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May 22nd
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Silverstone to get wings with new paddock

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The new-for-2011 pit and paddock area at the Silverstone circuit will officially be rather drably known as the 'Silverstone Wing', the circuit's owners have announced, after a competition to decide the moniker for the complex.

The new pit and paddock area, located on the straight between the Club and Abbey corners, will debut in the 2011 British Grand Prix, and will see the start-finish line move away from its traditional home before Copse corner.

The new paddock is the latest part of Silverstone's extensive redesign, which saw the Arena circuit extension added to the layout of the track in 2010.

The name of the new complex was decided by a competition, which apparently attracted over 4,000 entries.

And the British Racing Drivers' Club announced on Friday that despite strong competition from 'The Honourary Sir Lewis Hamilton and Sir Jenson Button Baseball Cap Merchandise Stand', the new paddock area would be known as the less-impressive Silverstone Wing.

The chosen name references the aviation past of the former airfield track.

The press release from the circuit owners said that the name was chosen as it highlighted "both the circuit's rich heritage and its exciting future".

The Managing Director of the track, Rochard Phillips, beamed that: "'The Silverstone Wing' is a highly appropriate name.

"'Flight' and 'velocity' were key themes incorporated into the design brief, and the streamlined form of the new building conjures up the impression of speed, dynamic motion and the grace of a bird's wing in full flight."

He added that: "Many of the competition entrants suggested names that included the word 'wing', or related to types of birds.

"After careful deliberation by the Silverstone team the entries were whittled down to just 20 names, which were then presented to the BRDC Board for discussion at the November Board Meeting."

The competition prize of tickets to the official opening of the paddock next May, as well as tickets to next season's F1 and MotoGP British GPs at the venue, was shared amongst all ten entrants who suggested plays on the 'wing' idea.

Patty's own entry into the competition, The 'Bernie-Pleasing White Elephant VIP Area' was not credited by the BRDC.