Grand Prix at Oulton Park?

[pD F1]

This is my closest circuit and one in which I drive past regularly. I'm interested to know whether this venue could host a Grand Prix in the near future (next 10 - 15 years or so). I know its a popular, historic venue throughout the country and when I went to a BTTC race once there, it was a good track layout. Does this track have the required safety standards for the FIA to host a race? Are the facilities good enough? I would be glad if this ever does host a race.

[Knowlesy]

Problem with Oulton is it is very much a traditional track and therefore the FIA would deem it far too dangerous.

I never want to see F1 go to Oulton, because the track would be altered beyond recognition for the benefit of the safety heads.

Oulton is wonderful, let's leave it that way!

[Kicking-back]

Too narrow for F1, really, and there's so much investment going into Silverstone in the past few years and in the coming years that it will remain the home of the British Grand Prix for a long time to come.

[GolddustMini]

i remember seeing the boss tyrells flying round oulton a few years back, sounded pretty awesome, but yeh keep ya hands off FIA, oulton is good how it is

[pD F1]

Originally Posted by knowlesy

Problem with Oulton is it is very much a traditional track and therefore the FIA would deem it far too dangerous.

I never want to see F1 go to Oulton, because the track would be altered beyond recognition for the benefit of the safety heads.

Oulton is wonderful, let's leave it that way!

I don't want the track layout to change, as you said its wonderful and very traditional, but yes I suppose when you think about it, there's no way the FIA would even consider the current layout good enough for a Grand Prix.

[luke]

Oulton Park is a nice track, just it would be to narrow and tight and no room for F1 cars to overtake.

[Knowlesy]

I don't think track width is such a problem. I mean, we still race at Monaco.....

The lack of run off is the big stumbling block.

[pitcrew]

would never happen its a brilliant track and should not be alterd its also brilliant technical track. for formula one it is not wide enough and the run offs are far too small.

[Rob29]

F1 last raced at Oulton in 1972. Perfectly safe now for most classes of racing. In view of the fiasco currently on my TV screen I think FIA should burn current rules,and start from scratch with rules that enable the best drivers in the world to race safely on existing circuits.

[TheNewBob]

The difference between Silverstone and Oulton Park is enormous - and Silverstone are barely even able to keep F1 there. I doubt a national/club venue would be able to do anything like a better job - the roads in the area are surely not up to scratch either. Only saving grace is it's owned by Motorsport Vision - and Jonathan Palmer wants to do great things with his circuits.

But Silverstone is a bigger and wider place than I ever imagined (having only visited for the first time at the FIA GT meeting there) - the way they spoke about it on TV they made it seem like a run-down tiny place.

[Alfa Fan]

From what I have seen, I prefer the Oulton Park facilities to anything I've seen at Silverstone.

[pD F1]

Originally Posted by TheNewBob

The difference between Silverstone and Oulton Park is enormous - and Silverstone are barely even able to keep F1 there. I doubt a national/club venue would be able to do anything like a better job - the roads in the area are surely not up to scratch either. Only saving grace is it's owned by Motorsport Vision - and Jonathan Palmer wants to do great things with his circuits.

But Silverstone is a bigger and wider place than I ever imagined (having only visited for the first time at the FIA GT meeting there) - the way they spoke about it on TV they made it seem like a run-down tiny place.

Agree with everything apart from the road access, the A49, A556 A51 and A54 are all close, providing good access from Chester, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Shrewsbury and London. One of the best for road access.

[Hepatic]

if you want to see F1 at Oulton, go to the Gold Cup on August Bank holiday. Admittedly they are historic F1 cars (along with a shed load of other historic stuff) but it's the only time you'll see F1-type machines there. To host a GP would mean way more runoff space and catch fencing all the way around, which would totally ruin the place. Now if they were to go back to Brands.....

[paulSenna]

Originally Posted by Rob29

F1 last raced at Oulton in 1972.

