With such renewed vigour and focus behind the Classic it is a pity, then, that Silverstone has been given a kick in the teeth

The new people running the Silverstone Classic, to be held on the Grand Prix circuit through July 25-27, have definitely got the message. Event Director Roger Etcell and his Motion Works team, who will be behind the show from now on, want to put back the magic atmosphere that this event brought to Silverstone long, long ago. It’s not enough to stage good, close racing between brilliant drivers of Historic cars. More is needed.

The top drivers of Historic cars are famous to us, for sure, but the general public has never heard of them and couldn’t care less who wins. In our little world, we know that the cars entered at the Classic will be fantastic, the grids will be full and the action on the track inspiring. But Etcell understands what else is needed if he is to build this event back up to what it should be and the signs are that he’s going to succeed.

He also recognises that similar events at other venues are allies in this game and not the enemy. Obviously that makes us think first of the spectacularly successful Goodwood Festival of Speed and the brilliant Revival meeting. We have room for several such grand parties throughout the season, without doubt, and they should support each other.

Meanwhile, Motion Works has put together a three-day festival of classic motor racing and motoring from the 1920s to the 1990s for the 2008 Silverstone Classic. It’s a programme which really will have all the ingredients to delight a large crowd from beyond our circle. And if they happen to watch the Historic motor racing as well they might just be pleasantly surprised at how exciting, varied and entertaining it is.

With such renewed vigour and focus behind the Classic it is a pity, then, that Silverstone has been given a kick in the teeth. I didn’t spot it at first but eventually the significance of the words sunk in: the Classic will be run on ‘an FIA-approved circuit’. Hang on a minute. That, it finally dawned in my thick head, means the same version of the GP circuit used for the British Grand Prix and all other major events for modern racing cars.

Getting straight on the ’phone, I soon learnt the worst. Instead of the dramatic fast sweep of the traditional Abbey Curve, for example, we shall be using the tight left-right chicane which was introduced at that point a few years ago to meet the requirements of modern F1 cars. That’s all well and good for Kimi, Felipe, Lewis and those boys but for us it’s a bit like diverting into a car park. It’s desperately boring. It also puts a premium on braking performance which is wholly inappropriate to older machinery.

This ugly threat will make no difference whatsoever to the pleasure that the general visitors will get from a visit to Silverstone on the last weekend in July. They probably won’t notice the difference. For the competitors, on the other hand, it’s a depressing disaster.

When I spoke to BRDC Chairman, Robert Brooks, to get his take on it, he said simply: ‘Abbey Curve provides one of those indescribable moments in motor racing. If that is to be taken away from us it will be very sad.’ That, to me, sums up perfectly the view of all enthusiasts who understand our sport.

Roger Etcell added: ‘Silverstone received a letter from the MSA stating that it would no longer be possible to issue a licence for racing on the Historic Grand Prix circuit. It was disappointing to receive that news just a few months before the event when there is no real evidence of the need for change, especially for the older cars.’

All may not be lost. As word goes round, it seems, the MSA is receiving complaints from competitors and series organisers. Now I believe that the MSA has agreed to a technical analysis of perceived objections to Abbey Curve. Does this mean that they ruled it out without a technical analysis in the first place?

Rumour has it that the MSA is also concerned about reducing approach speeds to Bridge, which follows Abbey Curve. Now that suggests the thicker end of a most unwelcome wedge. As competitors, we are extremely concerned about keeping approach speeds to Bridge up, maintaining the need for competitive driving. What’s the point of racing if corners like Bridge are flat out?

There is some hope, however. As things stand, admittedly, the entire Classic meeting will be held on the modern F1 circuit but it’s possible that this decision will be reversed. Alternatively, the older Historics might be allowed to run on the traditional circuit whilst the faster machinery such as Group C and relatively recent F1 cars will have to fiddle around the chicanes.

So it’s all still to play for in the year in which Silverstone celebrates its 60th anniversary and the BRDC its 80th. The BRDC was founded by the victorious Bentley drivers of the 1920s. No prizes for guessing what they would have made of this nonsense.