Is the indy F-1 Circuit Challanging

I recently heard that TGF said that the Indy circuit was not challanging, and i some what agree. I wish that 1 of 2 things would happen, either an existing circuit in the U.S. would be refurbised to FIA standards. or the U.S. invests millions into a new State of the Art circuit that Could be used by F-1,Cart,ALMS etc that is what i think U.S. road racing needs a new Showcase event!

[RT]

I don't think it's that challenging for the driver but it certainly challenges the engines. I'm not sure there's another track that demands that the engines be on "full song" for such a long uninterrupted period like Indy.

It's probably more of an "engineer's track". I'd like to know what Theissen and Illen think of it.

[neilap]

It is challenging to set up the cars. Hp is very important also good mechanical grip. I think the best race of last years season took place in indy and I think this year will be even better. If you drive a Bridgestone-Ferrari, which circuit is challenging?

[Lee Janotta]

Yeah, it's challenging as far as setup, but just frustrating for the drivers. No fun and all work going through those slow, constant-radius corners.

Monza, the old Hockenheim, and Spa all have/had flat-out sections just as long, RT. FYI.

The country's just too damn big for a multi-billion dollar centralized facility like that, Baritone24. But we do have dozens of tracks which are worthy of a Grand Prix, and just don't have the ultra-luxurious surroundings Bernie demands, or a promoter willing to put up the huge amount of money a Grand Prix requires.

But as far as tracks, we've got:

Laguna Seca
Watkins Glen
Sebring
Road America
Road Atlanta
Virginia International Raceway
Brainerd International Raceway
And the long-unused and forgotten Mid-America Raceways

Imagine the choices years ago when we still had Riverside, Meadowdale, Lake Garnett, Continental Divide, Augusta... And we just lost Bridgehampton in the past few years.

Every one of those circuits was, fast, long, and an incredible challenge. It was on those tracks that drivers like Mario Andretti, Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, and Mark Donohue honed their skills to perfection. Now they're gone forever.

This is why I hate street racing in the US. CART, IMSA, F1... Their habits of running on makeshift urban courses leaves magnificent tracks like these to wither without marquee events that filled the grandstands and payed for another year's worth of improvements and operating expenses. And without a major event to showcase the venue, they eventually lose out to more profitable enterprises and are plowed under to become housing developments or malls.

They raced at Long Beach instead of Riverside. At Dallas instead of Texas World Speedway. At the Meadowlands instead of Bridgehampton. On the streets of Pheonix instead of at the now-gone road course outside the oval. And now at Indy instead of the few jewels we have left.

Money and politics have been allowed to dictate the path of this sport for too long, and what do we have to show for it? Nothing. Bernie's got his fat bank account, but we're left with nothing but broken pavement and memories.

And malls.

[Speedworx]

The Indy track is great, its much better than many current F1 tracks.

[Spudgun]

If TGF says the Indy circuit isn't challenging then he's got no excuse if he spins like he did last year!

[Tristan]

One day, Hakkiman, I'll agree with you on something. I look forward to that day.

The Indy infeild really is dire. Bland corner follows bland corner. The double hairpin is nothing if not shocking. Even turn one isnot as good as it should be for passing. No elevation, no personality, a compromise of a set up. No challenge. No fun.

[Jay]

Well....I've never driven on it, but the driver opinions I've read have been extremely mixed. Most seem to agree tha the middle infield section is awful, a pain in the arse to drive and no opportunity to overtake. Some don't mind the front straight though, as there is an opportunity to pass at the end of the straight if you get a draft, but it isn't realy anything special as it is very easy to drive.

From my experiences driving it in GP3 and F12002, the track is ****, and probably the worst one on the calendar. If not the worst, at least in competition for the worst. The fast part of the track can be driven blindfolded with one fingure on the wheel(in real-life the G-forces would undoubtably require you to grip the wheel), and the rest of the track resembles one of those indoor karting tracks where they have annoying twisty corners for the sake of having annoying twisty corners.

It's pretty sad really, when there are tracks like Elkhart Lake, which would rival Spa and Suzuka as the best track on the Calendar if they spent a few million and upgraded the facilities.

[Lee Janotta]

Well, the other problem with getting a race at Road America or a similar track would be the "safety" requirements.... Denuding the land for a mile around the track of all trees.... Building sand traps that rival the Sahara desert... Pushing the barriers back so far you could graze sheep on the grass between them and the race surface... And of course chicaneing any straights longer than an eighth of a mile.

Senna'd up and drop dead all over again if he knew what's being done in his name.

[mac]

Every track is challenging. It is challenging to get the most out of the car around any track. It isn't the best track around, but if you take out the rubbish double hairpin before the run onto the oval, it wouldn't be too bad.

[Red]

Originally posted by Spudgun
If TGF says the Indy circuit isn't challenging then he's got no excuse if he spins like he did last year!

Actually I believe it was 2 years ago, and it was a race that he's won; but it doesn't matter anyway.

Anyway, did he say that the circuit or the banked corner are not challenging? Because I remember him saying something about that corner.

[Dani Filth]

“I love it! I love the racetrack, and I love the people there. I like the style of circuit – it calls for real gutsy overtaking moves. It has no silly, or very few silly, gravel traps to strand a million-dollar Grand Prix car in after three minutes of racing. I love it!

this is what Frank williams says about the circuit but i don't agree

[f1manoz]

It's one of the most mundane, boring circuits on the calender, in a calender littered with boring circuits. Is this actually a drivers championship anymore?

There are far better circuits in America to be hosting the USGP on, Road America being one circuit (though could use a slight upgrade). If drivers are saying the circuit is boring, there is something definetely wrong.

[tanalised]

Originally posted by Lee Janotta
Well, the other problem with getting a race at Road America or a similar track would be the "safety" requirements.... Denuding the land for a mile around the track of all trees.... Building sand traps that rival the Sahara desert... Pushing the barriers back so far you could graze sheep on the grass between them and the race surface... And of course chicaneing any straights longer than an eighth of a mile.

Senna'd up and drop dead all over again if he knew what's being done in his name.

That is the best post Ive read on this F1 forum in about 4 months. That is precisely what would be done.

[enemy-ace]

The best part of the circuit is the main straight and turn one, which allows for some good drafting and outbraking maneuvers. The IndyGP allows for some good races but it is far from being a classic circuit. No elevation changes, no blind entrys, no off-camber corners; the high downforce required for the infield section makes the banking a non-issue of a corner. There is no corner which challenges your chicken bone, a corner where a driver on the limit can make up time on another. Having said that, that's what makes circuits like Spa and Suzuka, among some others, so special.
You need the bland to sometimes really appreciate the magnificent.

[steve_r]

Originally posted by Lee Janotta

Senna'd up and drop dead all over again if he knew what's being done in his name.

Presumaby if Senna had a different name beginning with an I, they would name straights ater him. Or T, they would name junctions ater him...

Ok, I'm bored. I've just read the whole "Anthony Davidsons Helmet" thread.

[mac]

Originally posted by Dani Filth
“It has no silly, or very few silly, gravel traps to strand a million-dollar Grand Prix car in after three minutes of racing. I love it!

this is what Frank williams says about the circuit but i don't agree

Didn't Ralf bog it at Indy last year?

[slicktoast]

All of this is why the first irl road race will happen there.

[Jordi]

The Indy track is not challenging, it's pretty straight forward, brake here, turn here, etc. But it makes for good racing actually in the oval