A stellar selection of British motor racing royalty (including no fewer than five World Champions) was on hand to officially open the state-of-the-art pit, media and event complex to be known as the ‘Silverstone Wing’.

Constructed in just over 12 months, the dramatic design is much larger in scale than photographs convey. Indeed, Le Mans winner and popular GP driver Derek Warwick opined at the opening ceremony, “Bernie [Ecclestone] must have got ‘sq metres’ mixed up with ‘sq feet’...” It is enormous – but well in keeping with similar buildings on new F1 tracks in Asia and the Middle East.

One of the features I found the most impressive was the raised, totally isolated and very safe pit wall. While the cars drive through a lowered pit-lane, the track is at an appreciably higher level and pit crews are therefore much safer; raised some three metres and working within a paved (perhaps three metres deep) area well away from the pit lane itself.

The two-storey structure offers 21st Century-standard garage facilities below, and a spacious entertainment area (or for events use when not a racing weekend) above. The podium has been shifted to one end of the ‘Wing’ (the pit-lane entrance) and the whole redesign will give spectators that much better a view of the action.

With an opening ceremony presided over by BBC TV’s F1 anchor, Jake Humphrey, it was over to one racing celebrity after another to give their personal reminiscences of Silverstone, be it on two wheels or four.

Current F1 drivers Jenson Button and Mark Webber mixed with recently retired David Coulthard, BBC lead commentator Martin Brundle and legendary greats such as Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir Stirling Moss and John Surtees. On two wheels, Randy Mamola was joined by Briton James Toseland and multiple-champion Valentino Rossi.

Ross Brawn summed up many people’s feelings when he compared the word ‘Silverstone’ to that of well-known brand names. Say ‘Silverstone’ to many people worldwide, in and out of the motor racing business, and they will have heard of it. Nigel Mansell, in a typically emotionally charged speech, described how he would steel himself to keep his foot flat down for Stowe, Club and Abbey corners. Qualifying tyres were worth four seconds a lap but demanded total commitment.

Sir Frank Williams remembered with affection the cigarette-smoking Keke Rosberg and some of his mighty qualifying performances in the turbocharged Williams-Honda. At an average speed of 160.9mph, Rosberg's qualifying lap at Silverstone in 1985 remained the fastest in F1 history until 2002.

The five British World Champions (John Surtees, Sir Jackie Stewart, Mansell, Damon Hill and Jenson Button) all spoke with genuine affection of the Northamptonshire track, and many of them (and the track’s owners, the British Racing Drivers’ Club) have worked tirelessly to negotiate with Ecclestone’s FOM organisation to retain the British GP at Silverstone. The new Wing will bring the British track back to the forefront of Grand Prix facilities worldwide.

British GP winners Hill, John Watson and Johnny Herbert enjoyed reminiscences, while in addition to THE rider of recent years, Italian Valentino Rossi, the two-wheeled world also included Derbyshire’s answer to Barry Sheene, ‘Rocket’ Ron Haslam. Devotees of the Midlander will be reassured that the sideburns might be a touch less exuberant nowadays, but the hairstyle is just the same and biking enthusiasts (who also number Derek Warwick and Martin Brundle) can hone their skills at the Ron Haslam Race School, based at the Silverstone track.

In all, it was a great morning for the British motor racing enthusiast – and one that any of the late, great British Word Champions (Graham Hill, Jim Clark and of course James Hunt, who would have enjoyed it in typically irreverent fashion) would have felt proud to see.

The new Wing will be fully open for the British MotoGP (where Silverstone Auctions will hold a sale) on 10-12 June, and of course the Grand Prix on 8-10 July. The Silverstone Classic (with another Silverstone Auctions event) will be on 22-24 July.

For further information on events at Silverstone, visit www.silverstone.co.uk.

Text: Steve Wakefield
Photos: Classic Driver