British Grand Prix: Formula 1 - Rain and Mud 2
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We ignored those panicking online who arrived on the campsite at stupid o'clock early Wednesday morning and left Brighton on Thursday morning. We arrived around 1:30pm (after some confusing road signs to the track) to join a queue of motorised campers. 20 minutes later we join another queue for 10 minutes for wristbands then another very slow queue for about an hour to our final position. No choice on lively or quiet camping due to the sudden, muddy fields and pitched up behind the main entertainment tent and almost next door to the toilet block.
Borrowed a gazebo for some extra cover but discovered the roof didn't fit and somehow tore a couple of holes. Luckily Kerry persuaded me to bring the tarp and boy, did we need it later. Within the main hub of the campsite was the toilet and shower block as well as the 'Petrol Head' pub, a pop-up steakhouse restaurant, a pizza stall and a few retail places. Quite amused by the motor racing memorabilia shop offering past driver overalls which looked like child sizes and amazed at the prices for parts fallen off old cars like a nose section for £2500!
Friday Practice
Friday was officially Practice Day and our first experience of the Silverstone track. Only got to see a handful of brave F1 cars doing quick laps then ducking into the pits as the light rain was constant. It still brought a smile to my face hearing them with the Caterham's being the loudest. From the first gate near Stowe we walked anti-clockwise through the increasingly muddy conditions to try and find the hospitality area Kerry had booked. Silverstone Six was situated between Maggots and Becketts on the inside of the track and would be our base for Saturday and Sunday. Instead we continued to walk around the circuit picking the Woodcote grandstand to watch the other types of cars (GP2, GP3, Porsche cars and Heritage F1s) as well as the afternoon's F1 practice. The wind and rain had picked up and it took almost an hour for any F1 drivers to be bothered to come out. Those that did slipped around with Senna crashing out causing the session to be red flagged. It was also this point where the cold wind really had some bite making us both shiver and later caused Kerry's chest infection.
Lunch was a very expensive hot dog whilst watching the on-site big screen TV which tried to entertain the waiting crowds but after the F1's practice we went to find some better shelter. As I bought a McLaren Mercedes umbrella from the merchandise store the rain typically stopped. The dry spell didn't last long as we reached the entertainment sector gaining some warmth from the LG stand and testing out their 3D TVs.
Back at the campsite we tried the local steakhouse. With a bit of a wait for a free table the food was good at a reasonable cost. W shared our table with a father and son from Somerset who were a great laugh. The father had bought tickets off eBay for the grandstand on the International Pit Straight and therefore getting views of the pits and and trophy handouts.
Before going to bed, we agreed we should make the breakfast at the Silverstone Six hospitality from 8:30am which meant us getting up about 6am to get ready and walk the 45 minutes through the mud to the centre of the track. When we got back to our campervan the entertainment big top was in full swing with bands and DJs. Even my earplugs couldn't do anything to block out the booming sounds. This, the noisy passing crowds to the toilets and poor Kerry coughing through the night equalled about one hour's sleep.
Saturday Qualifying
So Saturday started as if I was brain-dead and in no decent mood until coffee and food came to the rescue. As soon as we got to the hospitality Kerry requested a medic so she could get some antibiotics leaving me to mingle. At first it felt like a posh wedding with some awkward conversations and table introductions. Then I realised my umbrella had gone missing. Our table was right next to the reception and front door so can only assume some cheeky git had 'borrowed' my umbrella. I told the doorman and he had other staff look for it. I even approached two other guests who had the very same brolly but they had properly bought them. The rest of the morning my mood matched the weather.
Kerry returned from the medical centre with a prescription and we able to get to know our hospitality neighbours. The Halifax couple we met were staying on track in the Snooze Box, the new shipping container-made hotel. For £200 a night and the nightmare of the campsite, its a must for next year I'd say. Keith ran a hire business for cabins and told us loads of stories including his friend who ran a stainless steel factory and used the off-cuts to make butt-plugs.
The F1 qualifying was a bit of a non-event as the rain forced a lot of drivers to stay in their garage. What we did see from the hospitality was unobstructed views of the cars so getting decent photos was so easy. Whilst we were in the Brabham restaurant of the Silverstone Six complex, next door was Jenson Button's charity suite of which the very man appeared with Jake Humphries to speak to his patrons.The weather changed just as it did Friday so we ducked in for some free booze. With our table right by the door everytime anyone wanted a smoke or went out caused the biggest draft. Not great for Kerry's condition but she managed to get it changed for Sunday. By the end of the day it seemed that one particular table were only interested in the free bar causing some scenes.
At the end of Saturday's track entertainment when almost everyone had gone we went to the top of the grandstand to watch and listen to the HFO cars with the eerie sunshine and stormy cloud background.
Tried to have a kip at the campervan but only managed 15 minutes before the big top music got switched on so had some supper, took down and packed the gazebo and went back to bed with the intention to leave after the main race without hassle. We also agreed to get up at the more reasonable 8am the next day.
Sunday Race
A better night's sleep and some decent cooked breakfast set up a good day with promise of sunshine. With the Formula 1 race being the last on the bill we ducked in and out of hospitality to watch the GP2s and Porsche cars. Quite amused to see one of the cars sponsored by 'Visit Kurdistan'.
The F1 drivers parade was quite brief thanks to the speed of the truck but also with all the drivers facing the other way so managed to capture some very detailed backs of heads. The Red Arrows made up for this with some impressive near-misses and coloured smoke.
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| Red Arrows blue meets red (Photo credit: Ginger DJ) |
After seeing the victory lap Kerry found out we were able access the track and walk around to the start/finish line. Said our goodbyes to everyone and walked onto the track near Copse reaching Chapel until the officials told us to get off. Not to be outdone by this we walked further in-track to find another way onto the track being told different directions or decisions. Somehow got to view the Paddock at close range but were still unable to get on track even though we could see people walking around. Finally found another gate open even though some officials refused entry and walked towards the International Pit Straight whilst it pelted down with heavy rain. By this point I was getting pretty fed up with the rain, walking and marshal blocking with no way to see the pits close up.
Leaving Silverstone Woodlands campsite at about 4:30pm was quite quick but the rest of the journey home was a crawl to the M40. The rain lashed down almost all the way home too. Finally got back at around 8:45pm.
Overall, it was a great experience let down by incredibly bad weather. Silverstone has a lot to learn from Glastonbury in terms of wet weather organization.
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