Thousands of fans descended on Silverstone as race day dawned for the first round of the 2015 WEC this morning.
Under sunny skies a long queue formed for the pit walk and autograph session where fans can meet, chat and get their heroes to sign posters and cards, as well as pose for the obligatory ‘selfie’.
Several of the WEC fans were keen to speak about their experiences as the new season dawned and among them were David and Kara Shay from Derby, who had set off at 5am in order to get to the sharp end of the queue.
“We have been coming to the WEC event ever since the first race in 2012 and it is the highlight of our year,” said David. “The racing is always excellent and we watch from Becketts which is just mind blowing with the LMP1 cars through there. We have been supporting Audi for many, many years so we hope they can be back on top of the podium this evening.”
There are plenty of families at the WEC this weekend too. The Pollard family from Walsall in the Midlands were enjoying their second visit to the WEC at Silverstone. Fully armed with posters and autograph cards, 11-year-old Tom and his father Greg waited patiently to be unleashed on the pitlane.
“My favourite driver is Mark Webber because he is so fast,” said Tom. “I like it when he is interviewed on TV, he is always very funny. He will win today with the Porsche, I am sure of it, because he is the best.”
The fans enjoyed not only the sunshine and the unlimited access to their heroes today but also the vibrant entertainment zone close to the paddock. Displays, racing art, go-karts and the busy funfair all contributed to making a fantastic atmosphere as the 2015 burst in to life.
The 6 Hours of Silverstone gets underway at 12.00 local time.
