1T Licenses

[ECW Dan Selby]

I believe these are the ratings given for circuits, 1T being fit for F1 - or atleast this is my understanding.

Just wondered if anyone knew where I could find a record of all the circuits that hold a 1T licence, and could potentially hold a GP spot on the calendar.

Selby

[ScotsBrutesFan]

Doesn't Grade 1T mean that they are fit for Formula 1 Testing but not racing.

F1 circuits themselves are Grade 1 I think.

The new circuit Algarve circuit in Portugal has I think 1T but isn't fully Grade 1.

[ECW Dan Selby]

Ahh my apologies Thanks for the correction.

I tried having a search on Google but I couldn't find anything of the sort. Seems to be quite difficult information to find.

Selby

[V8 Fireworks]

Grade 1
Albert park
Bahrain
Catalunya
Dubai
Fuji
Hockenheim
Hungaroring
Imola
Indianapolis
Interlagos
Istanbul
Magny-cours
Monaco
Montreal
Monza
Mugello
Nürburgring
Paul Ricard
Sepang
Shanghai
Silverstone
Spa-francorchamps
Suzuka
Valencia

Grade 1T
Adria
Algarve
Estoril
Eurospeedway lausitz
Jerez
Misano adriatico
Monteblanco
Nogaro
Vallelunga
Zandvoort


Almost any corner that is interesting (e.g. the dipper, corkscrew) is banned for Grade 1 tracks... boogity. It should be a ranking of excellence of the track, not of how expensive the champagne provided to FIA delegates is and how much larger the carpark, er run-off is compared to Tesco!

[Aloysius]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

Almost any corner that is interesting (e.g. the dipper, corkscrew) is banned for Grade 1 tracks... boogity. It should be a ranking of excellence of the track, not of how expensive the champagne provided to FIA delegates is and how much larger the carpark, er run-off is compared to Tesco!

Here, here!

There is too much of an attitude right now that the circuit should be made to fit the cars and not the other way round. I say let the F1 engineers and driver deal with the toughest tracks, full of difficult turns and surfaces that are bumpy and lack grip. Personally, I would like to see an F1 circuit with cobblestones.

[duke_toaster]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

Grade 1
Albert park, Bahrain, Catalunya, Dubai, Fuji, Hockenheim, Hungaroring, Imola, Indianapolis, Interlagos, Istanbul, Magny-cours, Monaco, Montreal, Monza, Mugello, Nürburgring, Paul Ricard, Sepang, Shanghai, Silverstone, Spa-francorchamps, Suzuka, Valencia

Grade 1T
Adria, Algarve, Estoril, Eurospeedway lausitz, Jerez, Misano adriatico, Monteblanco, Nogaro, Vallelunga, Zandvoort


Almost any corner that is interesting (e.g. the dipper, corkscrew) is banned for Grade 1 tracks... boogity. It should be a ranking of excellence of the track, not of how expensive the champagne provided to FIA delegates is and how much larger the carpark, er run-off is compared to Tesco!

Do you have a source for that by any chance? And by Dubai, do you mean Dubai Autodrome (the permenent one that doesn't have a GP) or Abu Dhabi? They are separate emirates in the UAE.

Adria having Grade 1T is interesting, as is Lausitz. Perhaps they would go to those tracks more for testing if they banned testing at venues that host Grands Prix, that way the racing at Barcelona might improve somewhat.

[Neil22]

Jeez Aloysius, cobblestones?

[ECW Dan Selby]

I cannot see why they don't use some of these older tracks for testing. Zandvoort for example would attract a great crowd, I would have thought.

Plus, it's a really nice track.

Selby

[duke_toaster]

In the case of Zandvoort it's probably noise. The ressies there have strong limits, and they can only do two-day weekends for loud stuff IIRC.

[Tim the Grey]

Zandvoort Resident's Association got their noisy neighbours shut down. I don't think they have ANY noisy meetings any more...

[Quintin03]

Actualy Tim, it's the other way round. Next year there should be twelve noisy days available instead of five the last couple of years. There are possibilities for noisy meetings of more than two days though. DTM for instance used three days. The Masters used the other two.

[duke_toaster]

Any news on what they will do with the noise days?

Ideally F1 teams would test at more European venues. If testing at current GP venues was banned they would be able to go to places where the fans could possibly turn up to see it. You never know, it might make the races at Silverstone and Barcelona a bit better. The last team to test Zandvoort to death were VLR - and that was for other reasons.

One thing I've noticed about that list : Valencia Ricardo Tormo is used, and that isn't listed. Unless it has a Grade 1, and Valencia Normal isn't listed. Singapore isn't up there as well.

EDIT : On reflection, surely Adria can't have a 1T licence, it's less than 3km long!

[Quintin03]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

Any news on what they will do with the noise days?

Actualy yes, among others the ACO reportedly said once they wanted to host an LMS race at Zandvoort. In adition CPZ has good connections with SRO (GT4 and the other series in the Dutch Power Pack are owned by CPZ) so there's quite a big chance of SRO's international GT1/2/3/4 series coming round. Then there's also the wish for an international historics event. All in addition to DTM and the Masters.

[RichardRenes]

What keeps Zandvoort from being an F1 circuit is it's facilities. The pressroom is really small for instance, and the main grandstand can only house about 1000 spectators.

The track itself is really nice. Ask anyone who has raced there recently

[ECW Dan Selby]

"Future Races
The race did not take place in 2009, but will return as a round of the FIA GT1 World Championship for the 2010 season. There are also rumours that a Formula One Grand Prix may take place at the circuit to return the Argentinian Grand Prix to the calendar. This, however, would require the circuit's status to be upgraded from FIA Grade 2 to Grade 1 standards."

From Wikipedia.

Just wondered, what exactly would they have to do to make it a Licence 1?

Selby

[duke_toaster]

I don't know, but it's probably mainly safety and facilities.

[Quintin03]

Originally Posted by ECW Dan Selby

"Future Races
The race did not take place in 2009, but will return as a round of the FIA GT1 World Championship for the 2010 season. There are also rumours that a Formula One Grand Prix may take place at the circuit to return the Argentinian Grand Prix to the calendar. This, however, would require the circuit's status to be upgraded from FIA Grade 2 to Grade 1 standards."

From Wikipedia.

Just wondered, what exactly would they have to do to make it a Licence 1?

Selby

To my knowledge being decently safe or having hosted an F1 race recently. Any Grade two circuit safe enough for F1 can be given a Grade 1 license when needed. Atleast that's what I think is the case. I don't know where exactly I got the information but for some reason I have the idea this is fact.