What are your favorite tracks? (or what makes a good track?)

[FordCosworthPanoz]

My Top 20 Favourite circuits right now:

1. Nordschleife
2. Mosport
3. Road America
4. Watkins Glen
5. Bathurst
6. Spa Franchorchamps
7. Circuit de La Sarthe
8. Portero de los Funes
9. Suzuka
10. Darlington Raceway (not a circuit, but still awesome)
11. Road Atlanta
12. Sebring International Raceway
13. Interlagos
14. Brands Hatch GP
15. Monza
16. VIR
17. Zonda
18. Lime Rock
19. Monaco
20. Laguna Seca

10-20 years ago a lot more European circuits would have been on that list.

[Jonerz]

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

My Top 20 Favourite circuits right now:

1. Nordschleife
2. Mosport
3. Road America
4. Watkins Glen
5. Bathurst
6. Spa Franchorchamps
7. Circuit de La Sarthe
8. Portero de los Funes
9. Suzuka
10. Darlington Raceway (not a circuit, but still awesome)
11. Road Atlanta
12. Sebring International Raceway
13. Interlagos
14. Brands Hatch GP
15. Monza
16. VIR
17. Zonda
18. Lime Rock
19. Monaco
20. Laguna Seca

10-20 years ago a lot more European circuits would have been on that list.

Good list, I'd never really thought highly of Interlagos, but the front straight and the entry to turn one sure is cool.

I was watching a race with Porsche Boxters (and a couple of old 944s) on YouTube a few weeks ago on an interesting circuit, but I can't for the life of me remember it's name. Was really thin and wound through trees and had interesting elevation changes, very pleasant to look at, would love to drive it one day. It should be on this list, but here are the tracks I can remember the names of!

1. Watkins Glen Short (mainly because I have a fascination with the speed of the place. I think if an LMP car ran there it would be the fastest track in North America in terms of average lap speed.)
2. Road Atlanta
3. Mosport
4. Road America
5. Nordschleife
6. Circuit de la Sarthe
7. Watkins Glen + Boot
8. Brands Hatch (the long version)
9. VIR (another personal fascination, particularly with LMP pace through the esses)
10. Spa
11. Suzuka Circuit
12. Monza
13. Donnington
14. Phillip Island
15. Laguna Seca
16. Bathurst
17. Mid-Ohio
18. Lime Rock
19. Oulton Park (honorable mention to Castle Comb and Cadwell Park)
20. The roval at Daytona (another speed fascination)
=20. Pukekohe

Chris

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by Jonerz

Good list, I'd never really thought highly of Interlagos, but the front straight and the entry to turn one sure is cool.

I was watching a race with Porsche Boxters (and a couple of old 944s) on YouTube a few weeks ago on an interesting circuit, but I can't for the life of me remember it's name. Was really thin and wound through trees and had interesting elevation changes, very pleasant to look at, would love to drive it one day. It should be on this list, but here are the tracks I can remember the names of!

1. Watkins Glen Short (mainly because I have a fascination with the speed of the place. I think if an LMP car ran there it would be the fastest track in North America in terms of average lap speed.)
2. Road Atlanta
3. Mosport
4. Road America
5. Nordschleife
6. Circuit de la Sarthe
7. Watkins Glen + Boot
8. Brands Hatch (the long version)
9. VIR (another personal fascination, particularly with LMP pace through the esses)
10. Spa
11. Suzuka Circuit
12. Monza
13. Donnington
14. Phillip Island
15. Laguna Seca
16. Bathurst
17. Mid-Ohio
18. Lime Rock
19. Oulton Park (honorable mention to Castle Comb and Cadwell Park)
20. The roval at Daytona (another speed fascination)
=20. Pukekohe

Chris

Actually, I'm one of the few that prefers the short course at the Glen to the Boot, love the high speed and medium speed corners along with the long straight going into what is usually 'turn 10' much more exciting. Also, as much as I hate to admit it I also prefer the new La Sarthe with the esses after the Dunlop bridge and Chicanes, I think it's made the circuit much more about driver skill and made it harder on mechanical components than simple high speed and braking.

As for Interlagos, on sims the run from Mergulho (Turn 11) on the previous lap to Turn 8 on the next is one of the best in motorsports. Also the Senna-S seperates the men from the boys when it comes to overtaking.

