LMS Silverstone

[Paddy_NL]

Mail to the LMS is gone! Will post answer as soon as it comes in here...

[Paddy_NL]

Hmm, response was too quick

I am out of the office for two weeks.
You will be able to contact me again on the 23rd of July.

Best Regards,

I did 'cc' to media@lemans-series.com though, hopes are at a high for a quick response!

[IanS]

Has anyone got an indication of what time the race is due to start this time.  Racing in the dark in 2005 was pretty hard to follow on an unlit Silvestone.  Any thoughts?

[Lazy B'stard]

Hope it finishes pretty sharpish as I have to be back in Northtmberland before midnight or be henpecked to death (again)

[Paddy_NL]

Right. Phoned Silverstone Circuit first, but they could not tell me the start- and finish times of the race, as they would be informed by the LMS organisation two weeks prior to the race. Too bad I never seem to get any proper answers from SRC, I cannot imagine SRC lives completely in the dark as for the LMS race and cannot understand why I seem to be not allowed to know any more details than published in their website.


So I rang the LMS organisation in Paris. Spoke to a guy (no name mentioned) who told me the start of the race is 99% sure to start at noon on Sunday, which I predicted because of local sound regulations. Quite handy for those who live abroad, and have to book a ferry crossing for that weekend (or book a flight to Stanstead).

As I had him on the phone, I thought I'd better ask him about the camping situation as well. According to this guy the campsite in the infield is definitely not available this year during during the LMS weekend. He couldn't/wouldn't tell me why, but I predict it has something to do with the LMS organisation having to pay for the possibility to camp there. So it's probably all down to money again.

Sorry guys, I have tried...

[JDS]

So it's back to the Whittlebury Hall option then? Congrats for trying .... You wait, when it's all over S/Stone will be moaning later 'how few people turned up' & 'it's so difficult for a circuit to make money these days' etc ... I wonder why when there is so much of a struggle to get one simple answer and how costly would it really be to open up the infield? 

[Paddy_NL]

As far as I understood the LMS organisation have to rent the circuit for this race, so that should cover the costs for the SRC. As for the campsite, the bogs and showers are already there, so only the cleanup on the Monday after the race of the infield would be the extra costs, plus a bit more security at the gate. I guess they either ask too much money for the infield, or they are just not bothered with the hassle of organising it

[geoffd]

Just a minor point,  but this has nothing whatsover to do with the SRC (Silverstone Racing Club)!  It is an issue with SCL (Silverstone Circuits Limitd) and the LMS Organisers.

Plenty of people having been banging on at SCL about camping for all sorts of events,  usually to no avail!  Although I did notice that the MGCC were succesful in getting camping arranged inside the circuit and did have two distinct areas,  quiet and not so quiet!  So it can be done,  but I think it is all down to whoever has hired the circuit and if they have hired the whole shooting match!

Still if every one keeps on at SCL and the organisers you never know,  but in years to come there might be a proper campsite setup.  But don't hold your breath....

[mgmark]

Although I did notice that the MGCC were succesful in getting camping arranged inside the circuit and did have two distinct areas,  quiet and not so quiet!  So it can be done,  but I think it is all down to whoever has hired the circuit and if they have hired the whole shooting match!

If memory serves me correctly, the MGCC (and the ability to camp and everything else with it) at Silverstone goes back many years, to the 3 organisations who stumped up the money for the BRDC to buy Silverstone from the Air Ministry after the war.  The MGCC was certainly one and i think that the others were the Bentley Drivers Club and the Peterborough Motor Club.  As a result, in gratitude for that, those 3 clubs have always had a weekend event to themselves at Silverstone.  Plus, the MGCC event involves an absolute army of volunteers doing everything from directing car parking, campsite running, and the clearing up afterwards.....

MG Mark 

[Paddy_NL]

Just a minor point,  but this has nothing whatsover to do with the SRC (Silverstone Racing Club)!  It is an issue with SCL (Silverstone Circuits Limitd) and the LMS Organisers.

Hmm, yes. Sorry... Got the abbreviations mixed up

[Lord Steve]

Whittlebury Hall then?
I vote that we just get the thing booked - dare say we can have a good time wherever we are and there are decent facilities there.
All agree?

Steve

[termietermite]

Well I think I'm going to come now, so Whittlebury Hall sounds OK to me.

[Piglet]

We should be there with Chateau Piglet on the officials campsite.  Feel free to wave on your way past the fence 

[Bob U]

Whittlebury Hall sounds good to me. I camped there once for the GP and was happy with it. A 10 minute walk (max) to Copse Corner and a 5 minute walk to the local pub if need be. The facilities were good, clean bogs and showers and they were permenant blocks not just shipped in for the weekend. If they let us have the field nearest the circuit we will be well away from any other punters so there shouldn't be any noise complaints. I don't recall if there was electric hook up in the bottom field.

[DelBoy]

Whittlebury Hall then?
I vote that we just get the thing booked - dare say we can have a good time wherever we are and there are decent facilities there.
All agree?

Steve

I agree - I think that between us we have exhausted all other avenues.  I will book later today.

Del