Silverstone WEC | Page 2 | FerrariChat

Silverstone WEC

Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by Igor Ound, Apr 19, 2014.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. CSM0TION

    CSM0TION Formula Junior

    Oct 14, 2004
    969
    Long Island,New York
    Full Name:
    Brandon
    Is attendance down? I didn't see anything about that. Toyota's dominance is just crazy, didn't see that coming. This should make for an interesting 24!
     
  2. 4re Nut

    4re Nut F1 World Champ

    Mar 27, 2004
    16,343
    N of NOLA
    Full Name:
    Steve
    Ugh, just came back for the finish and there's a safety car. Rain too heavy?

    Edit...Yep, rain per twitter and it looks like the race went SC right before I joined. :(
     
  3. gt4me

    gt4me F1 Veteran

    Sep 10, 2005
    5,637
    UK
    Full Name:
    Lewis Mitchell
    Glad I couldn't get down there now, the weather in Scotland is glorious.
     
  4. 4re Nut

    4re Nut F1 World Champ

    Mar 27, 2004
    16,343
    N of NOLA
    Full Name:
    Steve
    FWIW, commentators just mentioned it is about double last year. Case of being a bigger shrimp?
     
  5. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 30, 2007
    91,699
    red flag, race is apparently over 26 minutes early.
     
  6. 4re Nut

    4re Nut F1 World Champ

    Mar 27, 2004
    16,343
    N of NOLA
    Full Name:
    Steve
    Ugh, I rushed home for a red flag...and not a good day for either Audi or Ferrari. :(
     
  7. CSM0TION

    CSM0TION Formula Junior

    Oct 14, 2004
    969
    Long Island,New York
    Full Name:
    Brandon
    Just came back to see the red flag also. What a bummer but I liked what I saw. Looks like there may actually be a fight to win LM this year!
     
  8. SWB

    SWB Formula Junior

    Nov 12, 2006
    964
    Toronto & Ottawa
    Full Name:
    Seth
    Nice to see Porsche on the podium. They'll start winning in no time after they steal Williams' Martini livery :) Glad for Mark Webber on his WEC debut.
     
  9. gt4me

    gt4me F1 Veteran

    Sep 10, 2005
    5,637
    UK
    Full Name:
    Lewis Mitchell
    Really looking forward to Le Mans now.
     
  10. gt4me

    gt4me F1 Veteran

    Sep 10, 2005
    5,637
    UK
    Full Name:
    Lewis Mitchell
    #35 gt4me, Apr 20, 2014
    Last edited: Apr 20, 2014
  11. BartonWorkman

    BartonWorkman F1 Veteran
    Sponsor

    Nov 3, 2003
    6,086
    En El 305
    Full Name:
    Barton Workman
    I have video from the Group C era when they ran at Silverstone during the Porsche
    vs. TWR Jaguar days and the stands were full and outlaying areas packed.

    Of course, that was due mainly to a British factory entrant taking on Porsche perhaps
    but still, today's attendance was paltry.

    Either they're not selling this series correctly or there are just too damn many
    things to do in the UK on Easter weekend.

    BHW
     
  12. TF110

    TF110 Karting

    Jun 26, 2010
    96
    Its not F1, thats the main draw these days. 43,000 is a good amount compared to 20-25k last year iirc.
     
  13. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 3, 2006
    25,447

    Uncertain weather, and good TV coverage.

    Tickets for Silverstone aren't cheap, and there is always the chance of huge traffic jams.

    The attendance is probably declining at most sporting events in UK.
     
  14. BartonWorkman

    BartonWorkman F1 Veteran
    Sponsor

    Nov 3, 2003
    6,086
    En El 305
    Full Name:
    Barton Workman
    Its too bad there was such a small crowd.

    Believe me, the drivers notice this stuff. Running in front of empty grandstands doesn't
    bode well especially for the first race of the year after all the pre-season build up.

    If a British manufacturer like Jaguar or Aston Martin were to step up to P-1, perhaps
    that would change.

    It will be interesting to see what the crowds are like at Spa.

    BHW
     
  15. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 30, 2007
    91,699
    Silverstone has a stated capacity (for F1) of 150k seats + GA (lawn). so even if they did have 43k* people there, that would look like a small crowd in a place that big.

    my guess is the "packed house" of the Group C days was with a significantly smaller grandstand capacity, so the crowd is probably roughly the same size but looks much smaller now.

    * I don't know if that 43k was weekend or Sunday only
     
  16. BartonWorkman

    BartonWorkman F1 Veteran
    Sponsor

    Nov 3, 2003
    6,086
    En El 305
    Full Name:
    Barton Workman
    Probably rolled over the three days like most tracks do these days.

    BHW
     
  17. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 30, 2007
    91,699
    most likely and if so the numbers for ELMS/WEC at Silverstone are only slightly better than the ALMS/WEC numbers at COTA. sad.

    sports car racing knows their funding comes from manufacturers and gentleman drivers, now they don't even pretend to care about fan dollars...
     
  18. BartonWorkman

    BartonWorkman F1 Veteran
    Sponsor

    Nov 3, 2003
    6,086
    En El 305
    Full Name:
    Barton Workman
    Its been pointed out to by a colleague in the UK that the WEC event at Silverstone
    was up against important football matches and the weather forecasts calling for
    cold temperatures and rain (all of which materialized) plus an important holiday
    weekend kept a lot of spectators away.

    Fair enough.

    Lets see what sort of spectator turnout they get at Spa.

    The new generation P-1 cars are spectacular, blindingly quick through the turns and
    as was noted by Hindbaugh & Co. yesterday, pulling 1000HP with their combined fuel
    and electric motors.

    BHW
     
  19. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 30, 2007
    91,699
    not to mention it was Easter Sunday :)

    the new P1s are amazing to watch, especially now that Audi has legit competition. this season will be legendary.
     
  20. gt4me

    gt4me F1 Veteran

    Sep 10, 2005
    5,637
    UK
    Full Name:
    Lewis Mitchell
    Agreed.
     
  21. merstheman

    merstheman F1 Rookie

    Apr 13, 2007
    4,417
    São Paulo, Brazil
    Full Name:
    Mario
    I'm not surprised Toyota showed up so well. I am however surprised that Audi had such a dismal start to the season.

    Not surprised but incredibly excited about Porsche's podium. What an amazing company they are, right back into it like they were winning yesterday.
     
  22. ARTNNYC

    ARTNNYC F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Jul 8, 2005
    3,767
    NYC, FL
    Full Name:
    Jerome
    nice to have THREE top manufacturers going at it! I only wish Peugeot could have stayed around
     

Share This Page