[Deleted]

Mine in no particular order

Mont Tremblant
Mosport
Road Atlanta
Road America
Sebring
Laguna Seca
Long Beach
Barber
Portland
Lime Rock
Virginia
Nurburgring Nordschleife
Circuit de la Sarthe
Brands Hatch GP
Portrero de los Funes
Adelaide
Albert Park
Bathurst
Okayama/Aida *
Guia

* Dunno why but I always really really liked Okayama for some strange reason

Spa used to be up there somewhere but gone now for reasons mentioned before.

Anyway, back to the topic, the start time of this race in question has been brought forward by just 30 minutes so we'll still see some sunset-ish running on track. VIR race seems to have the same timeslot (2:30-6:30 PM).

[Matt]

Yep, I much prefer the short course at the Glen.

One of my all time favorite tracks is Balcarce in Argentina.

[Purist]

I'll bite on my top 20 or so tracks. I don't have an absolutely precise order sorted out in my head for these.

1. Nurburgring Nordschleife
2. Mosport Park
3. Road America
4. Mont Tremblant
5. Watkins Glen
6. Curcuit de la Sarthe
7. Spa-Francorchamps
8. Bathurst
9. Potrero de los Funes
10. Suzuka
11. Brands Hatch GP
12. Virginia Int'l Raceway
13. Monza
14. Road Atlanta
15. Mugello
16. Seattle Int'l Raceway
17. Laguna Seca
18. Philip island
19. Interlagos
20. Sebring Int'l Raceway
21. Lime Rock Park
22. Dijon-Prenois
23. Sachsenring
24. Algarve
25. Autopolis

Okay, I just went to 25 and didn't worry about it. There are also a few toss-ups that could be on the list depending on how I'm feeling at the time: Donington Park, Oulton Park, Pukekohe, and Sears Point chief among them.

I find it difficult to class street circuits with road courses, because the criteria, necessarily, are so different. As to those who try to cut down all street circuits, I think there are good and bad, both in street circuits and in permanent road courses. Sao Paolo is quite a good circuit (Indy Cars just aren't going to be running at Interlagos, because of Bernie, simple as). San Jose (once they fixed the 2005 issues) was quite good in 2006-07. The 2007 Champ Car street circuit in Las Vegas was a very good temporary course as well.

Now, for different layouts of the same circuit, I prefer the long course at Watkins Glen, but I still find the short course quite exciting and enjoyable. I don't particularly care for the Dunlop Esse at Le Mans, but I would be happier if they reinstated the old Dunlop Curve for the cars, and have only the bikes use the chicane.

EDIT: Sorry for re-derailing things. It takes time to write all that up, so I missed about five posts there.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by Chiana

CotA doesn'´t look very promising either...

Hooray the ALMS gets to race at a Tilkedrome.

[Matt]

but a tilkedrome that's interesting.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by Matt

but a tilkedrome that's interesting.

I agree, no character but a decent track itself.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

I agree, no character but a decent track itself.

Character? It's a new track! How is it supposed to have 'character' when it's not even finished? There's been no races there either, a track has to build up character and reputation, it doesn't just have it. That said I think it's a nice layout with plenty of twists. Road America is an awesome track, one of the best in N.A. IMO. The speeds there and the kink are amazing.

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by TF110

a track has to build up character , it doesn't just have it

Rubbish , a track that is built through a wood or forest , or beside a lake surrounded by greenery can have instant character .

[TF110]

lol, because it's by some trees or water? Please, guy- there's much more to a track's character than scenery or location. Abu Dhabi has character I assume, it is afterall by a Marina, and so is Valencia street circuit! Such character huh? Just because you don't like a track doesn't mean it has no character. Like I said before, the Austin circuit isn't even done yet, so no one knows how it'll look in a couple years when it's completely 'filled in'.

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by TF110

lol, because it's by some trees or water? Please, guy- there's much more to a track's character than scenery or location

Is that not part of a tracks character . I appreciate that there is a lot more , but that factors into a track for me , and most others .

And you cant deny that scenery in character .

This is why I find Silverstone boring , and places like Spa and Le Mans refreshing .

[MitchZ06]

I find more of a track's character comes from the racing it produces and it's layout. Scenery isn't part of the track so it doesn't matter to me, things like Eau Rouge, The Corkscrew, the Kink and RA, those fast downhill S bends at Road Atlanta, etc are what adds the character.

Trees and the birds that live in them? Couldn't care less.

[The Badger]

Im not disputing what you like or dont like . Im saying character isnt just on the track .

How would Le Mans look surrounded by desert ..... its part of character for me , and thats good enough .

[joeb]

I have started this thread to hold all of the track discussion that broke out off topic in another thread. Now we can all add our thoughts without feeling bad about straying from the topic!

