables , cupboards, a two burner cooker and even a porta potti !

Cheers

Joff

[honie5]

I also went joff! Was sat at vale which was last corner so hamilton and massas coming together was just in front of me! I went with my brother (mk1novasrule) on the sunday and was absoloultly awesome was also my first f1 and will definately be going again recommend it to anyone! Once I upload my pics I'll put them on! Did you invade the track after? We were one of those that did and was good to see all the garages and be on the track! So many people was unreal was really well organised though!

[mk1nova_rich]

Bloody ridiculous prices IMO

[joff-turbo-nova]

Did you invade the track after? We were one of those that did and was good to see all the garages and be on the track! So many people was unreal was really well organised though!

Yes I did get on the track and picked a few bits of rubber up for posterity! Walked down the main straight then round Club - the new pit building is great - is a lot bigger than it looks from a distance ......

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone14.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone15.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone16.jpg

[mowgli]

Joff, your video is more exciting then the bbc coverage lol Guees Mowglers was right, the uber smooth cameras of today take you away from the feel of the thing.
i hates the new cablecam thingy too, it made a whole set of corners seem dull, when an f1 car at full tilt is an almost religious experience...

i was spoilt though. the first real f1 car i saw at full speed was williams fw14 red5 on the hill after eau rouge on the morning warmup for the '92 spa gp..... i was frozen to the spot..

as much as i love the f1, i really don't like silverstone live anywhere as much as on the telly.. i just wish they still had late 80's cameras & camera angles...

[Andy]

And a decent commentator.God is Martin Brundle boring,he really does spoil it,tries to undermine David Coulthard all the time aswell.Thought it was great when Alonso blew him out at the start lol
He was a sh1t driver and an even sh1tter commentator.
I watched the FULL race this weekend and have to say i actually enjoyed it and will be watching the next one.
I would like to go to British GP 1 day too.
Great shots Joff,a great write up

[honie5]

I didn't see any bits of rubber was to busy trying to nosey in the garages lol I wonder who picked up the bit of hamiltons nose cone at the end bet that's worth a few bob! I'll try get my pics up tomorrow night having said that there not as good as yours! Have to say although it is expensive I was in the gold seats but didn't pay as it was a 21st birthday present I would quite happily pay that money to go see it again silverstone itself was awesome, atmosphere was like nothing I've experienced before the sheer amount of people and literally all of them in bright orange cheering was unbelievably beats any footy match! I was in my seat by 9 o'clock after getting there at 7 and only got out my seat to get food the rest of the time I spent sat in my seat as there was always something Going on! Already planning next year!

[joff-turbo-nova]

Here's a few more pics of Practice 1 and 2, even got to see Kobayashi crash ! . Pics taken at Club, Abbey and Stowe ...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone17.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone18.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone20.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone22.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone23.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone24.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone25.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone27.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone28.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone29.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone30.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone31.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone32.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone33.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/joff-turbo-nova/Silverstone34.jpg