One of the men in charge of designing the revamp to Silverstone's facilities for 2010 has claimed that the new design for the track will evoke the memory of the super-fast Silverstone of old, giving the track a "new life".
John Rhodes, a senior architect with the Populous company, which is in charge of designing the track's revamp, says that the plans for the track will make it a "really, really fast circuit", to bring back the "essence" of Silverstone's history.
He did, though, say that it was unlikely that the 2010 British Grand Prix would be held on the new 'Arena' circuit layout, which is being designed for use for the MotoGP race at the track next year.
"It will be a whole new life for the track, and maybe move it back to how Silverstone used to be - a really, really fast circuit," Rhodes grinned, when asked about the redesign that his company is overseeing, which includes the new layout, as well as improvements to the facilities.
He admitted that the inherent issues with Silverstone's location, on a flat former airfield, meant that there would always be limitations to what they could achieve, but claimed that the new track would bring back the historic speeds formerly seen at the track.
"We have looked at introducing much more topography and things like that, but it is very difficult because you have to go with what the site is - in essence it is an ex airfield," he rambled.
"I think we’ve got the right solution - and if we can really bring back the essence of what Silverstone is - a very, very fast circuit, smooth and flowing, it will be great."
He added: "There are circuit tweaks relating to the FIM requirements that need doing, so there will be mild alterations here and there - like at Club. We are moving the barriers back in some areas but also moving the spectators closer in other areas, so that’s very exciting."
Silverstone used to one of the fastest tracks on the F1 calendar, but recent alterations on safety grounds have added a number of slow-speed corners to the original track.
Rhodes added that his team would be focusing on spectator areas as well, making sure that fans could see more of the track than before.
"Certainly, even in the short term, the spectator experience will be a lot better," he smiled, "Obviously we have the opportunity to relocate grandstands that have been there for an age and really shake the thing up a bit.
"It is not about creating something new but about bringing a freshness to focus on what it is all about."
He admitted that Silverstone will always struggle to keep up with modern F1 tracks that have recently been added to the calendar, like Abu Dhabi's Yas Island track and other races in the Middle and Far East, in China, Bahrain and Singapore.
Nevertheless, he affirmed that the British track could still be able to take an "incremental approach" to it's design, despite a relative lack of funds.
"It is crazy to think that Silverstone would ever get the investment that Abu Dhabi has got. It would be great if it did - but we’ve never had that, and never envisaged we would have that," Rhodes screamed.
"The architecture is being driven by an incremental approach - that we can actually create a language over a period of time that will have a significant feel to it, but is also deliverable in the short term."
He added that there was little chance of the 'Arena' section being used for the Formula One race next year, which will be the first event in Silverstone's new 17-year contract, signed in the wake of the collapse of Donington Park's abject failure to fulfil it's own contract.
"To be honest, I don’t know,” he said when asked if the new track would be used by F1, "I would be surprised if it happened [for F1 in 2010].
"It is the MotoGP circuit, and from our point of view it is going to be finished by March and we have to deliver it now - that is the key thing. The programmes are coming up quickly now."
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