Yas Marina 2011

[Peat]

Obviously, a fantastic facility and a visually stunning place for a Grand Prix. But could the circuit be tweeked slightly to be more fun to drive and possibly provide better overtaking opportunities?

I had a little play with the layout:



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It would take relativley little work to complete and would improve the place in my opinion.

Source picture: http://automiddleeast.com/wp-content...na-Circuit.jpg

[ScotsBrutesFan]

Looks like you have linked to the thumbnail rather than the full size image.

[Peat]

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Ah, we'll try this one!

[Peat]

I am not entirely happy with my solution for the hairpin leading onto the main straight. But, the track 'needs' to run right into that stadium grandstand otherwise its a waste of time.

One of the problems i have noticed and tried to remedy is that the 2 current braking zones are into chicanes which force the the cars into line-a-stirn formation. Hopefully with this configuration, the overtaken car has a chance to grab the place back at the following corner.

Would love to hear your thoughts.

[Duff_44]

This might seem strange but I'd keep the circuit exactly like it is...

But I'd run it in the opposite direction.

It might be a bit of a problem reconfiguring some of the track with limited runoff, but I think it would actually improve the passing opportunities.

[bio]

I don't see the improvement here, to be frank...

Sorry

bio

[Birddog07]

Only thing I'd like done is for the cars to take the S-bend they bypass after turn 3. Otherwise I don't think there is anything wrong with the circuit, it's the cars that can't overtake. Watch the V8SC (which they take the infield sort of corkscrew bypass, pretty good layout, possibly even for F1, but that won't happen because there are no stands) or GT1 races, tons of action.

[ScotsBrutesFan]

2 minor mods from me, though the first will cause more issues than it solves, namely the stupid and gimicky pit exit.

First do away with T4 and move the longer straight "infield" a bit, with the chicane then right-left (opposite of current) this would give F1 cars the larger radius hairpin leading onto the back straight.
Alternately knock a hole in the grandstand like they have done at the other end of the long straight creating run off, and allow F1 cars through T4 all the way along the straight to the hairpin.

Secondly at the other fast section, does the circuit actually need another chicane. The 90 left is fair enough, but why not then continue into an opening left hander that then feeds into the "street" section.

[ECW Dan Selby]

I like that, SBF.

My one preference in sector 1 would be to still use T2 and 3, but add the next set of curves to it, too (you can see a left/right kink just after them). That way you'd have the potential to bypass the chicane before the hairpin, which I think potentially kills the opportunity for an overtake in to the hairpin.

Selby

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by Birddog07

Only thing I'd like done is for the cars to take the S-bend they bypass after turn 3. Otherwise I don't think there is anything wrong with the circuit, it's the cars that can't overtake. Watch the V8SC (which they take the infield sort of corkscrew bypass, pretty good layout, possibly even for F1, but that won't happen because there are no stands) or GT1 races, tons of action.

Yes.
Its the cars that are the problem more than the circuit but there seems to be a lack of hearing in F1.
Until they wake up to the fact that excessive aero generated down force and wake turbulance is the reason they will not make progress.

The ideas displayed have some merit. Getting rid of the chicane before the street/marina section is a good idea but I would still like to see the esses sweeping up to the start of the main straight.

[Peat]

Originally Posted by Teretonga

Yes.
Its the cars that are the problem more than the circuit but there seems to be a lack of hearing in F1.

You say that, but even the GP2 boys were having difficulties passing. usually ended in contact/spins. The main stops are pinched too tight.

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by Peat

You say that, but even the GP2 boys were having difficulties passing. usually ended in contact/spins. The main stops are pinched too tight.

This opens them up a bit..... in several places. The changes come in the turn 4-5 area, then at the end of the back straight where the chicane opens out into a faster right hander before leading up the back straight.
Once there the left-right-left chicane has been replaced in the second part by sweeping curves leading to a fast left hander on to come back towards the marina. The two right hand kinks have also been opened up into a longer double apex curve before the hard right hander. the rest of the lap is as per normal.

Its a hard cicuit to change too much because of all the building around it and i still think the problem with passing is the cars, not the circuits anyway. Yas Marina one included. The circuit design has exacerbated the car problems though.

