Silverstone Surfer
I hope you're all getting excited about the . I'm writing this short blog entry at the Mercedes GP HQ, just down the road from .
I'm waiting for Michael Schumacher, who is going to drive the eight miles to the circuit with me so I can get , find out how he sees , and ask what he can achieve in the remaining 10 races.
You will be able to see the (potentially quite quick) journey on our pre-qualifying show on Saturday, and there is plenty of other stuff to make this weekend even more special than usual.
Lewis takes the pub quiz music round to heart
I'll be flying into the circuit in ; we've got a not-to-be-missed pub quiz with and some other famous faces, and DC driving a friend around the new-look Silverstone track.
I really look forward to meeting lots of you over the course of the weekend. I love the buzz of British GP weekend and, with the season so finely poised, it's set to be as exciting as ever.
One of the things I'm most looking forward to sharing with you all is the little race we filmed last week. We took what has been described as "" and raced it against the most recent British Grand Prix winner.
The Alfa 158 won every race in 1950, taking to the first ever World Championship. Remarkably it then carried to glory the following season, when the car was a remarkable 13 years old. In modern F1 the cars are barely 13 weeks old!
You can catch the video on Sunday but in the meantime, .
And while I'm on the subject, at the end of the month, Stirling Moss is hoping to make his racing return after . The will see cars from the 1920s to the '90s going wheel-to-wheel and the racing if often great to watch.
Enjoy the weekend and - starting at 1210 BST on Saturday and Sunday on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One. See you then!
Comment number 1.
At 8th Jul 2010, FishFingers wrote:Such a shame it's not at Donington this year. The poison poured by Damon Hill and the media (including the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ) has resulted in our home race not moving to a much more exciting circuit but instead remaining at dreary Silverstone for the forseeable future.
I hope they are happy, because British F1 fans are the ones losing out.
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Comment number 2.
At 8th Jul 2010, David wrote:i am so excited for the race
nice blog as usual, love to have me own helicopter
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Comment number 3.
At 8th Jul 2010, David wrote:Really good Blog, there seems to be so much happeing in the race build up, shame i am going to miss it. Will it all be up on the website later? how was the hyde park festival? i was there
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Comment number 4.
At 8th Jul 2010, Mike wrote:Lookin forward to this weekend Jake! Hope your are too. Are you staying at Whittlebury Hall? As I'll be popping in there in the mornings to try and see the drivers.
Dont forget to see if the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ team will show Woodcote A on Sat and Sun if thats possible and hopefully get to meet you and plenty more over the weekend!
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Comment number 5.
At 8th Jul 2010, Pedro1964 wrote:FishFingers -
Have you ever been to Donington?
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Comment number 6.
At 8th Jul 2010, kingandy3 wrote:FishFingers -
You do realise donny isnt actually suitable for F1?
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Comment number 7.
At 8th Jul 2010, silverarrow01 wrote:fishfingers you are the only person that doesn't like silverstone
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Comment number 8.
At 8th Jul 2010, hazsa19MKD wrote:FishFingers
Myself and the 160,000 other fans will enjoy the motor racing in the sun this weekend.
I hope you stay away from the drearyness.
Great blog Jake.
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Comment number 9.
At 8th Jul 2010, Canary F1 wrote:Lewis the rockstar!
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Comment number 10.
At 8th Jul 2010, kath wrote:HI JAKE, HAVE A GREAT SILVERSTONE WEEKEND.GOING TO A WEDDING AT PONTELAND NEAR NEWCASTLE AIRPORT.WILL WATCH RACE ON RED BUTTON MAYBE SEE THE START AT SOME FRIENDS HOUSE.YOU AND HARRIET LOOKED REAL COOL IN PHOTO AT F.O.S. HAVE A GOOD TIME. KATH X
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Comment number 11.
At 8th Jul 2010, jamesl wrote:I know some of you would prefer to have Donnington park as the new British circuit but surly it would make more sense to have the world famous Silverstone circuit and Donnington park as there would be the super fast Silverstone to test the teams and drivers on the speed and Donnington park as a new circuit that will test a number of different factors.
I personally am in favour of keeping Silverstone especially with the planned changes for next year including a completely new sector 1 and pit straight, and as the deal has been made to host the F1 at Silverstone for (correct me if I'm wrong) 2015.
Lewis will be the winner this weekend especially if the upgrades Mclaren have with them work, but even if they don't he's a racer not a driver he will make them work where the others would struggle and fail.
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Comment number 12.
At 9th Jul 2010, TomD wrote:Hi Jake, nice blog! Really excited to be heading to Silverstone in the morning in time for Friday first practice. Will be cheering on Jenson, but happy for either of the McLaren's to win this weekend after last year's Red Bull 1/2 lockout! Very pleased and relieved that I'll be driving to Silverstone rather than Donnington as I had feared this time last year. FishFingers, you must have just posted your comment for a reaction, right?!
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Comment number 13.
At 9th Jul 2010, andywiz wrote:good blog jake keep it for the season of seasons setting off shortly for silverstone camper packed bit of sun cream for a change il be at maggots for first practice cant wait !!!! think Mc`s could 1-2 vettle and webber aredefo in with a shout fancy williams could supprise a few with big race.sky plus set jake watch it allllll back when i get home on monday stayin for worl cup {come on spain) have GREAT weekend all have fun
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Comment number 14.
