The final British Grand Prix at Silverstone - Thoughts, goodbyes and onto Donington Park

The end of an era at Silverstone

I write this article 2 nights before I set off with my enterf1.com buddies and associates to venture to the British Grand Prix for the final time at Silverstone. At least for the next 17 years anyway now that Donington has the British GP contract for nearly the next 2 decades of our lives.

How do I feel? Well it's a mix of emotions which I shall try to describe to you and I would put money on many fans feeling at least a bit similar to me.

First and foremost, I'm a formula 1 fan through and through, nothing will ever change that. I'm also British which mean's the priority has to be: Do we have a British Grand Prix in the future? Thankfully, the answer is yes. It just happens to be Donington Park and not Silverstone.

My history as a fan going to Silverstone

I was lucky enough as a child to go to Friday practice of the British Grand Prix and I am fortunate enough to say I saw Ayrton Senna at his very best, hacking his way around Copse corner lap after lap.

I attended my first Grand Prix at Silverstone officially in 2001. This was on race day and I have been ever since - camping since 2003 for the full Thursday to Sunday experience. Nothing has beaten it.

My experiences of Formula 1 at Silverstone in the last 9 years have always been superb. The atmosphere around the track has always been spectacular and the support for British drivers has always been outstanding. Whether our boys are losing or winning the fans have always stayed loyal and shown great support.

We always have time for a beer at Silverstone :)

The honest truth for me is that Silverstone isn't the best spectator circuit around. It's flat, wide and fast with big run off areas. These are a few factors which contribute to some dull moments around Silverstone. Compare it to Spa-Franchorchamps which we have been to where you are literally climbing up hills and through woods to find your next vantage point. It is a beautiful track.

But Silverstonehas had plenty of drama in its rich history dating back to 1950 when it hosted round one of the Formula 1 championship. Last year in 2008 was no exception when Lewis Hamilton proved to the world he was a world class driver and wasn't being carried along by a decent team. He outclassed every single driver that day and won the race by a minute in wet conditions.

It was the most nervous I'd been watching a Grand Prix. Every single driver in the field had made a mistake and been off the road at least once and we all waited for Hamilton to bin it at some point because his pace was electric. It never happened and on the last lap the sun burst out of the cloud almost movie like. I took off my sweat shirt to reveal the rock orange McLaren winners t-shirt. I've never heard a motorsport crowd cheer like they did as he crossed the line.  It was a truly magical moment for any British fan present that day and one that will live in history for ever.

Donington Grand Prix and it's potential

Well there will be a race at Donington whether it's in 2010 or they miss a year and put it on for 2011. It's a waiting game now.

Simon Gillett - the organiser of the British Grand Prix has taken a lot of stick in the press and from fans alike for the over ambitious plans for the construction of a world class venue in such a limited timed, and with such sketchy financial backing details.

But I say lets give the bloke a chance. He's got the contract and he'll do something with it no matter what. He's adamant the project will succeed and he's putting his name on the line if it doesn't. The British Grand Prix is too important to loose so I'm sure investment will come for the project. He needs fans like us behind the project to help it succeed so I hope he gets a break.

What do we know about the Donington circuit that's being built? Well a lap should look like this. Note the pit straight is located along the old back straight where the Dunlop bridge use to be and there is a new loop to be added:

Saying goodbye to Silverstone

It's going to be a great weekend at Silverstone for the last British Grand Prix at the circuit. I hope Jenson Button wins so I can experience that electrifying feeling of the home crowd screaming in ecstasy at the end. I'll still be gunning for Lewis Hamilton of course, the hero of many fans.