All things considered, what would your practical calendar be?

[stripedcat]

I got to thinking how about using Philip Island circuit for the Australian GP? Much more interesting track than Melbourne Park. It seems to have the run offs needed for F1(at least in comparison to a circuit like Mount Panorama - which is also a great track).

[ptclaus98]

Originally Posted by stripedcat

I got to thinking how about using Philip Island circuit for the Australian GP? Much more interesting track than Melbourne Park. It seems to have the run offs needed for F1(at least in comparison to a circuit like Mount Panorama - which is also a great track).

In what way? Melbourne always puts on, at the very least, an interesting race.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by stripedcat

I got to thinking how about using Philip Island circuit for the Australian GP? Much more interesting track than Melbourne Park. It seems to have the run offs needed for F1(at least in comparison to a circuit like Mount Panorama - which is also a great track).

Forget it, Bernie would ruin it.

[duke_toaster]

Purist posted a list of circuit licences, here is a more up to date version (the one done about two months ago). The breakdown is like this

Grade 1

All current GP venues plus
Dubai Autodrome
Fuji Speedway and its "short layout", which is presumably the one known as the GT layout in GT4 without the fiddly chicane, but that can be checked
Imola
Magny-Cours
Mugello
Paul Ricard

Grade 1T

Adria
Algarve (Portimao)
Dubai's 4.29 km variant (expires later this year)
Estoril
Jerez
Misano
Monteblanco
Motorland Aragon
Nogaro
Valencia (Ricardo Tormo)
Vallelunga (two configurations)
Zandvoort

It looks like Lausitzring have let theirs expire.

[Purist]

And I'm pretty sure I heard Barber Motorsports Park was granted a 1T license to allow USF1 to do testing here at home. Obviously, it didn't do much good.

[duke_toaster]

I remember hearing that, although perhaps the Is weren't dotted and the Ts weren't crossed. I would say that it isn't an obvious candidate for a 1T licence, however Adria has one (it's only 2.7km!)

[strider]

I can tell you now that for those who actually work in F1 (not the ones who create the calendars) 20 races is far from ideal and already causing some consternation.

Even with the remainder of this year's calendar a relative will be leaving for Singapore on Sunday and will not be back in the factory until November 24th, although he will be briefly back in the UK for moments in-between.

[chillibowl]

i can certainly understand concerns involved with being away from home and loved ones but unfortunately i dont think too many people outside of that circle can properly appreciate it.

that said and in a different vein, are there work place hazard concerns involved with a longer calendar? obviously mistakes will happen with 1 race or 50 but will we start seeing people getting hurt just to appease our appetite for more races?

[duke_toaster]

Sorry for the slight bump, however today there is some food for thought on the Spanish GP debate. Today, Motorland Aragon hosted a MotoGP race, with 70,000 spectators. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's significantly more than the capacities of Bahrain and Abu Dhabi ...

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

Sorry for the slight bump, however today there is some food for thought on the Spanish GP debate. Today, Motorland Aragon hosted a MotoGP race, with 70,000 spectators. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's significantly more than the capacities of Bahrain and Abu Dhabi ...

And that is a mighty fine track it has to be said. Was my favourite for a Jerez style late substitution venue for Korea if it wasn't ready in time.....

Looks like a cross between Laguna Seca, Istanbul and Buenos Aires!!

[bjohnsonsmith]

It's a little reminiscent of the Abu Dhabi track but a mirrored version.

Motorland



Abu Dhabi

[duke_toaster]

The thing with Motorland is it's probably the best circuit in Spain. Whilst the event of the Spanish Grand Prix has been strongly devalued due to it being raced on circuits that have been tested to death (apart from being generally not that good), it has been on the F1 calendar on-off since 1951, and did exist pre-war. That cannot be a complete justification for racing around some cones in a car park, but Motorland is a pretty good circuit. The only question is which of its many configurations to run - the map doesn't show where exactly the corkscrew like bit is (I can't mentally put the maps to the pictures there).

[bella]

really glad they got a decent crowd for the motogp, it's an absolutely mint venue. it would be interesting to hear from people who went whether the things that bernie normally whines about with the british gp - access etc - was an issue.

i'm not sure how to link to the circuit they use for the world series by renault meeting other than linking to a pdf it's in the top left corner of here!

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

The thing with Motorland is it's probably the best circuit in Spain. Whilst the event of the Spanish Grand Prix has been strongly devalued due to it being raced on circuits that have been tested to death (apart from being generally not that good), it has been on the F1 calendar on-off since 1951, and did exist pre-war. That cannot be a complete justification for racing around some cones in a car park, but Motorland is a pretty good circuit. The only question is which of its many configurations to run - the map doesn't show where exactly the corkscrew like bit is (I can't mentally put the maps to the pictures there).

