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Neon night racing at Silverstone: Luke Browning’s dream race weekend
Currently at the top of the Drivers' Championship, Luke Browning has his sights set on more points and podiums come Imola but before we get to Round 3, we gave the Hitech Pulse-Eight driver a different type of challenge.
Deciding on his dream race weekend, the Williams Racing Driver Academy member goes entirely out of the box with what is a truly unique idea.
So how does a night race at Silverstone work according to Browning?
WHERE WOULD YOU STAGE THE RACE?
“I’d do it at Silverstone. It would be a Silverstone Grand Prix weekend, blue dress code only. Everyone would have to wear blue and with that, blue backwards hat to get into entry, no passes, everything’s free. Secondary thing, anyone under the age of 12 has to wear Williams merch. They get handed out on the door on all the gates around Silverstone, loads of kids giving out merch.”
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WHAT WOULD THE TRACK LOOK LIKE?
“I’d put grandstands everywhere. It’s the biggest attendance of the year and Silverstone is super special to me, so I’d want to make it super special for the fans. I’d have a karting track in the middle and allow 100 karts on the track at the same time. Maybe it would just follow the perimeter of Silverstone, so you’d essentially be racing alongside the F1 cars if you like as the weekend goes on.”
DAY OR NIGHT RACE?
“Night race. You’d have to attach lights to the cars as there aren’t any floodlights at Silverstone. It would be fun to do it in the dark. But we’d have neon around the outside of the track instead of under the cars. That would be great.”
WET OR DRY?
“Definitely in the dry. I love racing in the wet but with it being a night race, with the neon lights, karting aspect and for all the spectators, I think racing in the dry would be better. A nice summer’s night. Not too hot, not cold.”
WHAT TYRES WOULD YOU BRING?
“Super ultra softs! The pink ones they used to do. You can only run those and I’m expecting the tyre life to be short. Multi-stop races!”
WHICH CELEBRITIES WOULD YOU INVITE AS GUESTS?
“That’s a good question, I’m not too sure about celebrities. I crowd my family in, but also go with Snoop Dogg. He’d just be chilling in the back.”
WHICH ARTISTS WOULD PLAY ACROSS THE WEEKEND?
“You know what, Becky Hill did a great job at Silverstone the last time I went to one, so I’d get her back. I’d then switch it up, bit of 50 Cent. Bit drastic style change but something for everyone. Maybe Snoop can get up there too.”
WHAT WOULD THE PODIUM LOOK LIKE?
“We’re gonna have neon slides from the top of the Silverstone building, drivers come up and then you slide onto the podium.”
WHAT WOULD THE TROPHIES BE LIKE?
“Massive. Four – five foot trophies. Very difficult to move around. This one might have to be strapped onto a car to take back to the factory it’s that big.”
ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D ADD?
“Maybe a mixed race at some point. Put F3, F2 and F1 cars on track at the same time, bit of a practice session. Why not. 50 plus cars, full send.”