VIDEO: The first onboard lap of Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi - Bruno Senna in F1 2-seater

[Giuseppe F1]

Check out that pit lane exit.....its a freakin' tunnel with a sharp bend in it! Thats going to be interesting for drivers exiting their pit-stops on cold tyres!!! :)

Heres the video link on-board with Bruno Senna doing promo runs in an F1 2-Seater:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikvjwBEYk50

[harsha]

that tunnel with a sharp end has got be one of the most idiotic tilke ideas that i've seen....anyone else thinking it's a recipe for disaster

[I am evil Homer]

The tunnel could be but exiting where it does is sensible, exiting on the racing line (other side) for that corner would be potentially more dangerous. First impressions are it's okay but nothing special.

[harsha]

well,the tunnel is the most interesting part of the course....that says it all i expect.....why couldn't more there be more straights...

completely off topic,but i liked the sound of the 2-seater....is it in the same spec as current f1 cars?

[Josti]

Sad to see the pitlane exit being the most interesting part of the circuit. I think it's pretty dull, like most new F1-circuits are.

[Bezza]

First half lap or so I think is good with the long straight, but then the lap seems to go on forever with no overtaking areas at all - even with cars that are easier to overtake in you would struggle.

6/10 overall for me.

[ArrowsFA1]

Not sure about that pit lane exit. It's a nice gimmick but is it the best place for the cars to rejoin the track? Also there didn't look to be too many genuine overtaking places. Lots of twists and turns, but they don't necessarily make for the best racing.

The setting may be spectacular, but it's the circuit itself that matters and the drivers impressions will be interesting after the first proper practice session.

[wedge]

Why do people insist there are no overtaking opportunities? Its another generic cookie cutter track from Tilke: 1km long backstraight, high-speed corner section, technical section.

Flat, boring, featureless

Sack Tilke and bring in Alan Wilson who designed VIR, Barber Motorsports and Miller Motorsparks

[cosmicpanda]

I think that it's interesting how the middle section is narrower than the rest of the track. Maybe that'll look good on TV.

Turns 2 & 3 are supposedly modeled on Eau Rogue, aren't they? Senna seemed to find them quite easy, but who knows how they'll be when driven in anger.

[Lennat]

What kind of car is that?

[fugariracing]

Another soulless Tilkedrome in the heart of oil country. Part of me almost hopes Button wraps up the title this weekend so it isn't a situation where they're clinching at this glorified car park - like Caesar's Palace on 'roids.

[gloomyDAY]

As much fun as taking a nap....

[truefan72]

this is an absolute stunner of a track IMO. I like the tunnel, I like everything else. the only minor complaints I have are the pit entry, and hopefully proper demarcation of some the chicanes, since it looks like the track could be configured many different ways.

The tunnel is no a big problem since the cars are slow and tight into that turn and the exit is wide of the tun. but if they want to change it it would have to extend beyond the turn and then will compromise the track. Its fine in my book, until I see/hear otherwise. Apart form that it looks stunning and is actually fairly different from the way it looks in F1 mania

There are plenty of overtaking spots on the track IMO

[truefan72]

in looking at the track again, I think they should omit that first chicane and just stay straight on to the turn, that will provide a better breaking zone and an overtaking opportunity

[Powered by Cosworth]

What kind of car is that?

Tyrrell 026 converted into a 2 seater, it's ex-minardi F1x2

[Eunos]

My Main Concern about that Pit Tunnel is iff Somebody Hits the Wall and get's stuck in the Middle off it, That could end up being a Potential Nightmare..

I'll give the Track a Chance before i Judge it.

[Sonic]

it's ex-minardi F1x2

Indeed

[Nikki Katz]

It's quite narrow isn't it? And there do seem to be quite close walls. I don't see many opportunities for overtaking but there could be a lot of drivers making errors when pushing - Senna looked like he was taking it very easily!

[ShiftingGears]

Wow. What a pathetic excuse for a circuit. Arguably worse than Singapore.

[wedge]

Wow. What a pathetic excuse for a circuit. Arguably worse than Singapore.

Singapore is a street track.

There's no excuse when you have a huge piece of land where your imagination can run free.

