Seal of approval given to altered Matterley Basin
FIM Motocross World Championship promoters, Youth Stream,
recently paid a visit to Matterley Basin, which will be the
scene of the 2006 British Grand Prix and Motocross of Nations,
and have given their blessing to modifications to the original
circuit plans.
Last Monday Youth Stream Track Manager Greg Atkins travelled
to the site just outside of Winchester and along with designer
Johnny Douglas Hamilton made small adjustments to the drawing
so that the layout adheres perfectly to the FIM regulations
and also offers the best spectacle possible to the public.
“It was good to have Greg’s input and in the
end we did some redesigning because the paddock has now moved
slightly,” said former national MX rider Hamilton.
He continued. “The paddock will be long and thin and
probably see four long rows for the team trucks and semis.
This will provide great access for the public to see behind
the scenes and get an understanding of how a Grand Prix pit
area really works. By putting the paddock on the other side
of the site we can condense the track further into the bowl,
and like Greg pointed out this means that we get the benefit
of the landscape and it also ensures better viewing for the
spectators.”
“We have five off-camber bends and around twenty corners
in total,” he added regarding the specifics of the brand
new course. “We are satisfying Youth Stream’s
criteria for the Grand Prix and I know that I can build some
fantastic jumps.”
“The landscape has really good potential and it’s
surprising when you actually get to the valley you can see
a lot of good humps and lumps from which to create some good
jumps,” said Atkins. “If you stand on the main
part of the bowl then you can see 90% of the circuit and there
are other areas where you will be able to see everything.
Johnny and I spent the last four days there running through
a design and I am confident that it will be very good.”
Located a stone’s throw from the site of the Hi:Fi
music festival the Matterley venue will undergo a period of
transformation over the next five weeks.
“Matterley will be a good circuit for the fans and
will produce better racing than the Isle of Wight and a better
overall view,” assured Atkins. “I was honestly
surprised by the complex when I arrived because I had only
seen photos before. It was different to what I expected, but
in a very positive way.”
Bike It Promotions will continue to work closely with Youth
Stream and Winchester City Council over the coming weeks to
ensure that both the 2006 British Grand Prix and Motocross
of Nations become the two great events that everyone is confident
they will be.
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