Well, the clocks have gone back, or forward or whatever it is, and summer is therefore here, and to the traditional sounds of the English summer - the smack of leather on willow - has been added a new noise: the sound of dotdotdotcomma screaming every time an ignorant oik of a journalist refers to Silverstone as "the Northamptonshire circuit".
You see, it's lazy and inaccurate, and it's a reflection of journalists just picking something up from somebody else without checking their facts. If you say something wrong often enough, it becomes the truth.
But the facts are these:
1. Silverstone circuit straddles the boundary between Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire.
2. The Rockingham circuit is wholly within Northamptonshire, and it would be more accurate to call Rockingham "the Northamptonshire circuit" on that basis alone, and calling Silverstone "the Northamptonshire circuit" is therefore potentially ambiguous.
3. 53.6% (that's "over half", journalists) of the current Grand Prix (i.e. F1) circuit lies within Buckinghamshire.
4. Becketts, one of the most challenging and interesting corners on the F1 calendar after Eau Rouge, is in Buckinghamshire. As are Chapel, Stowe, Vale, Club and the now legendary Abbey chicane. All Northamptonshire has is Copse, Maggotts, Luffield and Woodcote.
5. The new main entrance is in Buckinghamshire.
OK, so the pits are in Northamptonshire (or as many of us say around here, Northamptonshire is the pits) and Silverstone village is in that county. But that's not the point! Well, maybe it's sort of the point. But the real points are these:
1. Silverstone is the only motor racing circuit at least part of which is in Buckinghamshire, whereas Northamptonshire has two (well, one-and-a-half). To avoid confusion, Silverstone should not be called "the Northamptonshire circuit".
2. At least half of the circuit is within Buckinghamshire, so at least half of the time it should be referred to as "the Buckinghamshire circuit".
3. Or, why not just call it "Silverstone"?
dotdotdotcomma will, however, graciously allow the National Circuit, used by F3 among others, to be referred to as the "Northamptonshire circuit" on the basis that it is, in fact, wholly within Northamptonshire. You can't say fairer than that.
Smallprint: My employers would like me to make it clear that the major access roads to the circuit are indeed in Northamptonshire and that all of the problems encountered by visitors are the fault of Northamptonshire County Council and South Northamptonshire District Council.
PS: The Donington Circuit is in Leicestershire, not Derbyshire. |