Here's a 3d image of the track, maybe this will help?

[duke_toaster]

The corkscrew bit is the corner before the hairpin that leads on to the long left - i.e. on the grey bit rather than the brown bit. After looking at onboards I'd probably just run the course WSR used, as it includes the section with the huge stone wall in the background, and is a little corkscrew-style (not like the actual corkscrew-type turn, which isn't as tight as the corkscrew at Laguna Seca).

[chunterer]

Yes that's about right and kind of what I was thinking in the earlier post, but there's also a bit that reminds me a little of the section at Laguna before Laguna goes back uphill?

Sweeping right into sharper left then long sweeping bend uphill?

Difference is I think the section i'm thinking of at Aragon actually goes downhill left if you know what I mean??

[Birddog07]

Aragon was a real nice track, lots of good action on the bikes and great crowd despite 'being in the middle of nowhere'. Turn 1 needs widened however and maybe even angled less and curved some.

1. Austrailia - Phillip Island
2. Malaysia - Sepang
3. South Africa - Kaylami
4. Spain - Aragon
5. Monaco - Monte Carlo
6. Canada - Gilles Villenueve
7. US - Austin
8. Austria - New A1 Ring
9. Portugaul - Algarve
10. France - Paul Ricard
11. GB - Silverstone
12. Germany - Hockenhiemring/Nurburgring
13. Belguim - Spa
14. Italy - Monza
15. Netherlands - Zandvoort
16. Sweeden - Gotenring
17. Poland - GP Track
18. Japan - Suzuka
19. Argentina - Buenos Aires
20. Brazil - Interlagos

Bit of a dreamer. I'd like to see a race at Brno if it doesn't get butchered. San Marino and possibly a return to Mexico (3 North American races North to South). I think Turkey and Hungary could produce good races with proper promotions and cars engineered so they can actually race wheel to wheel. Overall, I also would wish that all the safety nazis would just install their less area, high grip runoffs and safer barriers so the tracks are more exciting. I also wish the only street circuit would be Monaco. If costs actually do get cut then I could maybe see 25 races possibly before 25, but the calendar needs to be done right, can't have any one-off flyaways. Even at 25, all the races need to be good venues, maybe room is made for something like India or Abu Dhabi.

[nickyf1]

Australian Grand Prix - Melbourne - a great place... for a race!
Malaysian Grand Prix - Sepang - great facility, dont see any reason not to race there
Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai - same reason as above
San Marino Grand Prix - Imola - a track that really needs to return, may need upgrading
Portuguese Grand Prix - Algarve - awsome circuit, don't see why it can't do F1
Spanish Grand Prix - Motorland - same as above, may need upgrading though.
Monaco Grand Prix - Monaco - obviously
British Grand Prix - Silverstone - another obvious
French Grand Prix - Paul Ricard - not much other choice in france
Canadian Grand Prix - Montreal - great track, great location, great fans
USA Grand Prix - Austin - because as much as i would love Watkins Glen, it aint happening
German Grand Prix - Nurburgring - Hockenheim doesnt do much for me
Austrian Grand Prix - Osterreichring (A1 Ring) - has great history, but currently in a bad state, but some serious renivation could make a great circuit.
Italian Grand Prix - Monza - classic, must have
Belgian Grand Prix - Spa - same
Brazillian Grand Prix - Interlagos - another great circuit
Argentine Grand Prix - San Luis - really is a must have!
Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka - again, same!
Singapore Grand Prix - Marina Bay - a much more appealing venue than Abu Dhabi. For me anyway.

[marcel82]

1. Interlagos
2. Mexico City
3&4. Barber Motorsports Park/Indianapolis/Elkhart Lake/Austin (Alt.)
5. Montreal
6. Istanbul
7. Monte Carlo
8. Spa
9. Le Mans Bugatti
10. Portimao/Jerez (Alt.)
11. Silverstone/Donington (Alt.)
12. Monza/Imola (Alt.)
13. Hockenheim
14. Dubai/Abu Dhabi (Alt., night racing options)
15. India
16. Fuji/Suzuka (Alt.)
17. Singapore (night race)
18. Shanghai/Sepang (Alt.)
19. Melbourne