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.n...22368466_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...47471741_n.jpg

Hooray the ALMS gets to race at a Tilkedrome.

Dear god... I knew it didn't look that great on paper (only the 1st turn and some of the first sector seems semi-interesting, the rest is same old copypaste straight/hairpin/ section and slowcorner complex at the end -crap), and I saw some of the earlier photos before they laid the tarmac, but still... I'm gonna puke, looks exactly the same as every Arabian / Far East asphaltdrome Tilke has ever designed

[adam46]

My 20 In no particular order;
Brands Hatch GP
Nordschlife
Linas-Monthelry (Roval course)
Laguna Seca
Circuit De La Sarthe
Brands Hatch Indy
Silverstone
Bathurst
Phillip Island
Spa
Monza
Road America
Sebring
Cadwell Park
Montreal
Interlagos
Old Hockenheim
Suzuka
Anderstorp
Castle Combe.

[trickyd]

1. Spa old/road circuit
2. Le Mans La Sarthe
3. Nurburgring Nordschleife
4. Monza
5. Osterreichring
6. Watkins Glen
7. Sebring
8. Suzuka
9. Spa new/actual circuit
10. Brands Hatch GP circuit
11. Road America
12. Mugello
13. Daytona Road Course
14. Imola

Basically anywhere with 'character', i.e it is different, contains some high speed corners, doesn't have huge tarmac run off areas, some sort of elevation changes maybe, some scenery perhaps, and history. You know the type of place. The kind of place Formula 1 races were held at up until the 1990's, or the World Sportscar Championship un until the mid 80's. The type of place that gives you a chance to see a car work, and a driver earn his corn. And maybe even a place where fans actually go to watch too. I would pay anything, absolutely anything (though I don't have much) to see footage of Ickx and Pescarolo's laps at Spa in 1973!

Anywhere designed by Hermann Tilke in a some sort of arid, oil rich, up and coming economy couldn't interest me any less. He should be imprisoned for what he did to Hockenheim. And I'm not keen on what has happened at Spa in the last 10 years either, otherwise it might be top. Though I don't think Herr Tilke had anything to do with that.
I don't know much about courses in the US I'm afraid, even less Australia, but what I have seen of Watkins Glen and Road America I like. Especially Watkins Glen, such a shame it is in NASCAR's hands. That’s like McDonald's taking over a 3 star restaurant.

[kurski]

1. Circuit de la Sarthe
2. Potrero de los Funes
3. Montreal
4. Interlagos
5. Surfers Paradise
6. Laguna Sega
7. Fuji
8. Mont Tremblant
9. Road America
10. Paul Ricard
11. Algarve
12. Nurburgring/Nordschleife
13. Mugello
14. Watkins Glen
15. Suzuka
16. Macau
17. Monaco
18. Signapore
19. Spa Franchorchamps
20. Monza

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by trickyd

I don't know much about courses in the US I'm afraid, even less Australia, but what I have seen of Watkins Glen and Road America I like. Especially Watkins Glen, such a shame it is in NASCAR's hands. That’s like McDonald's taking over a 3 star restaurant.

Yep, it's a shame they get an 80-90k raceday crowd for their top race instead of 20-60k and actual facility updates.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by trickyd

Especially Watkins Glen, such a shame it is in NASCAR's hands. That’s like McDonald's taking over a 3 star restaurant.

whats this supposed to mean

[trickyd]

Originally Posted by Matt

whats this supposed to mean

It means none of the series I like get to race there, because NASCAR only seem to let NASCAR race on NASCAR owned circuits. And I don't like McDonalds.

[Mike Hedlund]

Only speaking from the ones I've driven, my top 5 would be:

1. Spa
2. Watkins Glen (long course)
3. Sonoma / Infineon / Sears Point
4. Laguna Seca
5. Daytona Roval (Entering T1 at 190mph makes it one of the most difficult corners to get rite, and one of the most awesome)

Hopefully next year I'll have driven more outside of the US and can refresh my list. :-)

-mike

[BSchneiderFan]

I'm going to go for alphabetical order, and current tracks only:

Brands Hatch GP
Dundrod
Elkhart Lake
Isle of Man TT
Istanbul
Laguna Seca
La Sarthe
Monaco
Montréal
Monza
Mosport Park
Nürburgring Nordschleife
Paul Ricard
Road Atlanta
Sears Point
Silverstone
Spa-Francorchamps
Suzuka
Watkins Glen long
Zandvoort