A purpose built straight line testing facility?

[Yannick]

Always looking for new racetrack concepts to design, the MyTracks contributors are now called to action after the recent dangerous accident which occured in F1 straight line testing (may Ms DeVillota recover as fully and quickly as possible).

Here is the challenge:

Please design a permanent, purpose-built facility to use for aerodynamical straight line tests.
Questions which will need to be answered are

- the way a pit area needs to be set up
- tarmac runoff VS the grass surrounding airfields
- the possibility of this being a multiple purpose facility besides straight line testing, e.g. dragster racing, airfield, land speed records
- if your design is multi-purpose and involves spectator areas, how are they going to be protected
- will the straight-line testing be run back and forth or just in one direction, and if it's the latter, what about the way back to the "start"?
-positioning of track marshall posts and the emergency helicopter


The big car companies do straight line testing as well, e.g. the place near Wolfsburg where that Bugatti car ran over 400 km/h for the first time at the hands of Pierre Henri Raphanel (or was it somebody else?)


The purpose of this challenge is not only to make the pit area safer but also provide structures to tame crashes at high speeds in case a car might suddenly move towards the side.

Here's looking forward to your ideas on the matter.

[ECW Dan Selby]

I'd like to do one with a big spectator bridge facility, where spectators can look down at the action.

It'd provide a unique view, that's 'for sure'.

Selby

[terence]

Ask yourself about the costing/usage of such a facility,bearing in mind the amount of airfields available? Apart from a freak one off accident,these are considered to be perfectly safe otherwise they would not be used.

[ECW Dan Selby]

True, but this whole forum is a bit of a fantasy land

Selby

[Vepe]

Here´s my very simple course...

Overview


The tests are conducted on the runway (light gray) and the arrows show which side of the runway is used. The red lines on the runway mark speed limit of 60 km/h (~40 mph). Although not marked on the map, at the northern end of the runway is an ambulance and a fire truck.

The red line on the apron marks the point where engine must be shut to ensure safety in the pit area (dark grey). On the apron is also an ambulance & firetruck. The yellow dot marks landing area for the helicopter. Also spectators are allowed on the no-engine part of the apron and the pits.

The drag strip can also be used, if the runway can't be closed. In that case there is an ambulance and a firetruck at each end of the strip.


The facility also includes a road course intended for touring cars and lower formulae. It´s ~2900 meters long and between 5 and 10 meters wide.


And here's a mandatory 3D picture...

[ScotsBrutesFan]

I see no issue with your runway, however in terms of your circuit, you have it running through the dragstrip,

Those who know more about these things suggest, and certainly from looking at real world circuits that incorporate a drag strip, the road course only uses the straight after the 1/4 Mile mark.
Take look at Infineon, for example, or Bahrain where the interior Straight could easily have been placed on the Drag strip but wasn't.

I'd also say that of the circuit size as described, is very small, given that a Drag strip needs to be around 1.2km in length. Also 5m isn't wide enough for 2 touring cars side by side let alone an open wheel (albeit Junior) formula.

It's a nice idea and on the face of it, fits what Yannick posed as the challenge, just needs tweaking to make it work.

[Vepe]

Originally Posted by ScotsBrutesFan

I see no issue with your runway, however in terms of your circuit, you have it running through the dragstrip,

Those who know more about these things suggest, and certainly from looking at real world circuits that incorporate a drag strip, the road course only uses the straight after the 1/4 Mile mark.
Take look at Infineon, for example, or Bahrain where the interior Straight could easily have been placed on the Drag strip but wasn't.

I'd also say that of the circuit size as described, is very small, given that a Drag strip needs to be around 1.2km in length. Also 5m isn't wide enough for 2 touring cars side by side let alone an open wheel (albeit Junior) formula.

It's a nice idea and on the face of it, fits what Yannick posed as the challenge, just needs tweaking to make it work.

Thanks!

And about tweaking, I'll have to do completely new one. 'Cause I accidentaly deleted the file

[SpeedingTortoise]

Here's my testing facility. It has 2x2km straights for straight line testing and a 5.2miles/8.3km test track with some corners influenced from those at existing tracks, most notably T8 and 9 are based on Suzuka's 130R in both directions, T10 to 13 are based on a mirrored version of Maggots/Becketts section at Silverstone and T15 and 16 is based on Hammerhead from the Top Gear Test Track. The dark green represents where the barriers would be.

[Yannick]

Guys, you have been posting some nice ones. Please keep them coming. I'm glad that you like the challenge.

ECW Dan's idea about the spectator bridge is quite interesting but may not be so practicable when you want to use the place as an airfield, too, which is always recommended with F1 type of motor racing circuits.

I'm surprised that nobody picked up the idea of having some tarmac runoff on both sides of the airstrip before the grass begins. Maybe this would not be necessary?

[ScotsBrutesFan]

Here is my little effert. I've tried to go away from the AIrfield concept to produce a motorsports venue that offers a straight line testing facility.

It's not finished, but what we have is a competition Drag strip, 400m with almost 1000m extension beyond that, with a parallel return /access road.

The Straight line test circuit is run to strict rules in that
A high speed run, begins from the start of the Red Zone. The run ends at the opposing Red Zone. These are the designated 150m braking areas, Should there be a brake failure there is a further 150metres of straight and then a gravel trap. At the end of each run, the vehicle must taking to the sliproad at no more than 30 mph.continuing around the circle to accelerate into the next High speed run.

The Drag Strip and High Speed circuit both share the lower paddock. vehicles must adhere to the 30 mph limit or have engines switched off.

There is also a illustration of a 2 part racing circuit, not the greatest of shapes, but the full circuit would be approximately GP length and could be finished to F1 standards.

[ECW Dan Selby]

Love that, mate. Really innovative, sensible, and efficient.

I'd like to see a Sketchup of it!

Selby

[ScotsBrutesFan]

To be honest there are layering issues all over the place on that, as I copied the Drag strip out of a previous Design

Here is the Sketchup file if you want a closer look though...

[Yannick]

Originally Posted by ScotsBrutesFan

To be honest there are layering issues all over the place on that, as I copied the Drag strip out of a previous Design

Here is the Sketchup file if you want a closer look though...

SBF, I'm sorry but I cannot open *.skp files. Can you please show the design again in a graphics format? Thank you. Sorry to sound like a noob but for privacy reasons I'm rather reluctant at allowing google software onto my computer.

[ScotsBrutesFan]

The .skp is the sketchup file of the image contained within Post 10.
The Link takes you to the design posted on these forums several years ago from which I've lifted the drag strip.

[bravo]

Originally Posted by ScotsBrutesFan

Those who know more about these things suggest, and certainly from looking at real world circuits that incorporate a drag strip, the road course only uses the straight after the 1/4 Mile mark.
Take look at Infineon, for example, or Bahrain where the interior Straight could easily have been placed on the Drag strip but wasn't.

Does the Hockenheim circuit use the drag strip within the first 1/4 mile?

[ScotsBrutesFan]

Yes it does, though looking at the Hockenheim calender it's a only used once a year, and as such wouldn't be kept in prime dragstrip condition all year around.

The circuit enters the stadium section at approx 250m, with the final corners being inside the Drag strip.