[Purist]

Adding more of those bends in ahead of Turns 5-7 is only going to hurt overtaking potential at that end of the circuit; so, SBF's proposal is the best in that respect.

If anything, tightenting Turn 8 and 9 will hurt overtaking into 11, becuase of the added impact on the accordion effect in those corners. And I don't think loosening up Turn 9 will help the racing noticeably, though it could make that sequence a bit more fun. Therefore, I could take or leave that change, Teretonga.

Turns 11-13 as they are can set up some interesting criss-cross passing maneuvers. If I did change that sequence, I'd go with Teretonga's version, I think. I do like the changes Teretonga has made to Turns 14-16, though passing into 17 will always be rather tricky, as you are still carrying the cornering loads from Turn 16 when you have to hit the brakes for 17.

If it were up to me, I'd just go straight past the Turn 5-6 chicane into the Turn 7 hairpin. I would also loosen up Turn 20. After that, I'd strongly consider redoing Turns 12-16 as Teretonga has them in his diagram.

[Matt]

Here's mine, just some changing of minor things.

[dyewat808]

Originally Posted by Matt

Here's mine, just some changing of minor things.

Yeh, that one is the sort of thing I'd do too - just simplify bits of it.

[SpeedingTortoise]

Heres my proposal to what should happen at Abu Dhabi. Ive tightened T1 and T2 and added new sections before the stadium and after the 2nd long straight as well as some minor changes

[Yannick]

Despite not liking its design philosophy (nor its blot shape), the Yas Marina Circuit is on its way to becoming my new favourite of Tilke's F1 circuits. It has yet to produce a boring race, which is pretty unique amongst Tilke tracks - with the notable exception of Singapore, which is a street track and doesn't really count.

In that regard, I'd say don't fix what doesn't need fixing.

[ECW Dan Selby]

Here's my proposal. I'd really like some feedback on this because i've sat here thinking for quite sometime about the changes i'd like to make. After a bit of tinkering, this is the final layout i've come up with that can:

*Present the cars with a decent challenge and flex the cars a little more
*Produce atleast one interesting and real overtaking opportunity
*Cause the least disruption to the current layout as possible

The changes are as follows:

*After T3, i've decided to use the left/right kink that's already there. After this i've added another left (slightly tighter)/right kink to help scrub off more speed before the hairpin, which apparently they don't want to move back because it'll take the specactators further back, so i've had to bare this in mind. As a result of these changes, the hairpin becomes slightly more opened which may or may not create an opportunity for a slightly different line or two through it.

The only changes that'd have to be made are laying down tarmac for the 2 additional turns, and manouvering the barriers.

*Next change is the use of the chicane down the first long straight. I know this isn't popular, but I realised I needed to take speed off before the next complex.

*After the chicane, I wanted rid of the old T7/8 chicane. It just doesn't work as an overtaking spot and is nothing more than a point & squirt. Instead, i've added a couple of esses after the chicane. The chicane should take enough speed off of the cars through the esses to not make them dangerous, but a tyre wall would certainly have to be added to the barrier (the final turn one).

*The cars will then accelerate out of the esses in front of the grandstand down the second long straight, where there is now a long hairpin left. I've moved this right back to the point where there'd be sufficient run-off, but also to the point where the grandstand will still have their money's worth.

Obviously the currently barriers there would have to be knocked down and re-built further back.

--

Feedback welcome

Selby

[Teretonga]

I don't think you need as many esses leading up to the Turn 6 hairpin and I'd simplify your main straight section, possibly leading into a faster section at the present turn 7/8 complex.
The end of the back straight needs to have a hard braking zone but some fasrer corners leading to the marina complex. drivers need a challenge and you need to look no further than Suzuka to see what sort of turns provide a driving challenge.

We don't need a whole lot of replicas of Suzuka but if we looked at classic turns on the sport's race courses we cant go past 130R, Eau Rouge, The Adelaide hairpin, The esses at Suzuka, Tarzan at Zandvoort etc.

