F1 Teams to test in Algarve

[ShiftingGears]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/71688


I want to see footage of F1 cars going through the circuit. It has some awesome undulations (I mean awesome).

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=unQaTUEL6b8

[71minus2]

i hope that isn't a Tilke track....i'd hate to admit it looks bloody good if it is!! Reminded me a bit of Brands Hatch and Laguna Seca.

Good find.

[gloomyDAY]

Brilliant!

I want to see the footage from testing.
This should be on the calendar, not some silly street course.

[ShiftingGears]

i hope that isn't a Tilke track....i'd hate to admit it looks bloody good if it is!! Reminded me a bit of Brands Hatch and Laguna Seca.

Good find.

Not a Tilke Design. I'm genuinely surprised about how many undulations there are, and how relatively narrow it is.

However the F1 version has chicanes at the first and final corners

[ShiftingGears]

This should be on the calendar, not some silly street course.

Definitely. Most street circuits are boring, and F1 needs circuits with three dimensional corners.

[gloomyDAY]

Definitely. Most street circuits are boring, and F1 needs circuits with three dimensional corners.You're absolutely right! After watching the ALMS race at Laguna Seca last weekend I went to my hostel and watched the Chinese GP. I was watching the race with another fellow who was at the races and we nearly fell asleep. The Tilke track had no "life." It was all straightforward and mundane, unlike Laguna Seca.

Drivers would probably agree since they are always up for a challenge. Add a few peaks and valleys along the way. Make the corners blind, fast, and curvy. Making drivers more enthusiastic about tracks would probably make them more aggressive on the circuit itself.

[ShiftingGears]

You're absolutely right! After watching the ALMS race at Laguna Seca last weekend I went to my hostel and watched the Chinese GP. I was watching the race with another fellow who was at the races and we nearly fell asleep. The Tilke track had no "life." It was all straightforward and mundane, unlike Laguna Seca.

Drivers would probably agree since they are always up for a challenge. Add a few peaks and valleys along the way. Make the corners blind, fast, and curvy. Making drivers more enthusiastic about tracks would probably make them more aggressive on the circuit itself.

To be fair to Tilke, the FIA dictate where the circuit is going to be, and he has to make do with what ground he's got. So I guess in some respects he's doomed anyway. I totally agree about the character thing. Some circuits just make you go wow (eg Bathurst), and others are just kinda there (Singapore).

Apparently out of the two preselected sites for the Bahrain circuit, the site that the Bahrain circuit is on is the most undulating out of the two :eek: .

I think the lack of good circuits out there is more down to business, and not the prospect for a great drivers track, dictating where a circuit can be built.

[gloomyDAY]

I think the lack of good circuits out there is more down to business, and not the prospect for a great drivers track, dictating where a circuit can be built.I have an idea of what you mean, but can you elaborate.

[ShiftingGears]

I have an idea of what you mean, but can you elaborate.

Well, take Singapore.

The FIA decides it'd be a good place to make lots of money for themselves and for the F1 teams, however - it's Singapore. They figure it'll look most spectacular if there is a background of skyscrapers, and it's at nighttime. And if it looks spectacular, and it's something new, people will watch it, as well as it suiting European time zones. Raking in more ratings, and hence, money.

The problem is that there's no good roads in inner city Singapore, so the actual challenge of the circuit is an afterthought, and you get a flat circuit of 90 degree corners. Unlike Monaco, which was originally raced at because drivers thought the elevation changes would make it a great place to race at.
In the end most new circuits are victims of compromise.

[AJP]

Thats a great looking circuit...
I love the blind corners and elevation changes...a real racing track.
The moto gp bikes would be great there too..

[wmcot]

Looks great! Any idea on how the correct pronunciation of "Algarve" goes?

I have to agree with gloomyDAY on Laguna Seca vs. China - no comparison. I love the ALMS series' road courses. I've been to Miller Motorsports Park the last 3 years and the course is amazing although the ALMS decided to use the simplified version of the track this year. Guess they didn't like the 25 turns! I would LOVE to see F1 cars race (not historics since they don't "race") on MMP. Too bad that it will never happen as long as Bernie demands a fortune to hold a race!

[wedge]

I think the lack of good circuits out there is more down to business, and not the prospect for a great drivers track, dictating where a circuit can be built.

We live in different times compared to 50 years ago.

What used to happen was that you find good piece of land and carve out a circuit out of its natural contours but in today's politically correct society you have to go through bureaucracy and pressure groups.

Tilke has said that he has to fight for every piece of land that he could get and that was referring to Hockenheim and A1 Ring!

Today is all about the creature comforts of garage space, hospitality, media centre, the expansive run off, etc etc.

[AndyRAC]

Tilke should have left Hockenheim alone - there was nothing wrong with it - (apart from too fast and too long- so we're told)

[wedge]

You're absolutely right! After watching the ALMS race at Laguna Seca last weekend I went to my hostel and watched the Chinese GP. I was watching the race with another fellow who was at the races and we nearly fell asleep. The Tilke track had no "life." It was all straightforward and mundane, unlike Laguna Seca.

Drivers would probably agree since they are always up for a challenge. Add a few peaks and valleys along the way. Make the corners blind, fast, and curvy. Making drivers more enthusiastic about tracks would probably make them more aggressive on the circuit itself.

Shanghai has been rated by the drivers. They the love the high speed sweeping corners.

Though I have to admit I'm starting to dislike the place because its starting to remind me of Barcelona. You turn in, take as much speed into the corner to up load the wings - from the onboard cameras it looks so boring and lifeless.

