What is the cause of these bad tracks?

[gttouring]

I was not sure where to start this so here is good as any. as the tech seems to dictate if a layout is too dangerous, due to speed attained, or is the track itself a danger?
What is with New tracks that stinks so bad, i was watching MotoGp in Qatar, and that track is absolute pants. never have i seen sucha dull track, and one so deserted of fan grandstands or anything (pun intended)
why are new tracks built so agonizingly boring and bereft of any character or charm? the Barhain track is leaps better, malaysia has some character and atmosphere, shanghai- not as much...
what is it terrain? or Tilke is such a schmoe at design work.
our own forum here-"my tracks" has so many very exciting and potentially wonderous tracks to be raced on or designed so what is keeping good stuff from becoming tarmac?

[Raglanparade]

Because many of thr great circuits were designed in an era when motorsport was still a sport, and wasnt purely based on its entertainment value.

[Eddy V]

Originally Posted by gttouring

...or Tilke is such a schmoe at design work.

Mr. Tilke designs his tracks the way he races (or used to race): SLOW.
Can't have challenging corners when you are a s****y scary driver.

[ger80]

he also had some computer problems when designing Istanbul track

[spook]

The problem with most track design (lately) is the width of the track needs to be "balanced" with the layout - the best layout can be ruined if the track is made just 2m too wide - keep em narrow (12m max) and you WILL keep the excitement - make em 18m+ and you (the spectator) are a long long way from the action due to FIA run-off rules.

When designing a circuit you look at the performance envelope of the design car - (whatever that may be, F1, F3, Touring Cars) - and put in a range of corners (radius) that test performance of the design car throughout it's performance envelope, while allowing enough straights to allow passing as many times as possible in each lap.

The greatest limiting factor to track design is always the terrain of the site, followed by the size of the site, and last but most important - the budget $$$,$$$,$$$ for construction.

Circuit design is not "weird science" - just an engineering solution to all the contraints and limits the designer has to deal with.

[Raglanparade]

I must agree... the new circuits are waaaayy too wide.

How wide is the Shanghai, Bahrain and Istanbul circuits.

[spook]

I understand that 20-24m is the current design philosophy of track width. A totally pointless exercise in spending money and removing the racing from our sport.

[dtype38]

Originally Posted by spook

Circuit design is not "weird science" - just an engineering solution to all the contraints and limits the designer has to deal with.

Sadly you are exactly right... its just an engineering solution. I say "sadly" because engineers are great at producing fully funtional solutions to a problem, but unfortunately the vast majority are also very boring. Things of beauty and character produced by engineers are quite rare (and I am one ). Maybe an artist or dare I say an architect.. (er no lets not get too extreme) should be used to design the next big track... complete with flower borders and picket fences

[R59]

So, what we need are the old circuits, with decent facilities for the spectators and competitors, add to that decent access to and from the circuit.

Could you imagine Cadwell Park, with proper pits, an up-to-date paddock, a bar/restaurant that opened, and then stayed open on the evening before a race (car meeting), and a dual carriageway running up to the circuit.....

I can always dream (especially about the bar/restaurant bit!)

Rob.

[dtype38]

What a wonderful idea!! All we'd have to do then is figure out how to stop the MSA insisting that all the tree's be uprooted and all the barriers moved back 50m (re-routing the circuit where necessary) in the name of safety. :-(

[Hazza]

If I had a couple of a billion quid, i'd bring Brands up to the saftey requirements for F1 and MotoGP.

And as you mentioned Qatar, that circuit is utter pants the coolest thing about the track (In a pants way) is how the S/F line is in the middle of this massive straight, meaning that if you come on to the final turn in first, you loose. Unless what happenes last year happens, where the two riders draw.

And now I have to tell the Qatar joke: Did you hear that on saturday's race to save time, they introduced the spectators to the riders?

[dtype38]

It's taken me two days to get that one