Apart from the Aurora AFX F1 guys...

Oulton has been blighted enough already with all the Chicanery, leave it alone now.

[Hip Priest]

Oulton was my local circuit growing up, and it is still my favourite. I would hate to see it changed, so i hope it isn't used as an F1 venue in the future. Also, the build up of traffic for a BTCC race is incredibly heavy in the country lanes which lead to the circuit. I would be concerned about how the local roads would deal with the number of fans attending an F1 race.

[TheNewBob]

I didn't know about the road access these days - I've only been to Oulton Park once - for the 1995 BTCC round there. I just kinda assumed it would have generally been like the local circuit to me, Cadwell Park, in that the same people owned the place and until recently most visitors to our area wud never have known Cadwell even existed had it not been blatently pointed out to them...

[Hepatic]

almost forgot - F1 would never happen 'cos the locals don't like noise, even tho the track was there well before they moved in....

[TheNewBob]

Ah, it's another Castle Combe situation then! Although I heard they complain about the racing noises at Donington even though there's a large international airport less than a mile away...

[pD F1]

They complain about the noise because its a remore area. As said, wouldn't be suitable for a Grand Prix, but it never fails to produce some super races in the BTCC.

[nickandrews]

I never read about the troubles with locals at oulton. I know they have a curfew for noise at evenings and no noise allowed on a sunday morning.
The roads around oulton could not cope with all the traffic involved with an f1 meeting! I think they should get the euroboss grids boosted, and bring it back to oulton

[pD F1]

Originally Posted by nickandrews

I never read about the troubles with locals at oulton. I know they have a curfew for noise at evenings and no noise allowed on a sunday morning.
The roads around oulton could not cope with all the traffic involved with an f1 meeting! I think they should get the euroboss grids boosted, and bring it back to oulton

No the roads would not cope around the Little Budworth area, where the track is. Nor should any road developments start as its a nice area and should remain so. I believe it is perfect for BTCC though.

[nickandrews]

Yeh, it soon starts getting busy though when u go to a BTCC or Superbike meeting. trying to get in the main entrance can be a bugger if u leave home late. I personally always go in a knickerbrook, no traffic at all.
I dont think any of the roads should be altered, nobody would want a network of great big wide roads running through that part of the coutryside.
As for the circuit itself, as already said earlier, it would have to ba altered for f1. We'd get 10ft barriers everywhere, spectators moved back from the track, huge tarmac run off areas. It wouldnt be Oulton Park without the proximity you can get to the track with no barrier obstructing your view

[Rob29]

Well they managed to handle an F1 crowd 1954-72. Non-championship true,but most current teams took part and crowds of 60,000 reported.

[goforit500]

T'would be a shame to emasculate Oulton further than it was after the sad loss of Paul Warwick.

The F1 lot need 100yds of space all around to allow them to go off without consequence - I really couldn't see the F1 brigade at Oulton - It has bumps, and barriers close to the track and oh err trees nearby and is a real driving challenge.

Ah just love Oulton - Funny the place just hates me tho...Never had a good day racing there....

[pD F1]

Originally Posted by nickandrews

Yeh, it soon starts getting busy though when u go to a BTCC or Superbike meeting. trying to get in the main entrance can be a bugger if u leave home late. I personally always go in a knickerbrook, no traffic at all.
I dont think any of the roads should be altered, nobody would want a network of great big wide roads running through that part of the coutryside.
As for the circuit itself, as already said earlier, it would have to ba altered for f1. We'd get 10ft barriers everywhere, spectators moved back from the track, huge tarmac run off areas. It wouldnt be Oulton Park without the proximity you can get to the track with no barrier obstructing your view

Yes the spectator view is pretty breathtaking as to high close you can get to the track, even when a race is on, you feel part of the action, and, although no where near F1 standards, the noise takes you back a bit too, one notable part of the track for me when I went was Lodge Curve, going into the S/F straight.