Tilke Designing new track in Queensland

[kalasend]

Really, what's the required skills to design a race track?? Does the designer need to get a certificate from FIA? Or attend a college discipline called "Modern Race Track Architecture"?

[ShiftingGears]

I think that Tilke only has a mechanical engineering degree, which I plan to get at some point. However I'm not sure what other qualifications he would need.

From speculation there will be 7 Tilke tracks on the calendar. With this its a possible 8, and I don't know how long it will be until a new track that isn't designed by Tilke is considered...

Bahrain
Malaysia
Singapore
Turkey
Hockenheim
Fuji
From 2009 There will be Abu Dhabi
From 2010 There will be Korea
And with this new circuit, thats NINE circuits, likely to be on the calendar at once.

Thats a lot of hairpins...

And I don't know about how Queensland is going to pay that off. Sydney is still paying off the Olympics which were 7 years ago.

[Valve Bounce]

I honestly think that people who are willing to subscribe to this 680 million investment are going to lose their pants. I simply cannot see that many millions being forthcoming - this is all going to end in tears.

[Mikeall]

The reason the same company designs all the tracks is that there simply isn't enough track design projects for many companies to exist. I presume that Tilke must have a reputation of designing race tracks to be to the specification, on time and on budget. People that say why doesn't Bernie let other people design tracks don't understand the way things work.

[DBell]

i reckon Turkey is one of tilke's better projects and it's an unfortunate state of life that F1 cars are only truly safe on tracks like his, with massive width, big run-off and tarmac safety braking zones in dangerous places. to see Rosberg repeatedly fall off in turkey and run back on was to understand the beauty of this. it allows drivers to push beyond the limits without race-ending (or life-ending) consequences. they just lose a place and pop back on undamaged. it encourages having a go in wacky places.

Good post Mickey T. I can't believe the safety police haven't jumped all over this part. I can't agree more with you. It use to be paramount for a driver to stay on the tarmac, but now it's like whoops, I'll try to do better on the next lap. I hear they've emasculated the final two fast corners leading on to the main straight in Barcelona. Guess we'll find out soon.

I hope you Aussies end up with a good track, not like the revamped Hockenhiem. Most elaborate go-kart track I've ever seen.

[ChrisS]

Really, what's the required skills to design a race track?? Does the designer need to get a certificate from FIA? Or attend a college discipline called "Modern Race Track Architecture"?

I think anyone is allowed to design a track but the FIA has has specific requirements and procedures to recognize and grade racing circuits

I honestly think that people who are willing to subscribe to this 680 million investment are going to lose their pants. I simply cannot see that many millions being forthcoming - this is all going to end in tears.

Clive Bowen's Apex Circuit Design is the only other one I can think of

[RJL25]

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...012789,00.html

38 km south of Brisbane, apparently. It's in a field which is presumably flat so thats a step towards your typical Tilke track. Why the F@%$ must he design so many goddamn tracks? Let someone else design some F1 tracks Bernie, who knows, they might be better than Tilkes!

its not flat, there is a fair amount of elevation changes in the proposed land they are going to use

[ShiftingGears]

Really? Thats pretty cool! Do you live around the area?

[Valve Bounce]

The interest alone on 680 million is something which has to be met by usage. Unless the facillities can be used every day of the year, I cannot see this being a viable project financially.

[ShiftingGears]

Well I can see it being used by V8's as Queensland Raceway is a pretty tacky circuit to be honest. And due to the fact that its a Tilke circuit I can see it also being used by MotoGP. Those are the only relatively major series I can see it pulling.

But wow...I want to know what that much money is going INTO, ignoring the question of where its coming from.