[markabilly]

You're absolutely right! After watching the ALMS race at Laguna Seca last weekend I went to my hostel and watched the Chinese GP. I was watching the race with another fellow who was at the races and we nearly fell asleep. The Tilke track had no "life." It was all straightforward and mundane, unlike Laguna Seca.

Drivers would probably agree since they are always up for a challenge. Add a few peaks and valleys along the way. Make the corners blind, fast, and curvy. Making drivers more enthusiastic about tracks would probably make them more aggressive on the circuit itself.

With the first part, I say: AMEN!!

But....
Actually many racers hate Seca, INDEED, it is the type of track that challenges racers and they can look real stupid when they fail to do it right.....

better to be on some easy track where they can just rely on the old and usually true excuse for that type of track, the reason they are not fast is the car, tires, engine, set up or whatever just is not up to it.....

Indeed, Seca has been "improved" to remove some of the challenges of the track, to "make it better".....cause of "professional" racer bitichin......(back in the days of WSBK being there, the wildcats who raced there often, were notorious for dominanting and stealing wins right from under great manufacturer riders--Rossi hated the track, as it took him several years to get it down to where he could do what he did this year....)

[christophulus]

Fantastic track, would be nice to see a new GP in Europe and not Asia/Midde East for a change!

Some good photos on their website too:http://autodromodoalgarve.com/articles/gallery/7/http://autodromodoalgarve.com/sitemedia/photologue/photos/2008/Sep/12/cache/Vista_Geral_Bancada_C_e_D_bigphoto.jpg

[harvick#1]

absolute awesome track, looks very tricky and challenging, but thats too complicated for F1 now-a-days :mark:

[ChrisS]

Well, take Singapore.

The FIA decides it'd be a good place to make lots of money for themselves and for the F1 teams, however - it's Singapore. They figure it'll look most spectacular if there is a background of skyscrapers, and it's at nighttime. And if it looks spectacular, and it's something new, people will watch it, as well as it suiting European time zones. Raking in more ratings, and hence, money.


It also a matter of who is willing to pay to host a Formula 1 race. It seems at the moment only Asian/Midde Eastern countries are willing to pay.

Looking at the Portimao circuit. its up to F1 standards (or at least F1T standards) but there was no talk of a Portuguese GP there. Instead the circuit will host, SBK, LMS, FIA GT and A1GP next season. I think that shows that the owners find it more profitable to have lots of smaller events rather than a major F1 race.

[truefan72]

Not a Tilke Design. I'm genuinely surprised about how many undulations there are, and how relatively narrow it is.

However the F1 version has chicanes at the first and final corners

i completely agree,

1. the narrowness is my chief concern
2. the undulations provide for quite a few blind turns and apex points which could lead to some unfortunate incidents.
3. I know it isn't finished, but I hope the sides of the track will have some gentler run off ares 'cause as it looks now, if you go off track you sorta fall fairly steeply down. Even at a low speed impact say the like off DC.Nakajima in Fuji, if DC's car were to loose latteral control in that manner and veer off, would it end up 30ft down somewhere?
4. Looks like the track is also fairly short. Don't like short tracks

I need to see the track in its F1 configuration and final layout for me to feel more comfortable with it.

[truefan72]

http://autodromodoalgarve.com/articles/gallery/visualizacao-tridimensional/

Ok I see it has proposed some good run off areas, but the narrowness, length of the track and un dualtions remain problematic for me.other whise from the 3d graphgics. looks like the backdrop and scenerey will be nice.

[ShiftingGears]

i completely agree,

1. the narrowness is my chief concern
2. the undulations provide for quite a few blind turns and apex points which could lead to some unfortunate incidents.
3. I know it isn't finished, but I hope the sides of the track will have some gentler run off ares 'cause as it looks now, if you go off track you sorta fall fairly steeply down. Even at a low speed impact say the like off DC.Nakajima in Fuji, if DC's car were to loose latteral control in that manner and veer off, would it end up 30ft down somewhere?
4. Looks like the track is also fairly short. Don't like short tracks

I need to see the track in its F1 configuration and final layout for me to feel more comfortable with it.

I am sure point 3 won't be a concern. The FIA know that a serious accident is in noones interests. They'll have it covered.

Unless its a Singapore pitlane.

[71minus2]

This is the layout A1GP will use next year, i can only assume it will be the same one F1 test on.

http://www.a1gp.com/A1GPResources/article_images/_GLOBAL/Algarve_black460X256.jpg

[truefan72]

lay out looks too much like catalunya to me.

[wmcot]

lay out looks too much like catalunya to me.

Either that or an amoeba!

[Nikki Katz]

I looked at that clip and it looks like an interesting circuit to drive around, but I don't see anywhere that an F1 car would be able to pass, even the first corner looks quite hard. I think it would need to be Tilke'd in order for it to be allowed onto the F1 calender, and I don't see the calender gaining any more European races unless it's in France.

It's on the GP2 calender for next year though, presumably as a replacement for the French GP to keep the championship a reasonable length. Those cars seem to have good enough aerodynamics to allow overtaking, combined with some "developing" drivers that tend to make errors, providing eventful races.

[seppefan]

It is the most amazing track

Watched the World Superbikes there yesterday. Fantastic. Because of the layout and undulations the riders were taking different lines and if / when one of them overshot they would lose five places not the usual one or two. Two great races and the riders loved it. Mclaren will test but it wouild not host a F! GP as who is gong to pay CVC $20m plus in Portugal.