F1 News: Silverstone Changes Bring Fans Closer to the Track
The Silverstone track has had a change which will be bringing F1 fans closer to the track. The catch fencing has been brought forward by 15 metres along the Wellington straight between Turns 5 and 6.
Fans standing at the Wellington Straight will see the cars head into the Brooklands and Luffield turns, and with Luffield being one of the more awkward turns in the track this is where a lot of the drama can happen.
The work is expected to be completed before the 2023 season starts in March so fans who are eagerly waiting to go and see the British Grand Prix next year could be closer to the action on the track than they have ever been.
Lee Howkins, circuit manager at Silverstone, has explained about the new fencing which is being supplied by Geobrugg:
‘It’s a fully homologated system with the FIA and FIM. With the speed of the straight and the new safety aspects of Formula 1, it was the right time to move to the Geobrugg system. We want to make sure we’re giving the fans the best experience and the best views.”
The fencing will have to go through the relevant FIA safety tests which include stopping a 780kg sphere travelling at 60kph from going through the fence as well as a full-size car going through at a 20 degree angle. We were all reminded of how important this is at the 2022 British Grand Prix when Zhou Guanyu had the awful crash that sent his Alfa Romeo flying into the fencing.
Director of motorsport solutions at Geobrugg, Jochen Braunwarth, has commented on the latest development at the Silverstone track. He said:
“We’re excited to be part of the redevelopment plans at Silverstone.
“By bringing in our mobile debris fences, we can safely give spectators at the Wellington Straight a fantastic view of the track.”
The British Grand Prix will take place on 9th July 2023 and is set to bring in 400,000 fans. According to the Silverstone website:
"The British Grand Prix is bucket-list territory. World class sport and an epic, weekend-long festival for over 400,000 fans. Experience all this next summer!"