Stapler Park

[ScotsBrutesFan]

So name because I think it looks like a large office or industrial stapler, and who knows may attract sponsorship from Staples, the Office supples company

Set in unique topography and utilising an existing tunnel from when the site was originally owned by the military, Stapler Park is 5.9km (3.68 miles) in length and runs predominantly clockwise.

The S/F straight is is one of the few sections of level track on this circuit and runs to 630m in length.
T1 and T2 form the opening esses, the right handed T1 being tighter than the more open T2. The elevation begins rise during the transition from T1 to T2.
The ground continues to rise along the 290m straight that leads to T3. The turn-in point of this hairpin marks a change from gradual rise, to a steeper climb through the apex exiting back to a more gradual climb.
The run to T4 crests just on the braking zone, making the gradual down hill to the left hander more difficult.
The gradual downhill continues through the Esses of T5 and T6. Turn 5 for most classes is little more than running over the kerbs setting up the right handed T6.
The Back straight that leads from T6 starts off with the same gradual down hill, but levels off leaving the second half of the straight at S/F and paddock level.
At the end of the Back straight is the 7,8 & 9 complex. T7 is a tight 90 degree right hander that drops away on the apex quite steeply before levelling out through the right/left flicks of T8 and T9.
The short straight that follows is level but well below the paddock and leads into T10 a fairly open right handed corner.
The exit of T10 marks the start of the 990m Tunnel straight, the tunnel itself measures 620m.
The tunnel exits into the arena section, formed by the natural banking that slopes up to the S/F and paddock levels.
T11 is a fairly open 90 degree right hander, that is quickly followed by a hairpin like T12, that opens on exit. Both of these corners are at the tunnel level.
T13 is a long sweeping left hander that climbs gradually out of the arena section, the climb continues through what is called T14 but is effectively a very gentle right arc.
T15 is a multi radius corner that is of more than 180 degrees. It starts of as an open 90ish degree corner but then continues to open out into the longer curve. About half way around this corner the climb levels out having reached the level of the S/F straight.
T16 is the final corner, a right hander that many observers feel breaks the flow of the final sector of the track. It is deceptively tight having only a small apex, with gravel awaiting those who run wide.

I hope you like it, comments, criticisms and possible edits are welcome as always.

[Yannick]

The lower half of the design is pretty unique. Unfortunately, I don't see this with the upper half, but anyway, I don't think that the final kink ruins the flow in any way. It just poses a special challenge at the end of the lap.
Honestly, I'd shorten the tunnel to being just a bridge, because there is enough space there.

[shambles]

Very cool.

[AU N EGL]

620 meter tunnel? hmmm

No offence, I would not want to race though that long of a tunnel. Seen too many cars go off the side of a long straight, and in a tunnel that would be into the side. Hard for emergency crews to get there. Plus other cars can not get around a crashed car(s).

Let along the light changes into the drivers eyes. Sunlight to dark tunnel the dark tunnel to sun light.

Design the track to the transporters use the tunnel to get from outside the track to the inside of the track. Put the paddocks and garages and pits on the inside of the track.

Many other parts of the track and your explinations are great. But IMO no racing though a tunnel.

[ScotsBrutesFan]

Originally Posted by AU N EGL

620 meter tunnel? hmmm

No offence, I would not want to race though that long of a tunnel. Seen too many cars go off the side of a long straight, and in a tunnel that would be into the side. Hard for emergency crews to get there. Plus other cars can not get around a crashed car(s).

Let along the light changes into the drivers eyes. Sunlight to dark tunnel the dark tunnel to sun light.

Design the track to the transporters use the tunnel to get from outside the track to the inside of the track. Put the paddocks and garages and pits on the inside of the track.

Many other parts of the track and your explinations are great. But IMO no racing though a tunnel.

The tunnel at Monaco is a 350 metre curve, so a 600 metre straight tunnel shouldn't be a problem.

Likewise the Monaco tunnel is sufficiently well lit not to be a problem for F1 drivers, so again it shouldn't be a problem for the tunnel in this design.

Whilst there is no denying that accidents can happen, or cars break down in a tunnel, if you look at the design you'll notice that the entry and exit suggest that the tunnel is wider than the width of the track...almost twice the track width in fact even allowing for barriers.
This should allow in most cases for subsequent race cars or indeed emergency vehicles to reach any accident.

Additionally if it was deemed necessary, a lighting matrix above the tunnel entrance, or even overhead at certain points through the tunnel, could be used to indicate not only yellows/Reds, but also where on the track...left, right or centre that an incident may be, giving a driver time to adjust their line whilst reducing speed.

[AU N EGL]

Yes "The tunnel at Monaco is a 350 metre curve," and the complaints of drivers is the difficulty in seeing when exiting the tunnel; sun blindness.

Plus that is 600 meter were spectators can not see the race cars on your design.

[ScotsBrutesFan]

I disagree about the sun blindness...not that it isn't a factor, but that the light levels in a tunnel can be brought to a sufficient standard to minimise this.

I don't have a problem with the cars being out of sight for 600 metres. Most circuits, from a grandstand seat on a straight, cars are only visable for a few hundred metres either side of that seat as discussed on another thread, and a grandstand at a specific corner...well you pay to sit there for a reason.
The rest of the circuit spectators view on the big screens, what difference to a spectator the cars being behind trees, topography or in a tunnel?

[nickyf1]

Ah, but you are forgetting the magic of Big screens.

[ScotsBrutesFan]

Got there before you nicky

I think I'm right in saying that Monaco isn't completely enclosed either, with the sea wall side actually open which disipates the effect of the lighting that is installed.
A fully enclosed tunnel wil concentrate the light.

[nickyf1]

Plus, this tunnel would be purpose built, unlike monaco, there could even be LED lights, which are very good at simulating natural light, and they can also be used for this coloured light idea. There could even be openings within the tunnel walls which lead into an area for saftey equipment such as cranes and also a space for crashed cars to be kept so that the space is not clogged up.

[ScotsBrutesFan]

Not quite purpose built, as I had it as an existing tunnel, but certainly room for full refurbishment, and probably taller than Monaco as well which would aid the lighting even further.

[AU N EGL]

Ok

BTW Have you driven or raced though a tunnel at high speeds?

[ScotsBrutesFan]

I've driven through motorway tunnels 70mph (ish) that are conventionally lit.

I suspect that there are few people that have driven at high speed through a tunnel of a nature that's been described and lit as the above.

While I try to bed my tracks within a realistic background, the whole point of these threads is that the tracks are fantasy.
Never likely to be built and in some cases (this might be one of them) impossible to construct.

Real world difficulties on a real world track are important issues that need to be addressed
Real world difficulties on a fantasy track, can always be worked around.

[bio]

That's a pretty one!

My only side note is about the tunnel. As I see it, the cars enter the tunnel at a relatively low speed for they get there from a slow corner. So, if something happens there they, I fear, don't have the speed that gets them through the tunnel but they very probably get stuck in it. And getting immobile cars out of a tunnel this long must be helluva task...

And I agree with Yannick - the lower half of the track is just plain beautiful!

bio