At 9th Jul 2010, dazjstuart wrote:@Fishfingers, I think you are the only person in Britain that thinks that! To say I am pleased about the fact Donnington fell through is perhaps a little harsh on them, but Silverstone is the only place for the British Grand Prix. We shall remain to see how this new track layout performs.
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Comment number 15.
At 9th Jul 2010, Oilyb wrote:Hi all
Looking forward to a stunning day tomorrow. Friends and I shall be arriving by helicopter and spending the day at the Copse Hospitality suite then flying home at the end. What a great day out!!!!!!!!
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Comment number 16.
At 9th Jul 2010, cordas wrote:Watched the practice sessions and love the new track and that bump should make it interesting.
Hope to hear the Bruno Senna story explained....
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Comment number 17.
At 10th Jul 2010, fudgy wrote:looking forward to the race who will be on pole? 1 of the brits or my be a german!!! who will win? my moneys on a red bull just hope they dont take up flying lessons again.
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Comment number 18.
At 10th Jul 2010, Mr3enn wrote:Hi Jake, who's that black haired woman lurking ominously in the background of all interviews with the Maclaren drivers like some overbearing big sister, never saying 'owt but always in shot? Have a word will yer, it makes for uncomfortable viewing. That's not what widescreen was mean't for I'm sure :-)
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Comment number 19.
At 10th Jul 2010, Barry Richards wrote:Disgusted viewer, with all the money ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ spend on their website you would think they could get the time right. I went to the red button at 1055am, as advertised on the website, only to see the last 5 minutes of practice 3. What a shambles!!!
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Comment number 20.
At 10th Jul 2010, BRI2434 wrote:Hi Gang, With all the changes to racing tracks, would it be possible to have an 'overlay' to place over a map of the old circuit so that the changes can be seen and related to the various cornwers etc.?
The latest example of what I am talking about is the changes to Silverstone. I cannot picture the 'new' Abbey corner. I look forward to seeing it on Sunday for the British G.P.
Cheers Guys
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Comment number 21.
At 10th Jul 2010, Laurentino quintal wrote:I hope the McLaren boys are and will be in top of game for this weekend...because the way I see...RedBull is flying in Silverstone...must better performace in both cars...lets see on sunday...I will try to be there in Silverstone
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Comment number 22.
At 10th Jul 2010, RON wrote:Hi Jake great video of Michael Schumacher with you driving to Silverstone I think over the years we are seeing a different Shumi still arrogant but a little more fun!He must be getting cheesed off with the same questions about finishing below Nico and whether he expected to win a Grand prix this year well he did set the bar rather high didn't he.If I remember his first year for Ferrari was a learning curve and he seems to me to be more patient than the media in getting it right on the night!Nigell Mansell was all about Silverstone getting pole on Saturday foot to the metal on Sunday and waving the flag from the podium.Putting up with traffic congestion sunburn and wind Nigell did us proud.Lewis and Jenson are different characters if a win on Sunday dosen.t come their way hey ho as Lawrenson would say still a long way to go.Can Sebastian Vettel do the double I think if he does he could become the darling at Silverstone what surely not another German reaching into our sports psyche I hear you shout but are we not now warming a little more to Michael Shumi Schumacher.
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Comment number 23.
At 10th Jul 2010, whytwo wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 24.
At 11th Jul 2010, Tom wrote:I enjoy watching the grand prix and appreciate the excellent coverage of each race also the qualifying.
It's also nice to see Murray Walker still looks as young and fit as ever.
In my younger days I used to listen to his father Graham Walker commentating on the I.O.M. TT races, it felt as if you were there.
I did a bit of motorcycle racing in the 1950's, including the Southern 100 in the I.O.M.
One thing that does annoy me is seeing Union Jack flags being flown upside down. In case anybody doesn't know, the broad part of the white diagonal cross should be uppermost on the flagpole.
Let's keep it right, especially in our own country.
Keep up the good work,
TA
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Comment number 25.
At 11th Jul 2010, h2oplus-4 wrote:Can anybody tell me what music piece was used in the video shown on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ on Saturday celebrating 60 years of Silverstone which featured the Alfa Romeo 158 vs the Red Bull??
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Comment number 26.
At 11th Jul 2010, Diamondskipy wrote:well done Lewis and Jenson!
Can someone please get E J a personal
dresser for the next race his clothes are making
my eyes hurt!!
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Comment number 27.
At 11th Jul 2010, tescr500 wrote:Hi jake take a look at a slow mo at seb at the start, tyre was or really looked like it was starting to come of rim before he touched lewis, did a slow mo at home and tyre i think was allready punctured before he touched lewis, look close and slow cheers wayne my first tweet.
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Comment number 28.
At 11th Jul 2010, borobabe wrote:Hi just watched the British Gran Prix. I was a bit disappointed to hear the name mentioned through out the race was Vettel. Mark Webber won, Lewis Hamilton came 2nd and Nikki Rosberge came 3rd, Button jumep 10 places yet the name I heard mentioned all the way through was Vettel. He was doing anything special until the safety car came out. I think there was other worthwhile drivers who weren't mentioned.
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