Take the Silverstone debacle. Tarmac gear up for Silverstone resurfacing, says Agg-Net – "a specialist publishing and exhibition company that serves the quarrying, recycling and natural stone industries":
This essential track maintenance work will take place over 20 days between 10–30 June and will see a bespoke and highly durable asphalt solution laid that has been specifically designed to withstand the high demands and stresses of vehicles competing in professional racing series.
And indeed Tarmac has been called in by our premier motor racing venue – as we posted in Silverstone to be resurfaced again – this time by Tarmac.
But you mustn’t always trust the minerals press to give the whole story.
Because, bizarrely, Agg-Net’s article manages to entirely avoid mentioning Aggregate Industries. They avoid mentioning that AI resurfaced Silverstone only last year, or that AI suffered a PR nightmare when riders aquaplaned off its new asphalt at 150mph and sustained serious injuries and races had to be cancelled, or that AI tried to gag a journalist over the affair, or that AI’s promised investigation into what went wrong has still not been made public, or that Tarmac has only been called in to redo AI’s malfunctioning work. Funny that.
But we’re being a bit harsh on Agg-Net. Because, as in too much journalism today, Agg-Net has simply rehashed a press release. Whose? Tarmac’s.
How very decent of Tarmac – as a competitor – not to make the most of AI’s troubles. Other construction journalists have been less kind:
It will be the second time in two years that Silverstone has been resurfaced. The surface laid by Aggregate Industries last year has come in for criticism for its performance in wet weather.
The circuit was relaid by Aggregate Industries before the season began last year but complaints about the surface by drivers led to the cancellation of the MotoGP race.
Aggregate Industries - who carried out the initial resurfacing project before last season’s race - launched a full review of its work after race promoter Dorna was forced to cancel the race for the first time since 1980 after the start was delayed by six hours as repeated efforts were made to clear standing water. It had to refund 56,000 ticket holders.
We're revving up for an exciting project at @SilverstoneUK, following our appointment to lay a brand-new and highly durable surface at the world-famous international Grand Prix circuit. Read more here: https://t.co/8PnUp99fZQ pic.twitter.com/HNCXHZPTCL— Tarmac (@TarmacLtd) May 9, 2019
