The New Hockenheim

Jay · 25 Jul 2002, 18:09 (Ref:342649)

Hey Guys!

I'm just wondering what people's thoughts are on the new track. I was just trying it out on GP3 last night, and I have to say that it isn't bad. There is one place you might pass, which is at the end of the long curving back straight and there are 2 new ineresting corners created in addition to the already good stadium section.

One other thing is that the absence of the highspeed straights means that you can run a much higher downforce setup and be much quicker through the stadium section, making it much more exciting too.

That said, many drivers, including Villeneuve enjoy driving the Hungaroring too...

On the downside, with the long straights and chicanes gone, the race will likely be like every other F1 race this year - a long boring parade of overpriced cars driven by overpaid drivers. So for the fans, it is terrible track. Also, the infield has been plowed clear of trees, so scenery no longer exists...

Jordi · 25 Jul 2002, 18:10 (Ref:342651)

there you go, your last paragraph says it all for me.

Minardi fan · 25 Jul 2002, 19:21 (Ref:342717)

Ditto. The loss of the old Hockenheim is just awful and terrible for the fans.

But hey, does Bernie give two hoots? I think we know the answer...

Tristan · 25 Jul 2002, 19:35 (Ref:342739)

"Saftey". "Progress".

Yoong Montoya · 25 Jul 2002, 21:29 (Ref:342840)

I don't think the race will be that bad actually. Austria and Canada both provide good races with a reasonable amount of overtaking, and it looks like the new Hockenheim will provide the same. I hope so anyway.

Jordi · 26 Jul 2002, 00:20 (Ref:343005)

The race may be good, but I hope it is not.

Anyway, it can be boring as hell, they only see $$$$$$

f1manoz · 26 Jul 2002, 01:12 (Ref:343040)

'Safety' = BORING

The Hockenheim circuit used to be a fantastic slipstreaming battle. The last few years have seen some fantastic races and have usually produced the best race of the year.

But now that's all gone, and the circuit has been replaced by the typical sanitised, but safer, boring F1 circuit, the type of circuit that clogs today's schedule.

Hamness · 26 Jul 2002, 01:20 (Ref:343047)

I thought that the new layout would do a discredit to the name of Hockenheim, but, having seen a few of the drivers impressions who have actually driven the circuit - ina car and Not on a lap top - I am prepared to wait till 1st practice on Sat to see the layout proper and then we will see what actually happens in the race. If TGF loses then it will be a brilliant circuit, especially in Germany.,

Big Mac · 26 Jul 2002, 02:39 (Ref:343074)

My view, its a bulls*@t track thats not a patch on the old, orginal track. Much in the same way the new nurburgring is on the old, but lets not go there again.

freud · 26 Jul 2002, 02:50 (Ref:343081)

The track is bull in terms of speeds but I am expecting a good race. Unlike the old hockenheim there will be more oppurtunities of overtaking.

Jay · 26 Jul 2002, 02:52 (Ref:343084)

I'm not surprised some drivers liked it. It's a fun track to drive. And the stadium section is now more fun because they can run more downforce. But, we wont know what it;s like until Sunday afternoon.

Jukebox · 26 Jul 2002, 02:55 (Ref:343086)

looked more like a stadium than a track to me...

freud · 26 Jul 2002, 02:57 (Ref:343087)

I played the track on my GP 4 simulations and I was pleasently surprised with the flow of the track. I am looking forward to the qualifying session, which I am pretty sure would be won by JPM or MS as I dont think any other driver would match their sector 3. Even for the race I think the race start & drive upto hard braking at corner 2 would be thrilling. I am expecting some overtakings there. The race should also be a close one.

26 Jul 2002, 03:52 (Ref:343103)

Quote:

Originally posted by Jay
On the downside, with the long straights and chicanes gone, the race will likely be like every other F1 race this year - a long boring parade of overpriced cars driven by overpaid drivers. So for the fans, it is terrible track. Also, the infield has been plowed clear of trees, so scenery no longer exists...

Perhaps you should do something else on Sunday, sounds like the race is already over.

I'd rather have the old Hockenheim but I will judge it when the race is over.

Jukebox · 26 Jul 2002, 04:06 (Ref:343110)

Actually the new Hockenheim is much more exciting as there's no longer long straights because of the chicane in between. So having more engine power is not going to give anybody any extra advantage but rather the setup of the car itself will be the main point of achieving good results.

McLaren being known as the master of setups, i would predict that they would produce good results here.

Jonny Apex · 26 Jul 2002, 10:15 (Ref:343242)

Quote:

Originally posted by f1manoz
'Safety' = BORING

The Hockenheim circuit used to be a fantastic slipstreaming battle. The last few years have seen some fantastic races and have usually produced the best race of the year.

