Mexico gets 5 year GP deal

[Stephen Green]

This was released on Reuters this morning...

MEXICO CITY, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Mexico's Caribbean beach resort of Cancun will host an annual Formula One race for at least five years starting in 2006, organisers said on Monday.
The race will be held on a new $70 million track designed by German expert Hermann Tilke, who also designed Shanghai's circuit.
"This track offers some very, very high speeds with sharp curves that make cars brake at speed," said Tilke's representative Dirk Schneider.
He said the track would accommodate average speeds of 220 km/hour (125 mph) and top speeds of about 300 km/hour (186 mph).
Mexico has not been part of the Formula One circuit for more than a decade since the last race in Mexico City in 1992.
The Cancun site was chosen over at least five others, including one in Russia.
The announcement comes as Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone appears to be looking for a new grand prix venue after falling out with the owners of Britain's Silverstone track.
Ecclestone said last week that the Silverstone race, listed provisionally on the 2005 F1 calendar, would be axed after a breakdown in negotiations with the circuit's owners, the British Racing Drivers' Club.
Luis Silveira, whose company Grupo Promotor Inversiones Caribenos is involved in the Cancun deal, said the site was not being viewed as an alternative to Silverstone.
"That is not the intention," he said. "The issue was not even raised of taking the place of existing dates. What was discussed and what came out was a new date, a new commitment, not a substitution."
Ecclestone has said repeatedly that the sport's future lies increasingly in the developing world.
Cancun and Formula One have agreed for the time being to run the race from 2006 to 2010, with an option to renew for another five years.

[Super Tourer]

Another one for Bernie's 'after 2008 portfolio'.

[luke]

Yet another Tilke-designed circuit.

After the Nurrbugring and Hockenheim have been reconfigured by him and designed Sakhir, Shangai, Instanbul and now Cancun.

Before soon F1 may as well be called Formula Tilke.

[ralf fan]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Stephen Green
[B]
designed by German expert Hermann Tilke, who also designed Shanghai's circuit.


I cringed when i read that...

[BootsOntheSide]

Surely there's someone else out there who can design a racetrack, just for the sake of having something different? I suspect this track will be identical to the others - sterile, false and featureless. Wouldn't it be nicer to use the current CART configuration at Mexico City - it's not as nce as what was there when F1 visited, but it's something. Actually the choice of Mexico may be an attempt at making inroads into what is proabbly CART's second-biggest market.

[DougK]

Not wishing to be rude to any designers in particular, but I wouldn't of thought designing a circuit was very tricky (not if its going to to a big open space).... any games designer could probably do a better job!

What they need is a new track twice as wide with multiple good lines into corners so there is more chance of overtaking.... also a hairpin or two after a long straight so mistakes can be made!

I agree that if the same chap designs to many circuits its going to get dull....................

[climb]

When the designer shares his company with the championship organiser, is that so surprising?

[Kicking-back]

Originally posted by DougK

What they need is a new track twice as wide with multiple good lines into corners so there is more chance of overtaking.... also a hairpin or two after a long straight so mistakes can be made!

That's what Tilke tends to do - and still people criticise!

[Glen]

Originally posted by DougK
What they need is a new track twice as wide with multiple good lines into corners so there is more chance of overtaking.... also a hairpin or two after a long straight so mistakes can be made!

Well, duh - that's exactly what Tilke tracks ARE like!

[Stevespurr]

Who is Tilke's F1 advisor? (driver)

[luke]

Well Michael Schumacher is userly responsible for changes to circuits.

[Mackmot]

Is Tilke owned by Bernie

[Kicking-back]

It's a former driver, but I forget who exactly.

[Knowlesy]

Schumacher responsible for circuit cchanges?

I think he has only had input into the Nurburgring.....the Veedol Schikane.

Is this Mexican track the one that was posted last week, because that was a monstrosity!

[luke]

Schui re-disined the bus stop chicane and pit entry in 2002.

[Knowlesy]

I think it's more down to the GPDA more than Schuey.....he is involved, but I'd be surprised if he single handedly redesigned these things.

[luke]

So would I. It's just he has a say in situations.

[Dutton]

Another helping of Tilke, whoopiiee-doo.

However, one aspect that shouldn't be forgotten is that Tilke is given pretty restricitive parameters in which to work.

I imagine if he was told to go mad and design whatever track he pleased, money no object, that he would come up with something a tad more interesting.

I am happy to see another race in another country, new track and new place, makes it more enjoyable. The problem will come in the future of course when F1 withdraws significantly from Europe.

That'll be a bit ****.

[429CJ]

Originally posted by Dutton
The problem will come in the future of course when F1 withdraws significantly from Europe.

That'll be a bit ****.

Then we Europeans could say 'FU, FO' and start to support some other series, like GPWC.

[ralf fan]

Originally posted by luke
Schui re-disined the bus stop chicane and pit entry in 2002.

are you sure? i read an article during the SPA weekend where Schu said that he didnt like the new bus stop chicane

[kdr]

lets face...according to some schuey is responsible for most of F1s ills...so we might as well blame him for poor circuit designs as well.

[alesi95]

Tilke's circuits tend to be alike. The ones he designs from scratch that is China's first corner is a little like Malaysias for example.

[Kicking-back]

Originally posted by 429CJ
Then we Europeans could say 'FU, FO' and start to support some other series, like GPWC.

In the unlikely event of GPWC ever seeing the light of day it will be instead of F1, not competing with it.

[luke]

Originally posted by ralf fan
are you sure? i read an article during the SPA weekend where Schu said that he didnt like the new bus stop chicane

I meant the reconfigured version in '02 when they opened up the second part leading to the main straight and the new pit entrance after the chicane.

Not the latest reconfiguration this year, is that what you think you mean?

If that was it, it wouldn't suprise me, hardly any of the drivers like the new layout.

[ASCII Man]

An absolutely mouthwatering prospect in any case.........