Marco

Thumbs down to bland F1 circuits
Date: Thursday, 25 January 2007
Andrew Maitland writes:
Only through Eau Rouge do a Grand Prix driver's eyes roll over white. Only at Imola's Acque Minerali does a lone Ferrari flag wave from the scarlet roof of a private nearby house. Only on the exit of the Beckett's complex in rural England has a racer pulled 12G in less than four seconds. Only at Suzuka does a driver actually prefer to round "the spoon" than order another room service fruit juice from the calm of the circuit hotel.

Warn your heart to stop racing, however, because the Formula 1 of the very near future is a lot different.

Already, Imola has been replaced by a purpose-built circuit in an emerging market designed by German architect Hermann Tilke. Gone, too, is Austria, replaced by a purpose-built circuit in an emerging market designed by German architect Hermann Tilke.

Ditto Suzuka. Ditto Nurburgring and Hockenheim, who now share because they can't afford the annual race fees. Ditto France and Britain, because billionaire Bernie Ecclestone always gets his way. Ditto Belgium, whose organisers know the feel of the F1 supremo's axe all too well.

Oil runs thick in the veins of F1's diminutive boss, but Ecclestone's also the shrewdest former used-car salesman in town.

A half-decade after musing that Europe is the "new third world", he has cut the ribbon at pristine $200m Tilke creations in Malaysia, Bahrain, China and Turkey. Next on the list are Abu Dhabi (2009), India (2009) and South Korea (2010), and in the queue wait Russia, Singapore and Greece.

It's no mistake or coincidence that the F1 calendar of 2015 will probably feature a Tilke-penned Indian GP instead of crusty old Silverstone -- Goldman Sachs estimated this week that the Indian economy will perform a Schumacher-style overtaking move on the UK by the middle of next decade.

Granted, it's a little naive to romanticise a $3bn a-year circus that houses millionaires and provides global carmakers with the luxury automobile market's best shop window. But propping up the lot, remember, are the fans -- those poor sods who pay

brent_strong

Very well said. mpd47 and I have often complained about the boring and poorly designed new circuits. I think everyone would be happier to see the old tracks back on the schedule.

VFROOOM

The only new track that comes close is Istanbul and it's double apex left handers.

Istanbul F-1 Circuit Speed Plan

MyBad

What the heck are "Acque Minerali and Eau Rouge"?

Nabs 79

MPD47

As for the article. Brent Strong's comments echo mine (obviously). I actually read a great article by Max Mosley of all people about the GPDA fiasco earlier this year and how he threatened Coulthard and others. In short, he described racing at Hockenheim before there were walls, in the rain, in 3rd place and only being able to tell where he was on the track by looking up at the tops of the trees. Makes a few comments about being there to race, vs money, vs safety. He made some valid points although I dont agree with how he put it to the drivers. It was in last month's F1 mag (December Issue I think?). The dumb downed tracks now BLOW. Boring, slow, chicane, chicane, straight away, pin turn, sweeper, chicane, chicane. Complete souless crap. Give me Spa, Watkins Glen, or Brands Hatch any day of the week.

MyBad

OK. OK. I've done my research and, no thanks to you dweebs, I now know what they are.

Marco

^^^^ my bad i hope your werent calling me a dweeb, but i really am hoping you were joking when you asked what those 2 corners are. You have been watching way too long to not know... of course your in the senior citizen forum also, so maybe a bit of alltimers??

MyBad

That must be it.