Silverstone claims title as fastest GP circuit
Added on Tuesday, February 24th, 2009 by Carole Nash Editor
Silverstone claims title as fastest GP circuit
The redeveloped Silverstone circuit will be the fastest circuit in MotoGP when it hosts the British Grand Prix in 2010.
The Northamptonshire circuit, which is being redeveloped specifically to make it more “bike friendly” in time for the start of a five year contract to host the British Motorcycle Grand Prix next year, will allow riders to reach an average speed of approximately 113mph (182kph) – 3kph faster than the current fastest circuit at Phillip Island.
Sports venue architects HOK Sport, responsible for developments such as Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, the O2 Arena and the Dubai Autodrome, have been drafted in to create the new ‘Arrowhead’ section of the Silverstone circuit, linking the straight heading towards the Abbey corner to the Club straight near Maggots corner.
Simulations of the new circuit layout, which will increase the length of the current circuit by more than half a kilometre to 5.67km, posted a best lap time of 1.51.456 for a MotoGP motorcycle at an average speed of 113mph – still some distance behind the simulated Formula One lap time of 1:27.761 and average speed of 142mph.
Summary of data showing circuit length, lap times and speeds around the new track at Silverstone:
New track length = 5.67km (existing Grand Prix circuit = 5.14km)
Track width = 15m
Simulation for F1 lap time = 1:27.761, average speed 228kph (142mph)
Simulation data extrapolated for MotoGP = lap time 1:51.456, average speed 182kph (113mph)
