British Gp 2013

[PHILIPRISING]

THIS is part of a feature in speedwayXtra this week (speedwaystar.net)...

 

 

THE British Grand Prix at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium is the absolute jewel in the sport’s crown but the event just doesn’t happen like magic.

Preparation for the big night goes on throughout the year as Paul Bellamy and his team at BSI/IMG meticulously ensure that nothing is left to chance.

Although Saturday’s event will be the 13^th (hopefully not unlucky) staging of the British GP under the Millennium roof, mounting such a huge operation doesn’t get any easier.

It all begins on the Sunday prior to the meeting when the material used to build the track, stored locally under environmentally controlled conditions, is transported into the stadium by a convey of trucks.

The safety fence along with the air barriers will have arrived earlier in the SGP articulated truck that travels from one Grand Prix to another.

It is now a well-oiled operation, under the guidance of Ole Olsen and his Speed Sport team, and amazingly by Tuesday morning the track is laid although it will continue to be rolled and tyre-packed throughout the week in readiness for Friday afternoon’s practice.

Ole’s younger son Torben, Events Director at BSI, also arrives over the weekend to start a whole series of meetings with stadium officials to examine and re-examine every minute detail of the week’s schedule.

By Wednesday morning more members of the BSI team are in situ, going ahead with a general run through of everything that will take place over the next few days.

On Thursday Event Manager Gemma Fordham will co-ordinate meetings regarding Health & Safety, Security, Hospitality and general ticket arrangements.

Gemma is also the key figure when it comes to handing out passes and tickets for officials, riders, guests and media. Her feet will hardly touch the ground over the next four days organising all the activities of her colleagues.

More of the BSI team will now be at the stadium, co-ordinating with TV (for the first time this will be under the Eurosport rather than Sky banner), stadium lighting and sound, the big screen operators and checking all the hospitality facilities.

SGP Race Director Tony Olsson will also be on hand on Thursday along with referee Krister Kardell, ensuring that the track, pits and paddock are as required.

On Friday the whole operation swings into top gear. There will be meetings with the announcer and the camera crews, a rehearsal of the opening ceremony, a run through of what will take place at the CIP Methanol Club and much, much more.

At 15.30 the first riders’ briefing will take place under the direction of Olsson but Paul Bellamy will be there as well to inform about the opening ceremony, which will be unique to this particular GP.

At 17.00 practice will commence and should run for two hours. Once that is over the Speed Sport team will be back on the track, cleaning the air-fence and getting the racing surface back to pristine condition for Saturday evening. Much of this work will carry on throughout the night.

On Saturday a whole series of rehearsals and sound checks take place and at 13.00 Torben Olsen will chair the Production Meeting which details, minute-by-minute, and even second-by-second, the schedule for the rest of the day, who does what, when and where.

It is a comprehensive document, running to several pages, but it is a veritable bible for everybody concerned in ensuring that the big day goes without a hitch.

[racers and royals]

I for one will be hoping they have scrapped the double parade they tried last year-no need for the bikes on track-the Harley`s are perfectly ok on there own.