Austria + Belgium

[Dick Spanner]

I know that some people will consider this tantamount to heresy or accuse me of forgetting my medication (I haven't forgotten it, I'm just a bit late taking it!) but am I the only person who considers the loss of the Austrian GP next year just as distressing as the loss of Spa on the calender?

[Highlander]

Yes you are

[Adam43]

I've been to the Austrian GP. A good event. A good viewing circuit. Not in the same league as Spa.

Now the old Osterreichring...

[badoer fan]

The Austrian GP's gone? Have I been asleep?

[Damon]

It's here this year but not next unfortuneatly. Seems another good circuit (although, as Adam says, not the even in same league as Spa) needs to make way for a poorly designed, ill-conceived Tilke Kart circuit in some far flung corner of the world.

[Adam43]

It's OK for this (and next?) year, but Bernie said it would go after that while skiing in Austria, but IIRC he has also said it could be back.

[Dick Spanner]

It disappear's next year, usual cigarette sponsership reason's. I just think it has thrown up some good races in the recent past and is one of the few track's where you are almost gauranteed some overtaking.

[BootsOntheSide]

The A1-Ring is one of my favourite current circuits, with a nice flow to it (its great fun in Grand Prix 3) plus variable weather and lots of action and drama. Plus, Michael always does badly at it. Its not as big a loss as Belgium, but its still a great shame.

I hope this is reconsidered and that an exception can be ade. The only plus-side is that it'll make this year's race extra-dramatic - Michael's last chance to win the one race he's never won, on merit.

[Bononi]

Yeah, forget the Austrian woods and say welcome to the chinese big city...

Does anybody have the lay-out of the chinese circuit ?

[Lee Janotta]

Another Tilke design, of course. A nonsensical set of slow corners and a couple long straights.

Even for that brain donor, this is awful!

[Bononi]

Ouch... there will be any down or uphills ? Or it is just plain straight ?

[Sodemo]

Don't knock it, could be good, the first corner sucks, but the rest looks ok, apart from the fact that the slow corner that leads onto the biggest straight needs to be a bit faster if its to encourage overtaking.

[ashley 19]

Austria,Beligm
British or Europe?:confused:

[Speedworx]

Losing Austria is more destressing, as that is always a great race.

[Matthopps]

Looking at the above diagram, its pretty obvious Tilke likes the double-harpin setup. The third and forth corners is lifted straight from Kuala Lumpur - a right harpin, followed by a left. Then, the two corners leading onto the long back straight are also taken from the malasian track - about 2 thirds of the way round the track opposite the last corner grandstand, a left hand harpin followed by a long righthand,sweeping style corner.

[DNQ]

That Shanghai track looks bloody stupid.

I'll miss the A1-Ring, the only decent thing Tilke's ever done (actually Sepang is decent)...but the old circuit was heaps better.

Shame we need to lose the best tracks in the name of tobacco advertising, just so we can have lame races in countries that have never produced a driver ever...

[Lee Janotta]

I know what you mean DNQ, but there's nothing decent about the atrocity he committed against the Österreichring.

[f1manoz]

The A1-Ring is actually one of the better tracks on the Grand Prix circuit today.. shows how pathetic the rest of the track are!!!

However, losing Austria is no big deal compared to the loss of Spa.

I am praying the end of F1 today as it's turned into a bloody joke. Take F1 away from the majority of fans in Europe just because of some advertising. Bloody ridiculous.

[Jukebox]

Originally posted by f1manoz
I am praying the end of F1 today as it's turned into a bloody joke.

Hey...what happened to ya positive remarks after the Australian GP :confused:

[Wrex]

And who are you blaming for this guys?

[Bononi]

Bah, f1manoz you are a pessimistic dude...

[Wrex]

Yeah, go back to bikes

[Dick Spanner]

I feel slightly better that there are other's who think Austria will be a genuine loss. I do admit that most of you are right in that certainly from a historic and emotional stance Spa is the bigger loss especially as you point out because Austria is itself a shadow of it's former self but it has thrown up some cracking races in recent years (orchestrated results notwithstanding). Tilke's designs whilst improving (Sepang is pretty good) still lack a degree of soul to my mind, surely working from a clean sheet of paper with a large patch of land you could come up with something really funny when viewed from above while still presenting a challenging circuit. (There I go, back to the gutter....)

[Adam43]

I feel a circuit should be sculptured by the lay of the land (or by God, if you like) not by Tilke.

If it's in a forest or by some mountains, all the better.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by f1manoz
The A1-Ring is actually one of the better tracks on the Grand Prix circuit today.. shows how pathetic the rest of the track are!!!

Have to agree. The loss of the Austrian GP is bad for F1 imo, one of the few tracks that actually encourages overtaking. (even if it was a boring looking track)