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by Teretonga

I don't think you need as many esses leading up to the Turn 6 hairpin and I'd simplify your main straight section, possibly leading into a faster section at the present turn 7/8 complex.
The end of the back straight needs to have a hard braking zone but some fasrer corners leading to the marina complex. drivers need a challenge and you need to look no further than Suzuka to see what sort of turns provide a driving challenge.

We don't need a whole lot of replicas of Suzuka but if we looked at classic turns on the sport's race courses we cant go past 130R, Eau Rouge, The Adelaide hairpin, The esses at Suzuka, Tarzan at Zandvoort etc.

This has few changes as most of the turn 4-5-6 area is already in place.
An earlier chicane on the straight and faster corners around some of the next groups of turns without losing the hard braking areas.

[Matt]

Using any of the chicanes down the back straight renders any passing opportunity at the end of it useless..

[Purist]

Sorry, SpeedingTortoise, but you've eliminated two of the high-speed bends and an overtaking place, without adding anything that really makes up for it. You have decreased the corner count by one (down to 20), but your changes are generally unnecessary and basically useless. Turn 1 is tight enough as it is. There's no point in tightening Turn 2, and it's a great, high-speed curve the way it is. The run into your new Turn 4 is not long enough to allow for overtaking. Your changes to Turns 7-9 and 11 are probably harmless, but don't help anything, and so those corners may as well be left as they are. Finally, that straight in your new complex by the marina is too short to give an overtaking opportunity into what would be Turn 15 on your revised layout. I do like what would be Turn 14 on your layout, but that one nice addition doesn't compensate for what you've taken away.

Selby, as nice as some of your esses may well be, you've completely blown two of the three prominent overtaking spots on the circuit as it is now, without providing any to substitute for the ones you removed. Also, that esse before you bypass the current Turn 8/9 complex may well spread the cars out more, making slipstreaming decidedly harder into Turn 11 (Turn 18 on your layout). That's another thing, you've created a net gain of five corners by my count (up to 26 from 21). With your Turn 4-7 esses, you don't get enough of a chance to straighten out at full throttle to set the guy in front up to overtake. And you straight from Turn 7 to the Turn 8 hairpin is simply too short to set up a run. That chicane in the middle of the first back straight probably makes that straight too short as well. In addition, all your extra corners dramatically shift the aero balance of the circuit in favor of downforce, which hurts the ability to use straight-line sections to set up overtakes even further.

Teretonga, I would probably go along with your edit beginning with the your changes at the Turn 8/9 complex. Again, like others, you have added esses before the Turn 7 hairpin, but like Selby's, yours are too close following Turn 3 to provide any overtaking potential, and make the straight into the Turn 7 hairpin too short. Your chicane on the back straight is further down, but with the way it is configured, it makes overtaking very tricky to set up. That bend to the left on entry could set you up driver's left to brake for the right-hander. Then again, the ideal line for that left on its own may leave you wanting to run a bit wide. Also, this chicane leaves virtually no distance to straighten out before you're on the brakes, meaning you have no straight run into the braking corner itself. Also, taking an inside line for the right-hander, for which you will be braking, likely compromises your line too much on exit. With the way the chicane is laid out, if you try to pass into the right hand part of it. you're on a very shallow line if you try to outbrake to the inside. Basically, like Selby, you've made a mess of two of the three main overtaking points, as well as complicating the layout by creating a net increase in corners (up to 24 from 21).

Matt, your first sector looks pretty much exactly like what I would do (get rid of the Turn 5/6 chicane). I will say though, that having the bend back to the right after Turn 8 may do some positive things for concentrating the racing line, and making the initial setup of the slipstream easier. Turn 9 on the current course also helps keep cars closer together for that little bit longer going onto the "straight" down to Turn 11.

I'm sorry if I seem to be belaboring this, or picking on anybody, but I'm convinced that merely simplifying a couple bits of the track is really the only thing that might actually help the racing at Abu Dhabi.

[bio]

Originally Posted by Matt

Using any of the chicanes down the back straight renders any passing opportunity at the end of it useless..

How can a passing opportunity be useless?

bio

[Matt]

Originally Posted by bio

How can a passing opportunity be useless?

bio

Sorry, I meant to say it takes away passing opportunities.

[bio]

Well, it does, but it gives a new one a bit earlier, so there's no loss

bio