Silverstone Classic 2022 moved to Aug Bank Holiday

[Geraint Owen]

News out today that Silverstone Classic is moving to Aug BH weekend

Cant help but think that is a daft idea. Lots of people are already busy doing lots of other things (drivers and spectators). Add to that the "dont want to blow it up 2/3 weeks before Goodwood" crowd and I cant see it being a success.

Depending on when in Sept the Revival is it could mean that the 3 major meetings in Europe will be spread across 5 weekends

I guess it means the Gold Cup at Oulton is also moving slot (or is a dead duck).

I wonder what the driver is? They usual use some infrastructure left over from the GP. Maybe that is moving too?

[brands]

If the dates on the website are correct, 26-28th August, then that's still Friday to Sunday, which is odd.

[The Fat Clerk]

Historically Silverstone rarely has events on Bank Holiday Mondays

[kipper]

Originally Posted by brands

If the dates on the website are correct, 26-28th August, then that's still Friday to Sunday, which is odd.

I assume it's to catch foreign drivers. The Masters event at Brands used to run on Whit Monday, but it wasn't popular with overseas drivers for whom the Monday wasn't a public holiday.

I'd assume the Gold Cup will be moving as I don't think the HSCC have the infrastructure to run two events simultaneously and it would make no sense to run the two alongside one another.

[kickstart]

I assume the Gold Cup for historics is now over which on a personal level I find v disappointing as I must have either spectated or watched at least 10 times
We thought this year numbers looked better than for a few years
Personally I detest Silverstone from a spectators perspective whereas wandering round the infield at Oulton Park on a sunny day is one of my favourite things
Maybe it’s time to find a new hobby

[john ruston]

Silverstone, Goodwood and Spa in four/five weeks
Makes it interesting

[Geraint Owen]

Originally Posted by john ruston

Silverstone, Goodwood and Spa in four/five weeks
Makes it interesting

Add the Oldtimers two weeks before and it is even more silly.

[coppice]

I look forward to it - and I like the idea of evening racing being run in an earlier dusk , actually . Yes, it will impact the Gold Cup but enjoyable though it is, it is living on past glories and is now no more than a good club meeting .

August bank hols have form for appalling weather though - remember the Fastnet race? And I was at the first Birmingham GP in 86...shudder

[bauble]

Originally Posted by coppice

I look forward to it - and I like the idea of evening racing being run in an earlier dusk , actually . Yes, it will impact the Gold Cup but enjoyable though it is, it is living on past glories and is now no more than a good club meeting .

August bank hols have form for appalling weather though - remember the Fastnet race? And I was at the first Birmingham GP in 86...shudder

I knew I has seen you somewhere before

My friend dubbed me 'Mr Wet Tee Shirt 1986', so i bought an Anorak from a local shop, and it was as rainproof as a sponge. 'Happy days'

[ascarracinguk]

Bonkers decision. The august bank holiday clashes with so many other events whether it be motorsport, equestrianism, music festivals etc. I hope they reconsider.

[GCCheddaris]

Presumably the reason for the Silverstone Classic's move to next years August Bank Holiday weekend is that the Moto GP, held last Bank Holiday weekend, is moving to the weekend of 5th to 7th August next year.

[zefarelly]

Another example of Histrionics disappearing up its own rectum?!

[Anyopenroad]

Originally Posted by GCCheddaris

Presumably the reason for the Silverstone Classic's move to next years August Bank Holiday weekend is that the Moto GP, held last Bank Holiday weekend, is moving to the weekend of 5th to 7th August next year.

That certainly frees up the date but that weekend has been free before without moving the Classic there.

My guess is that a 2-week turnaround between F1 and Classic is too tight given the large amount of build/teardown each requires. It’s also possible that the F1 GP will be later in 2021 (ie 23-24 Jul) and a one-week gap would certainly not be manageable.

[GCCheddaris]

Originally Posted by Anyopenroad

That certainly frees up the date but that weekend has been free before without moving the Classic there.