But now that's all gone, and the circuit has been replaced by the typical sanitised, but safer, boring F1 circuit, the type of circuit that clogs today's schedule.

Anyone's who's just watched Friday's first session on digi-feed must surely agree. It's a shocker ...

Sato san · 26 Jul 2002, 10:30 (Ref:343253)

yer , i agree.

although i do like the look of the long straight up to the new hairpin . Maybe a few inside / outside moves going on there.

Wished theyd left it as it was though.

DNQ · 26 Jul 2002, 12:37 (Ref:343338)

I don't know what to make of the new track. It was my fav track, so I am sad its been slaughtered, but alas, I will give it a chance. Sadly Channel 9 is so bloody **** that we wont see a second of footage til the race - I'll make my judgement then.

Jay · 26 Jul 2002, 13:19 (Ref:343377)

Quote:

Originally posted by Aussiefan

Perhaps you should do something else on Sunday, sounds like the race is already over.

I'd rather have the old Hockenheim but I will judge it when the race is over.

I am, going up to the cottage, and my VCR's broken. That's bad, I'll miss the Cart race

.

Sato san · 27 Jul 2002, 22:29 (Ref:344200)

well , having just watched the f3000 race from Hockenheim ,
if the F1 race is half as good as that we are in for a treat . Lots of Racing , AND EVEN OVERTAKING .

I still wished they'd left it like it was , but now its done , lets just hope that it gives us a damm good F1 race .

Miss Hardt · 28 Jul 2002, 00:48 (Ref:344257)

I think it's terrible, as same as I though before. It's depressing, too commercial and you can't even feel a straight, because it ends just after a couple of seconds...

I'll post a memory thread.

Gt_R · 28 Jul 2002, 03:25 (Ref:344288)

I'd reserve my judgement on the new track's "entertainment value" til post race...but having 'driven' the track in GP4, i'd say its more interesting to drive on as a track on its own...at least, there are more variation of turns than the 3 times you brake from top speed to a chicane.

However, it does lose the characteristic of the old Hockenheim, which is a shame. Gone are the super high speed, in replace with a track that seem to be just another Magny Cour or Nurburgring...Just another track on the calendar... but as a track of its own...it shouldn't be too bad..

RWC · 28 Jul 2002, 06:24 (Ref:344346)

I say we make our own race series.Our 'hockenhiem' will have at least one rising/falling/gradually curving section through dense forest that forces the cars onto full throttle for AT LEAST 25 seconds.I'm sure others would have some great ideas for such a track.Oh,instead of completely kicking out money&bad,er i mean bernie&max,we'll invite them along where they can act as a human chicane...
But should we penalise any driver for cutting such a chicane...?surely the sh*t on their car would be bad enough

R · 28 Jul 2002, 09:10 (Ref:344390)

The new Hockenheim is a piece of ****. Sorry, that's my verdict when I compare it to the old track. It doesn't even deserve the name "Hockenheim", just like the "Nurburgring" doesn't deserve that name. With no characteristics, the new "Hockenheim" is just a bland, modern, every-day F1 track, just like the majority of the other tracks. You're right, Jukebox, it's a stadium. Gone are the Jim Clark, Ost and Ayrton Senna curves. Gone is everything that separated Hockenheim from the rest of the tracks. And we are left with a track which looks like most other tracks - except it's worse, because they have savaged a great track in order to replace it with this disgrace.

Next up is Spa. Wait for it.

Miss Hardt · 28 Jul 2002, 09:49 (Ref:344413)

Quote:

Originally posted by R
The new Hockenheim is a piece of ****. Sorry, that's my verdict when I compare it to the old track. It doesn't even deserve the name "Hockenheim", just like the "Nurburgring" doesn't deserve that name. With no characteristics, the new "Hockenheim" is just a bland, modern, every-day F1 track, just like the majority of the other tracks. You're right, Jukebox, it's a stadium. Gone are the Jim Clark, Ost and Ayrton Senna curves. Gone is everything that separated Hockenheim from the rest of the tracks. And we are left with a track which looks like most other tracks - except it's worse, because they have savaged a great track in order to replace it with this disgrace.

Next up is Spa. Wait for it.

You are a genious. Even I, the resident Hocky-fanatic, couldn't have said it better myself!

It is worse. I think that even Hungaroring is more interesting at the moment. On this new track, you just can't feel the sectors and curves, because they are so short....

It's all gone....

If they touch Spa and Monza, I will go there and beat the

out of them! They only want damn money and more viewers...and what about us???? Do we deserve a dull race in a morbid desert? Have we been watching F1 for so long just to get THAT????

I want the old track back

If it's still not too late....

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