I have 19 races, a lot of alternating.
I have 2 GP's in the US, for which they can switch between 4 circuits. I'd have Mid-Ohio and Laguna Seca on there, but I think the laptimes are bit short there. I like Barber, it provides the drivers with a challenge; it might not prove the best for racing though.
I have Le Mans Bugatti on there as well. Mainly because Le Mans is such a legendary name, it just looks good on an F1 calendar. I think there are some overtaking opportunities there as well, so it might be good for racing. Don't know if the ACO will allow F1 though.
F1 minus Alonso isn't big in Spain, that's why I've opted to alternate between the 2 Iberian nations. You could have Motoland instead of Barcelona, I'm just not familiar with the track.
Brit GP alternates obviously only if Donington gets funding (I've not been following, it's not bankrupt totally, is it?).
The Italian GP, I've alternated as well. 2 great tracks, so why not.
I've decided to not alternate the German GP. Hockenheim is a much better track than Nurbs. Unless they'd use the option that'd make it a 13 lap GP, but that would never happen.
The Desert GP switches between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and they can both be evening/night races. And you'd get rid of dreadful Bahrain in the process.
India, is subject to the track not being plain awful.
I've kept the Japanese alternation. Again, I like both tracks.
I think the GPs in China and Malaysia would benefit crowd-wise, if the locals had 2 years to save the money to attend, instead of 1.
Finally, ending the season in Melbourne, instead of starting it. Could also be Adelaide.

Overall, I've tried to keep in mind where every track is on the globe. What you have now, looks a bit like hopping around, specially the end of the season. Doesn't seem a very efficient traveling plan, so I've tried fixing that.
Also, in remembrance of last years Malaysian GP, I've put the Asian trip to the end of the season, to not be there in the middle of monsoon season.

[Wims]

1: Melbourne
2: Shanghai (I'm not a fan of the circuit, but China needs a race for the World Championship to be a proper WC)
3: Sepang
4: India GP
5: Bahrain / Abu Dhabi alternate
6: Istanbul Park
7: Barcelona (or somewhere else in Spain)
8: Monaco
9: Great Britain (anywhere but Silverstone, a properly funded rebuild of Donington perhaps?)
10: Nurburgring
11: Spa
12: Imola (no Monza plz, terrible track)
13: Hungaroring
14: Magny Cours, or somewhere else, but not Paul Richard
15: Russia GP
16: Canada (I guess Montreal is the only place capable of holding a gp in Canada)
17: USA, possibly Austin or maybe Road America(but no Tilke butchering plz)
18: Mexico (Mexico City?)
19: Interlagos
20: Suzuka

The theme is no stupid high speed circuits, so no Monza, no Silverstone and no Paul Richard

[Birddog07]

Please no F1 at Road America, they'll butcher it beyond belief. Luckily the track isn't going to pay the outragous fees to host a GP which to most Americans is just another meaningless race anyways.

[xlr8r]

1. Australia-Albert Park
2. Malaysia-Sepang
3. Spain-Motorland Aragon
4. Portugal-Algarve
5. Monaco-Monte Carlo
6. Canada-Montreal
7. United States-Laguna Seca
8. Britain-Silverstone
9. France-Paul Ricard
10. Germany-Nurburgring
11. Austria-A1 Ring
12. Czech Republic-Brno
13. Belgium-Spa
14. Italy-Monza
15. Singapore-Marina Bay
16. Japan-Fuji
17. Brazil-Interlagos
18. Abu Dhabi-Yas Marina

[marcel82]

Originally Posted by Birddog07

Please no F1 at Road America, they'll butcher it beyond belief. Luckily the track isn't going to pay the outragous fees to host a GP which to most Americans is just another meaningless race anyways.

I don't see the need to butcher Road America. it's a great racing track, I think perfect for F1. but then again, so was Spa, and they made a lot of changes to that over the past 10 years

[Birddog07]

All Road America (and alot of NA tracks) would need would be garages and grandstands, which in a sense would already somewhat ruin it. American Road racing is about people coming for a weekend, camping, and viewing trackside from their campsites and lawnchairs. Even the teams still have to setup their garage tents and pit areas which I think is part of the atmosphere.

But just that wouldn't be enough. They'd cutdown trees and add massive runoffs ruining the atmosphere and making the track a bore with no punishments for driver error. Can't forget the chicanes, it has some pretty long, dangerous straights. Or even worse, they'd bring in Tilke to build a new boring track, demolish the old one and plant trees over it.

F1 still races the classic European tracks only because they have been in so long, but even those are starting to change. Silverstone anyone? F1, please stay out of our racetracks.

[Wims]

Originally Posted by Birddog07

...

F1 still races the classic European tracks only because they have been in so long, but even those are starting to change. Silverstone anyone? F1, please stay out of our racetracks.

Well, Silverstone is a terrible track so any change it gets is good in my book. The new layout is a bit better than the old one imo