Well, with such an empty parking area I'd say you're probably right...
I thought about a quarter of the numbers of the "good old days?"
Remote Hook, I agree with your remark about pitch attitudes. Several of the photos had me thinking "Practce engine failure - GO!".
Silverstone pad gets very very busy, and with many pilots doing multiple shuttles this sometimes translates into a hurry - hurry mentality - hence some of the rather extreme atitudes seen. Having said that it has an impeccable safety record over a couple of decades, partly due to superb organization and control work, and partly due to the discipline and Professionalism of the people wearing white shirts and w*nker bars. (What the hell do you think customers who've paid £500 (each) for two six minute flights expect? Sweaty lumberjack shirts and hobnail boots??? Get real!)
A few pics of some "operational" flying doesn't implicate safety at racetracks or anywhere else. I'm not aware of a racetrack accident ever in the UK, though I am aware that the accident stats in Canada are somewhat diferent to ours...
Best rgds, white shirt & w*nker bars.