The home of the British Grand Prix, regularly slated by Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone, unveiled a revamped circuit on Thursday to take it into a new era.

With Britain’s Prince Andrew cutting a ribbon to open the new Silverstone track and then being driven around by 1996 Formula One champion Damon Hill in a two-seater race car, Silverstone’s owners predicted a bright future for the former World War Two airfield.

The circuit, which hosted the first Formula One championship race in 1950 and last year agreed a 17-year deal for the British Grand Prix, includes MotoGP and world superbikes on its calendar.

“The development of Silverstone really is the crowning glory, and symbolises as a material representation of everything this country has done…in their successes on the track,” declared Hill, president of the British Racing Drivers’ Club that owns the track.

“This is a new circuit for a new generation of people to enjoy motorsport in the way we think they should and we hope it’s also going to offer an incredible challenge to the drivers of the future.”

The new layout, part of a major redevelopment that will have cost the BRDC nearly 40 million pounds ($60.99 million) by the end of next year, includes six new corners and is also longer.

The pits will be relocated and a new Wellington Straight should become the fastest part of the circuit instead of Hanger.

GOOD STUFF

Past and present racers gave the makeover a thumbs up.

“The good thing, mate, is that they kept all the good stuff,” said Red Bull’s Australian Mark Webber. “The quick kink off the new back straight looks very quick.”

Retired grand prix winner Johnny Herbert seconded that: “It is the circuit for the future for sure,” he told Reuters, looking out over a panorama of bare earth that will be transformed into a new pit and paddock complex by next year.

“I think it gives a little added spice to the track that we’ve lost…we’ve still got the historic high speed and I think we definitely have an overtaking opportunity. So I think it’s a better facility overall.

“It’s a circuit that Britain and Europe can be proud of. We’ve got all these new modern tracks around the world that are vastly amazing in what they have actually produced but I think Silverstone is the best in Europe,” he added.

“I think it’s going to be the European fightback.”

Britain’s triple world champion Jackie Stewart, taking a break from accompanying visiting royalty, agreed.

“I think this circuit has always been one of the leading racetracks,” he told Reuters. “I think the new part of it allows the development of Silverstone to really secure the long-term stability of Formula One and motorsports in this country.”

Silverstone had been due to be stripped of the Formula One race this year, with Donington Park securing a long-term deal with Ecclestone until that venture became a casualty of the global financial crisis.

Ecclestone, a Briton who has taken Formula One to extravagant new venues in Abu Dhabi and China in recent years, has in the past likened Silverstone to a dilapidated old house and a country fair masquerading as a world event.

Hill was able to make light of that: “Some people like the country fair atmosphere at Silverstone,” he told Reuters with a smile. “It’s always had that nice British summertime feel.”

This year’s British GP, likely to attract a big crowd with Britain’s world champions Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton now team mates at McLaren, is on July 11.”

(Editing by Justin Palmer; For any queries on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)