Imagine your dream race track.....

[bio]

ell, I DO think that in Hungary F1 has achieved what no a couple of smaller ones could never have - interest in motor sports among Hungarians had an enormous boom in 1986 and following years - since F1 is here...

bio

[Purist]

The problem, Bio, is that in most of these "new" markets, there is such a small proportion of the population, even compared to Hungary, for whom F1 is within reach in terms of watching the race in any manner, particularly live, that that strategy just won't work. It also doesn't help that for all that apparent grandstand space, Abu Dhabi is quoted as only having 55,000 seats, which is just plain pathetic.

The countries F1 is going to now have nil for what we would can a "middle class", and Gulf states, apart from the ultra-rich, may as well be Third World countries. And don't be fooled, what's being called "middle class" in China is NOT what we consider that term to mean. From what I understand, the average income for an urban couple in China, with both individuals working, is $7,000-$8,000 annually, which means the median is probably noticeably below that. And it doesn't help them develop motorsport that the organizers charge $300-$450 a ticket for the F1 Grand Prix.

The new model of F1 is also vastly changed from 1986, when Hungary joined, with the extravagance of the facilities, and the sanction fees that make hosting a race even more untenable. Turkey, China, Singapore, and Valencia are talking about wanting out of their contracts. If Sepang doesn't come up with the updates Bernie wants, Malaysia is in jeopardy.

And about Hungary, I've heard from a number of people in 10ths that quite a large portion of the crowd at Hungary is actually from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and/or Poland.

[bio]

You're right, Purist. But IMHO interest in motorsorts IN GENERAL have increased as a result of F1 coming here.

I didn't want to "defend" all "growing markets", even the whole of Eastern-Europe, I just strongly think that in Hungary, building one F1 track did better for promoting motor sports than building a couple of smaller ones from the same money. Might not be the case anywhere else in the world, though...

Of course, the reason for creating new F1 venues is strictly money - I'm sure Bernie would not hesitate to build a track on the Antarctic or the Moon with no viewers and market if he somehow stil found it profitable

[Duff_44]

Originally Posted by bio

Of course, the reason for creating new F1 venues is strictly money - I'm sure Bernie would not hesitate to build a track on the Antarctic or the Moon with no viewers and market if he somehow stil found it profitable

That was more my point - about building venues where Bernie will get paid and not where motorsports are popular. The "Eastern Europe" I was referring to was more the new venues in Russia and a proposed race in Bulgaria. Hungary is a success and I hope it remains on the schedule.

Here's what you need for a successful track layout: Don't let Hermann Tilke design it!

[LuiggiSpeed]

Originally Posted by Duff_44

Here's what you need for a successful track layout: Don't let Hermann Tilke design it!

[johngee]

Originally Posted by rojo81

...and then tell me about it!!

It would function as a race track during the night time, while the site is not being used for anything else. It would be a permanent development.

My intention is that it would operate in a similar way to the Nurburgring in Germany - being open to motor enthusiasts to practice and compete in organised events, possibly with an open workshop space for people to fix and modify their cars.
- run as a legal, profit making business.

I am looking for people who have had more experience than I have (which is very little) of any kind of racing or motorsport - to tell me what would make up your idea of a perfect race track experience or environment (on the track itself or on the sidelines).

Thank you so much for reading and I hope to hear from you soon,


Rojo

You don't say in which country your proposition is based? If it's UK or Western Europe, I think the biggest difficulty will be getting any sort of planning approval in the current 'tree hugging' climate. Even existing circuits that have been operating for generations are subject to increasing restrictions and as for operating at night - you'll be lucky.
I would suggest that designing the track and facilities are the very least of your difficulties!

[ECW Dan Selby]

Yeh i'd really like to see the planned patch of land

Selby

[bio]

Originally Posted by Duff_44

That was more my point - about building venues where Bernie will get paid and not where motorsports are popular.

Hi,
I still disagree: building more tracks where there are already a lot of them versus breaking new ground - why do you think the first one makes more sense? The first one won't really spread the popularity of motor sports, the other one is much more likely to...

bio

[ECW Dan Selby]

It's all about a happy medium, isn't it?

I can't see why there isn't a Grade 1 liscenced circuit being built in places like Finland and Poland who desperately need a GP, which would almost certainly sell out each and every year.

Selby

[ScotsBrutesFan]

Poland is struggling by some accounts to get the infrastructure in place for the up coming Football Euros, so you'd have to ask whether there was willing and financial support to establish an F1 circuit. What is the National scene like, could it support a new most likely Tilke palace?

Finland similar question regarding the National Scene, in addition we know how difficult it is for Montreal to keep it's track surface in condition, would a Finnish circuit have the same issues.

[Duff_44]

Originally Posted by bio

Hi,
I still disagree: building more tracks where there are already a lot of them versus breaking new ground - why do you think the first one makes more sense? The first one won't really spread the popularity of motor sports, the other one is much more likely to...

bio

I think this is more my deep-seated hatred of Hermann Tilke, who seems to design every new track and have Bernie's golden leash up his butt. It just happens the new tracks are in "expanding" markets. I'm all for any new track, anywhere... as long as he doesn't design it.

[ECW Dan Selby]

I'd love to see a film of some sort (not fictional, I just mean edited footage) of the whole development process of track design. I'd like to watch the conversation Tilke has with his developers in regards to what they can do, what they can't do, and see some early versions they drew up for various circuits, and reasoning as to why they couldn't do such and such. Would be really interesting.

I still like the reality tv style idea of having 2/3 different track designs and sticking them on the F1 website for people to vote their favourite...

Selby

[johngee]

Originally Posted by ECW Dan Selby

I still like the reality tv style idea of having 2/3 different track designs and sticking them on the F1 website for people to vote their favourite...

Selby

Surely, if you just copied Spa, that would win hands down?

[bio]

Originally Posted by Duff_44

I think this is more my deep-seated hatred of Hermann Tilke, who seems to design every new track and have Bernie's golden leash up his butt. It just happens the new tracks are in "expanding" markets. I'm all for any new track, anywhere... as long as he doesn't design it.

Well, I certeinly won't insist on having Herr Tilke as the designer (though I don't especially hate his tracks - but I don't love them either.)

bio

[ECW Dan Selby]

Yeh i'm with you there. I don't hate them, but i'd like a little more variation.

Selby