Closed-Season Circuit Work

[Mark Mitchell]

Dave has told us in another thread about some work taking place at Mallory, but does anyone know if any other Circuits have any work planned over the winter?

[Matthews Dad]

Oulton Park: Catch fencing at Shell to catch flying Marchs

Sorry tongue in cheek but I was there for the Gold cup weekend

[The STIG]

if reports are to be belived - Pembrey is gaining a footbridge.

[Bryan Degerlund]

There is some work at Brands Hatch at Clearways, including new hut at post 23 and a vehicle refuge, as per post 3.

[Bodysnatcher]

I too read that letter from DS of MSVR and I must admit I know how Dave Gilbert feels, since I did most of my novice year up there with him.
I hope 23 (or 22a as it was) will not end up further away from the track like 22 is now, emasculated, and with a flag point that even fewer drivers will look at.

The flag point used to be on the infield at old 23, & it seemed to work well, I was never truly convinced that removing it made a positive contribution to safety.

Ah well, plus ca change....

[Mike Kelly 1]

And they are reprofiling the bank at post 4. That should help trying to run up a gap between armco and bank that is only 3/4 the width of the average marshal!

[gachjoel]

Originally Posted by The STIG

if reports are to be belived - Pembrey is gaining a footbridge.

along with another rumour that there was an actual bridge to be built for vehicles.
thus allowing for the other rumour of a 2cv 24Hr race to take place...along with other series racing to be brought back to the circuit.

But when you get down there next season you`ll find a new toilet/shower block in paddock 2.
itz prob been built by now

[Circuitmarshal]

At Goodwood, Madgwick is having the gravel trap changed to a tarmac run off area.
That's the first corner if your not sure of the name.

[BeeJ]

Silverstone is getting a new Pit Wall

[Alan Green]

As mentioned by BeeJ

Silverstone to start work on new pit wall

Construction of a new pit wall at the Silverstone circuit will get underway on Monday 17 December, when the existing wall will be replaced.

The new pit wall is built with 10km of steel reinforcing bars, 1000 cubic metres of concrete, 330 metres of debris fencing and rear tubular handrail, and movement joints to control thermal expansion and contraction.

It will fully comply with the latest FIA regulations and has been designed to withstand impacts with speeds of more than 250km/h.

It will take up to six weeks to build and organisers are expecting the work to be finished by the end of January.

So I guess this means that the pits/paddock are staying where they are when they 'have' to be rebuilt as demanded by Bernie, rather than being moved to another part of the current circuit as was talked about in some of the redevelopment plans??? Bit of a waste of money if not.

Al.

[Elio]

Not sure exactly how far back 23 will be at Brands, but I think the spectator area around there has now all but gone - just a very thin strip of green left at the very top now!!

And as for post 4.... Last I heard was that plans for work had been shelved....

[gachjoel]

But with the new Silverstone pitwall,it can take an impact up to 156 mph.
will that be strong enuf for an F1 car.

i`m no engineer but would it withstand an F1 car hitting it ??

[sputnik421]

156 mph that sounds like a red flag to me as the G would be enormous from that speed to zero ish.

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by sputnik421

156 mph that sounds like a red flag to me as the G would be enormous from that speed to zero ish.

Depends on the angle of impact.

I found it rather amusing that a figure of 156 mph is quoted - sounds like a badly-done conversion from 250km/h to me!

[gachjoel]

Originally Posted by Dave Brand

Depends on the angle of impact.

I found it rather amusing that a figure of 156 mph is quoted - sounds like a badly-done conversion from 250km/h to me!

do i take it i got my conversions wrong.

as my conversion goes its 1.6 kmh = 1 mph

please feel free to correct me if i`m wrong

[Mike Kelly 1]

I make it 155.35 mph.

[The STIG]

The thing is - if something's going to hit the pit wall, it's more than likely going to do it at less than 150mph anyway. I've only seen one thing go into silverstone's pit lane and it was doing at most 60mph. This is just Silverstone pandering to the F1 Brigade. Again.

And why does the pit and paddock have to be rebuilt? What's wrong with them?

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by gachjoel

do i take it i got my conversions wrong.

Yes!

If you're doing a conversion, it's a good idea to quote the original figure as well.

[gachjoel]

Originally Posted by Dave Brand

Yes!

If you're doing a conversion, it's a good idea to quote the original figure as well.

so my sums were correct give or take the odd 1/3rd of a mile.

Thought so

As to my original Question
i`m no engineer but would it withstand an F1 car hitting it ??

and if one did hit it at that speed,do it take it would leave a hole in the wall(small one at that).

Stig
at a guess
Might find the reason for the pit/paddock rebuild,might have something to do with the future plans for the circuit and due to the fact that is a high area of publicity when there is an F1.
So it all looks good on TV.

[The STIG]

Originally Posted by gachjoel

So it all looks good on TV.

Sod that! It's solid, it's got electric and water hook ups, what more do you want?

[Mike Kelly 1]

Originally Posted by The STIG

Sod that! It's solid, it's got electric and water hook ups, what more do you want?

Ask the poison dwarf (AKA Bernie Eccleston!)

[Bodysnatcher]

Originally Posted by Elio

Not sure exactly how far back 23 will be at Brands, but I think the spectator area around there has now all but gone - just a very thin strip of green left at the very top now!!....

I'll pass final judgement until I see it, but how much will drivers then see of flags between 9 and 24?

Ditch the refuge, forget the snatch vehicle, ease the barriers maybe just 6 feet and change some of the gravel trap in front of 23 for "run-off" tarmac and have every club enforce "race between the white lines"

... nah too late.

[Robin_D]

Yeah but an F1 car hitting at 156mph is surely different than a bloody great Marcos or GT Car hitting it due to the weight?

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by Robin_D

Yeah but an F1 car hitting at 156mph is surely different than a bloody great Marcos or GT Car hitting it due to the weight?

It's kinetic energy that causes the damage. As kinetic energy increases as the square of velocity, a lower-mass, faster moving object may possess more KE than a slower-moving, more massive object.

[Col_Rugby]

Whatever hits it it's still a bloody big mess to clear up!!!! lol