My guess is that a 2-week turnaround between F1 and Classic is too tight given the large amount of build/teardown each requires. It’s also possible that the F1 GP will be later in 2021 (ie 23-24 Jul) and a one-week gap would certainly not be manageable.

Presumably Silverstone thought that three big meetings in less than a month was more than they could manage ?

[Anyopenroad]

Originally Posted by GCCheddaris

Presumably Silverstone thought that three big meetings in less than a month was more than they could manage ?

Yes...and not unreasonably since the three are their three biggest meetings of the year.

Edit to add: I see now that your original point was that the new MotoGP date is only a week after the normal date for the Classic. You are undoubtedly correct. Sorry it took me a while to catch up, I was focused more on the MotoGP change liberating the Bank Holiday weekend

[morninggents]

As Geraint said in the opening post it is a daft idea. The Classic organisers care not that the August bank holiday has been the date for the Oulton Park Gold Cup for many years but the opportunity to capitalise on a popular weekend and ride roughshod over other organising clubs (not that the Classic is a club in my book) is typical.

[dwh43scale]

Originally Posted by ascarracinguk

Bonkers decision. The august bank holiday clashes with so many other events whether it be motorsport, equestrianism, music festivals etc. I hope they reconsider.

But, given that a fair proportion of the attendees are car club folks away for the weekend with their mates and they'd do that whatever weekend, maybe it doesn't matter. You don't need that many from across the country to make it work. I reckon there's some don't watch a moments racing ...

[Geraint Owen]

Two other things occur to me
- Oulton Park Gold Cup has withered from its former glory. Is that because there isnt an appetite from competitors to go motor racing on Aug Bank Holiday Weekend?
- Dusk is an hour earlier in late Aug than late July. If racing isnt going into the dark, then there is an hour less track time on friday and saturday.

[MichaelBirch]

I understand the reason is that the Moto GP is now contracted to follow after the F1 GP, which has meant The Classic has had to move.

The wife's happy as it means we can now go to the King George (the other type of horse power)!

[HRSTR5]

[QUOTE=Geraint Owen;4071690]Two other things occur to me
- Oulton Park Gold Cup has withered from its former glory. Is that because there isnt an appetite from competitors to go motor racing on Aug Bank Holiday Weekend?
- QUOTE]

Oulton was pretty well attended this time around, both off track with spectators and car clubs, and on track - granted the turn-out in the Saloons and Aurora were poor, but most other classes had good grids. Will be gutted if I've just attended the last OPGC over the August Bank Holiday ...

[Malcolm Smith]

- QUOTE]

Oulton was pretty well attended this time around, both off track with spectators and car clubs, and on track - granted the turn-out in the Saloons and Aurora were poor, but most other classes had good grids. Will be gutted if I've just attended the last OPGC over the August Bank Holiday ...[/QUOTE]

Completely agree with all of these points.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Geraint Owen

- Dusk is an hour earlier in late Aug than late July. If racing isnt going into the dark, then there is an hour less track time on friday and saturday.

Well, that might be an opportunity to run a couple of (partly) night races which may just be tempting enough, on a long weekend, to get a few extra ticket sales from people anticipating something a little unusual.

Whether that then works for subsequent years ...

[Peter Mallett]

Well, we've had the Gold Cup and various other events that normally occur on the August Bank Holiday. Time for the Classic itself. Who's going? Who's entered and in what?

I shall be there spectating for the weekend since it's only 30mins from home.

Hopefully good grids, I haven't seen many e mails encouraging entries but it may still be early days.

[GCCheddaris]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Well, we've had the Gold Cup and various other events that normally occur on the August Bank Holiday. Time for the Classic itself. Who's going? Who's entered and in what?

I shall be there spectating for the weekend since it's only 30mins from home.

Hopefully good grids, I haven't seen many e mails encouraging entries but it may still be early days.

I think not seeing emails is a good sign ! Hopefully it means entries are filling up well.

[dwh43scale]

Friday only for me this year.