Silverstone programme
The start of the second half of the FIA World Endurance Championship season will be this weekend with the 6 Hours of Silverstone. The birthplace of post WW2 British motor sport. The Silverstone circuit has recently been revamped and will host the fourth race of the eight round Championship in 2012.
The administrative and technical scrutineering took place all day on Thursday and will end tomorrow, Friday the 24th of August at 9:00. After the usual briefing for drivers and team managers, the drivers and cars will take to the track for the first time tomorrow at 11.30 for a practice session of one hours and thirty minutes for all classes. After lunch the competitors will have a second free practice session scheduled for 16:00 to 17:30.
No night practice session at Silverstone as the race will take place during the daylight, so the third free practice session will be held on Saturday from 11:00 to 12:00, in a final rehearsal before the qualifying sessions in the afternoon. Unlike free practice, qualifying does not include all the competitors. The cars in LMGTE Pro and Am and be the first to go at 14:50 for 20 minutes. The prototypes LMP1 and LMP2 will follow at 15:20 for another 20 minute session.
Meanwhile, fans will have the chance to see the team garages in the pit-walk from 12:10 to 12:40. For half an hour, every spectator with a ticket can wander the pit lane and see competitors cars up-close. Those who missed this opportunity, can catch up on race-day Sunday, the 26th August 26 from 10:30 to 11:00 during the autograph session for all drivers (from 10:30 to 10:55). Autograph hunters will have a first opportunity to meet the drivers who will have taken part in qualifying on Saturday in the interview area from 16:10 to16:30 when 35 drivers will be available to the press.
The Sunday session will begin with warm-up from 8:55 to 9:15. Competitors of the FIA World Endurance Championship then leave the track to young guns of Formula Renault 3.5 for their second race of the weekend from 9:40 to 10:30, the first having taking place on Saturday at 13:00
Fans of historic racing cars will enjoy the 'past masters' of endurance racing on Saturday from 16:00 to 17:00. with Classic Endurance Racing. A few of the drivers of the historic cars will be at the wheel of a race car on Sunday at the 6 Hours of Silverstone which will start at noon local time. Spectators and competitors may be blessed with fine weather for the race as the forecast currently shows only 30% chance of showers.
Dave Davies
Photo: TOWCESTER (NORTHAMPTONSHIRE, GREAT BRITAIN) SILVERSTONE CIRCUIT, 6 HOURS OF SILVERSTONE, Thursday, August 23, 2012. Mechanics of Aston Martin Racing practice refuelling stops for Sunday's race.