F1 Tracks

For ease of use, there is one thread per grand prix where you can discuss everything during that specific GP weekend. You can find these threads here.
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Gridlock
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Joined: 27 Jan 2012, 04:14

Re: F1 Tracks

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By the way, I realised that after praising Malaysia T1 it was actually not his creation as such - it's the Petronas logo...
#58

johnny comelately
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Joined: 10 Apr 2015, 00:55
Location: Australia

Re: F1 Tracks

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Following a compete resurfacing over the winter, the Silverstone Circuit is likely to be around one second faster in 2018 than it was last year, according to the tracks managing director Stuart Pringle.

Following complaints from MotoGP drivers and from their promotors Dorna about the state of the track in certain areas, the decision was made to give the circuit its first complete resurfacing for more than twenty years, which was undertaken in February.

Pringle believes the re-laid surface should enable all categories that compete around the Grand Prix track should be able to set new lap records.

“When we looked at it, the asphalt at Silverstone hadn’t been re-laid since 1996,” Pringle is quoted as saying by Motorsport.com. “The surface was looking a bit patchwork, so we decided to resurface the whole thing while we had the chance, and we have gone for the best surface we can.

“Some of the bumps have been removed too, and we are looking at a lap time gain of about one second per lap for an F1 car.

“All the categories that compete on the GP track will be able to circulate at lap record pace – and it will offer more grip in the wet as well. It is an exciting development for Silverstone.

“F1 teams spend millions of pounds looking for a one-second-per lap improvement, but we have been able to deliver one with the work that we have done in February,”

Gaz.
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Joined: 24 Jul 2010, 09:53

Re: F1 Tracks

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beelsebob wrote:
01 Apr 2014, 16:21
You're absolutely right about lack of variety. One of the features of Tilke's track design style has been that he's always had one high speed sector, one aero sector, and one low speed sector on every single circuit. Given the rapid expansion of tracks, it would have been lovely to see individual tracks going more towards certain extremes.

I don't however like the idea of invisible barriers – this would remove a large part of the excitement... Not because of a lack of crashes, but because a viewer would not be able to see the wall, and a driver would not be able to clip it with a wheel and (maybe) get away with it.
Look at this year's calendar:

Melbourne
Bahrain
Shanghai
Baku
Barcelona
Monaco
Montreal
Paul Ricard
Spielberg
Silverstone
Hockenheim
Budapest
Spa
Monza
Marina Bay
Sochi
Suzuka
Austin
Mexico City
Interlagos
Yas Marina

It'd be difficult to put them in pairs or groups, especially the first half of the season.
Forza Jules

zac510
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Joined: 24 Jan 2006, 12:58

Re: F1 Tracks

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The diversity of tracks has improved since the mid 2000s. It was bad when we lost the old Hockenheim, but recently we've gained Baku and regained Mexico and A1 ring which have added some diversity back.

FightingHellPhish
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Joined: 10 May 2017, 10:47

Re: F1 Tracks

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zac510 wrote:
05 Apr 2018, 22:43
The diversity of tracks has improved since the mid 2000s. It was bad when we lost the old Hockenheim, but recently we've gained Baku and regained Mexico and A1 ring which have added some diversity back.
Arent most still Tilkedromes?

zac510
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Joined: 24 Jan 2006, 12:58

Re: F1 Tracks

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FightingHellPhish wrote:
06 Apr 2018, 02:56
zac510 wrote:
05 Apr 2018, 22:43
The diversity of tracks has improved since the mid 2000s. It was bad when we lost the old Hockenheim, but recently we've gained Baku and regained Mexico and A1 ring which have added some diversity back.
Arent most still Tilkedromes?
Yeah but I'm thinking of tracks that are providing a technical challenge to the cars (for example, high speed or high altitude) rather than the fact that he designed it.

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Steven
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Joined: 19 Aug 2002, 18:32
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Re: F1 Tracks

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zac510 wrote:
05 Apr 2018, 22:43
The diversity of tracks has improved since the mid 2000s. It was bad when we lost the old Hockenheim, but recently we've gained Baku and regained Mexico and A1 ring which have added some diversity back.
Are you now saying that you're happy with Baku and Mexico as F1 circuits?

zac510
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Joined: 24 Jan 2006, 12:58

Re: F1 Tracks

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Steven wrote:
06 Apr 2018, 13:25
zac510 wrote:
05 Apr 2018, 22:43
The diversity of tracks has improved since the mid 2000s. It was bad when we lost the old Hockenheim, but recently we've gained Baku and regained Mexico and A1 ring which have added some diversity back.
Are you now saying that you're happy with Baku and Mexico as F1 circuits?
Yeah, Mexico is a challenge fast and challenges the engine parameters. Baku is a fast and tight street circuit, street circuits often throw up some exciting races.
People's complaints about Tilkedromes are around homogeneity but that feeds into similarity in the car setup and driving style required too. From a technical/engineering perspective I like that these two circuits demand different characteristics of the car and driver.