[woody2goody]

in looking at the track again, I think they should omit that first chicane and just stay straight on to the turn, that will provide a better breaking zone and an overtaking opportunity

Yeah that's what I was thinking. Maybe they will bypass that corner for the Grand Prix.

That chicane into the tight left hander may enable a few multi-corner battles though if someone is able to pass into there, then the overtaken driver still has a chance to re-pass.

It looks like a great track, and I'm liking the fact that it has walls pretty close to the track, it looks more unforgiving than Bahrain for example.

[nigelred5]

UGH. How many far better tracks on earth already exist, yet we still have to have this crap? Won't it be nice when F1 is no longer run by a 2000 year old troll whom is apparently afraid of things like trees, grass, campfire soaked air and the great outfdoors in general.

Someone glue the troll to an easy chair and plunk him down in front of a 70" HDTV and make him watch a 7 year old play racding games playstation for a few hundred hours He won't know the difference.

[Wasted Talent]

Doesn't look very inspiring for a clean sheet of paper - not many high speed corners (they have a complete desert for run off areas!!!).

"Back" straight looks like a KERS benefit - slow corner/long-straight/slow corner - okay for those with extra power....

As for tunnel out of pits - how much of it is on the limiter?? If most of it then it is a long pit stop, if not much and the tunnel is racing speed then I can see Rosberg or someone hitting the wall.

Wonder what it will be like in the wet :) :) :) :) :)

WT

[UltimateDanGTR]

first few turns are OK, but too many slow boring corners. By all means have some slow corners for a good chance to overtake, but there needs to be some flow in there as well. Interesting pit lane exit but looks OK IMO, and there is a pointlessly large bridge over the track a couple of corners after the longest straight, then a massive grandstand-ie the bridge blocks alot of the view from that side id imagine. my honest opinion is not a very well thought out track.

[LiamM]

As for tunnel out of pits - how much of it is on the limiter?? If most of it then it is a long pit stop, if not much and the tunnel is racing speed then I can see Rosberg or someone hitting the wall.


It appears from the video there is a white line across the pit lane, just before the crest leading to the slope down to the tunnel. Assuming this is where there limiter line will be come race day we'll have cars screaming down there

[speeddurango]

I love the first part, abhor the second. There are far too many slow turns toward the end and that sort of design doesn't make no sense for a permanent track.

On subject of the trackside surroundings, I love them all. I love the way they unnecessarily extended the pit exit and let the cars burrow under the track to the other side. I love the way they constructed a good number of various buildings, bridges just like a large scale arena in an arcady racing game from around 10 years ago, and I never thought they could actually do that in real life.

I must say this track doesn't look promising for avoiding yet another procession show, but the prospect of an exotic viewing experience is what keeps me on the edge of seat while I am waiting for the upcoming race. Singapore track was atmospheric at night, this track will bring it to another level.I can not imagine and can not wait to see the action under the lights! It must be visually exhilarating.

[Robinho]

difficult to call from an onboard from a 2 seater car at about 75% pace with no crowd or other cars.

from the external cameras and during a race i think it might look pretty good, and there are few interesting corners in there when you up the speed by 25% or more - i'll give it the benefit of the doubt for now until i see proper F1 cars going at it at full pace

[UltimateDanGTR]

forgot to mention; all buildings seem well designed, and great huge grandstands, but honestly: Those grandstands are gonna be empty aren't they. I forsee this as another track with fantastic facilities but nobody bloody goes there. in other words, waste of money.

[HelloWorld]

forgot to mention; all buildings seem well designed, and great huge grandstands, but honestly: Those grandstands are gonna be empty aren't they. I forsee this as another track with fantastic facilities but nobody bloody goes there. in other words, waste of money.

Totally agree. You can’t help but wonder what these tracks would be like if all the focus and money was put into developing the track first then adding some modest hospitality.

It seems to me that these new desert tracks are built solely to please a few billionaire oil barrens, not true race fans. I hope that I’m proved wrong in a couple of weeks but I honestly can’t see that happening. Let just hope for a bit of rain to make it more exiting, or maybe a sand storm?

[Sonic]

Something I didn't realise until today that after the long back straight the run off area is under the grandstand!!!! :confused:

Is it just me or does that seem to be just asking for trouble?!