We ride Silverstone’s new surface
Trackday riders and pro racers hail Silverstone resurfacing a success
MCN grabs an R1M to see if the new track is fit for MotoGP
Trackday riders got their first taste of the newly-resurfaced Silverstone last week, with everyone from circuit regulars to former MotoGP stars praising the track’s incredible smoothness and grip. The circuit underwent a full resurfacing back in June, following the cancellation of last year’s British MotoGP when the track flooded due to heavy rainfall. As well as addressing drainage issues, the new surface is now of a higher specification and has also been laid to a much greater accuracy than previously, resulting in a smoothness that circuit bosses say will be unrivalled on the MotoGP calendar – once a few imperfections have been ironed out.
MCN lined up in pitlane alongside Silverstone Managing Director Stuart Pringle as he got his first two-wheeled taste of the new asphalt. After his session he said: “I’m really pleased. It’s everything I’d hoped for. Prior to the F1 race we knew that there were some areas out of tolerance, such as the braking area at the end of the Wellington Straight and into Brooklands. These areas just weren’t accurate enough so they will be resurfaced in the week of August 5, ensuring the track is absolutely perfect for when MotoGP arrives on August 23. If there’s a smoother, grippier MotoGP circuit out there I’d be pretty surprised. I’d be so disappointed if all the riders don’t love it.”
One big-name rider to have already had a taste of the freshlylaid Silverstone blacktop is BSB racer and BT Sport pundit Michael Laverty, who took to the track on the Triumph Moto2 test mule. He said: “One hundred percent, lap records are going to be smashed in August. The track is billiardtable smooth for the majority of
the lap – there’s a bump on the apex of Becketts which you only notice because the rest of the track is so smooth and Silverstone are addressing the bumps at Brooklands. But compared to the old surface it’s much, much faster, as the smoothness means you can carry so much more corner speed. The transition from the kerb to the asphalt is super smooth, and the bumps that plagued the middle of Copse are gone – so are the huge bumps at Abbey and Farm. Now you don’t get any movement of the bike through there. It’s also really grippy, in fact it’s quite abrasive at the moment – I wore through a brand new set of kneesliders in less than an hour of riding, so it’s going to be hard on tyres, hard on kneesliders but brilliant for MotoGP racing.”
MCN experienced Silverstone’s new-found smoothness on one of the track’s own Yamaha R1M hire bikes and discovered the fresh surface gives the high-speed circuit a really surreal feeling – much like playing a video game. The grip and stability translates into huge cornering confidence and you feel like there’s no limit to your lean angle. It’s quite simply a mind-blowing place to ride around on any motorcycle but especially a modern litre bike and is something every rider needs to experience. Get it booked!
‘I’d be so disappointed if all the riders don’t love it’ SILVERSTONE BOSS STUART PRINGLE
‘It’s a mindblowing place to ride around’