Jolle
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Joined: 29 Jan 2014, 22:58
Location: Dordrecht

Re: F1 Tracks

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I think (but they might be there and I missed it) what I'm missing most on the new tracks are "drop down" corners. We have some elevation change like in austin, but thats up the hill. I want to see a F1 car dropping down the Corkscrew or looking for grip at Scheivlak. And they are not even corners that are fun because of extreem speeds, but more because they unsettle the car.

FightingHellPhish
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Joined: 10 May 2017, 10:47

Re: F1 Tracks

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zac510 wrote:
06 Apr 2018, 08:59
FightingHellPhish wrote:
06 Apr 2018, 02:56
zac510 wrote:
05 Apr 2018, 22:43
The diversity of tracks has improved since the mid 2000s. It was bad when we lost the old Hockenheim, but recently we've gained Baku and regained Mexico and A1 ring which have added some diversity back.
Arent most still Tilkedromes?
Yeah but I'm thinking of tracks that are providing a technical challenge to the cars (for example, high speed or high altitude) rather than the fact that he designed it.
Most of his tracks are boring table tops with no character. Thats why I mentioned it.

johnny comelately
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Joined: 10 Apr 2015, 00:55
Location: Australia

Re: F1 Tracks

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Sochi, that 180 degrees @ 180m radius corner what a pearler

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Afterburner
1
Joined: 23 Feb 2009, 16:24

Re: F1 Tracks

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F1 should do a group of 3 or 4 tracks rotating each year or two years, we have plenty of great tracks and venues that could give F1 some fresh air.

Some tracks that are in my head:

- Portimão - Amazing track and place to race all year, it's one of the best race tracks in the world!
- Zandvoort - Another great track, very different from the rest
- Brands Hatch - simple and amazing like racing should be
- Nurburgring - always great races there
- Estoril - another mithycal place to race
- Istambul - that first corner and turn 5 are insane

Just my two cents.

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DiogoBrand
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Joined: 14 May 2015, 19:02
Location: Brazil

Re: F1 Tracks

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Gridlock wrote:
01 Apr 2014, 18:14
Actually on-screen "pretend" walls would be fairly trivial, it's only a small step up from those hideous, jaggy-JPG virtual adverts FOM stick on the world feed.

Was Malaysia Tilke? If so, how'd he go so wrong after?
To be honest he has quite a few good tracks: Istanbul, Malaysia, COTA, India (my opinion, of course). It's just that sometimes he is able to create absolute crap circuits, like Korea, Russia, Shanghai, the horrible Abu Dhabi and so on (also my opinion). Not to mention his insistence in repeating features from one track to another, like the snail sections from Malaysia in Shanghai, the endless 90 degree bends, the long, multi apex high speed corners from Istanbul which were carbon copied to COTA and Sochi, the endless run-off areas (wich I think is an FIA demand so I can't blame it on him).

I think the biggest problem is that the cars being so difficult to overtake forced him to make the tracks suit the cars, so there are a limited number of features that make cars easier to follow and overtake, and those are all the features he is able to use. From here on I think it will be difficult to replicate the authenticity of the circuits of the past, where you basically carved a road somewhere, following the terrain and it's almost like nature itself just created the perfect circuits. From now on is just boring tracks with carbon copied corners to try and suit the cars.

zac510
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Joined: 24 Jan 2006, 12:58

Re: F1 Tracks

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FightingHellPhish wrote:
06 Apr 2018, 23:21
zac510 wrote:
06 Apr 2018, 08:59
FightingHellPhish wrote:
06 Apr 2018, 02:56


Arent most still Tilkedromes?
Yeah but I'm thinking of tracks that are providing a technical challenge to the cars (for example, high speed or high altitude) rather than the fact that he designed it.
Most of his tracks are boring table tops with no character. Thats why I mentioned it.
Yes I agree, definitely. But Diogo makes some excellent points in the post above, too!

Monster Hesh
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Joined: 10 Mar 2018, 16:19

Re: F1 Tracks

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On the 2018 calendar, which tracks would list under Front limited, and which are under Rear limited?

Is this a suitable thread to speculate who will be stronger at which tracks?