Imola to get a revamp...

[Sodemo]

According to Autosport.com, Imola is going to get a track revamp in order to try and rekindle some of its former glory.

These plans include bypassing the Bassa chicane and I believe some changes to Villeneuve / Tosa corners.

Incidentally, these same changes were proposed back in 2001 but nothing was done, and the matter was seemingly dropped.

[safc_fan89]

I hope that happens, becasue the track is in urgent need of a makeover. If nothing is done, I don't think it justifies its place on the F1 calendar.

[Dutton]

Ah, cool.

A reconfiguration is long overdue.

[Bononi]

Just hope it works.

[Dutton]

Well, I suppose whether it "works" or not depends on what people are wanting achieved by it.

I'm just after a faster, more flowing circuit.

[ASCII Man]

Too bad they're getting rid of the wrong chicane, but let's see if this proposed configuration works before condemning it.
Although leaving out Bassa wouldn't do much difference, I think.

I'd rather see Villeneuve gone, and Tamburello changed back to it's pre-95 configuration, there are no houses directly next to the river so the river could be relocated just enough to be able to fit a gravel trap at Tamburello.

Easy peasy!

[Adam43]

LEave out Bassa and the closing speed into Tamburello will be bigger. In addition Bassa will be a very quick kink and could be interesting, although possibly in cars other than F1 cars!

As for seeing Tamburello back, I'm not bothered as the corner was nothing. Although I'd prefer to remove another chicane. Although Imola does contain one of the best chicanes - Variante Alta.

[Jordi]

I think the one that could be done out with is Villeneuve. A corner named in honour of the great Gilles shouldn't be a slowish chicane...

Getting rid of Variante Bassa will make it one of the longest straights on the calendar.

[Adam43]

However it will be one of those straights that isn't straight, if you see what I mean. Flat, but not straight.

[Mr V]

With the introduction of V8's, producing slower cars, hopefully they will revert to the old "Villeneuve bend"?? Unfortunately, with the tragedy's of May 1994. imo, Imola suffered most from the "knee jerk" measures brought into F1 regarding the circuits and has suffered most for it.

[Raglanparade]

The old Villeneuve bend wouldnt be that fast if the tamburello chicane is maintained

[Sodemo]

You could have both, if the excecution was done correctly.

Here is my 2 min mock up of how they could approach Tamburello and Tosa...

[coldtyre]

Good idea TheMonster, but I think it's necessary to slow down cars before Tosa (the gravel trap is too tiny). No way to get there at 340 kph!
Removing variante bassa would be interesting, but the straight becomes too narrow after the start. Having a larger track would allow some overtaking moves there (remember the awesome Montoya manoeuver on Trulli in 2001, from the outside in Tamburello?)
But since 1995, this track is BORING. It is NOT a F1 track. Speed rarely exceeds 300, chicanes everywhere, a track where a man racing 5 seconds slower can block (Fernando vs Michael...)
Imola should be modified, or simply removed.

[safc_fan89]

I think it's Tamburello and Villeneuve that need straightening out, but this proposed change may work.

[Marbot]

Here are 2 options/proposals from their website.

[safc_fan89]

Neither of those involve straightening any of the chicanes. One just involves ruining Rivazza.

[ASCII Man]

Both of them involve ruining Rivazza actually..

[chunterer]

Why does anything need changing with Rivazza? - always quite good to see drivers overcooking it in and out of there!

Then if Bassa is 'straightened' it'll be a good old tank from Rivazza down to Tamburello chicane!

I agree with what's been said about Villeneuve, get rid of that esses/chicane thing and let them run quicker down from Tamburello into Tosa. It'll improve outbreaking opportunities whilst still not being unecessarily dangerous speed wise.

[safc_fan89]

I think Tamburello should be left alone, but one of the other two, or both even, should be bypassed. The only thing is that would substantially lower the lap time I think, so the lap could be to short time-wise. I say 'could', so don't quote me on that!!

[Marbot]

Here's the latest.

[ASCII Man]

Originally Posted by safc_fan89

I think Tamburello should be left alone, but one of the other two, or both even, should be bypassed. The only thing is that would substantially lower the lap time I think, so the lap could be to short time-wise. I say 'could', so don't quote me on that!!

I would think that this would be even better from a commercial point of view, shorter laptimes = more laps in a race = more exposure for sponsors!

[Pingguest]

The Tamburello and Villeneuve should be restored as wel. I don't think the (lack of) run-off areas would be a great problem. On Indianapolis you don't have run-off areas either.

[safc_fan89]

Even if the lap time is lowered, something needs to be done. The current layout is too boring and there are no real high-speed sections. F1 is much safer now, so there's no need to have all the chicanes.

Or, another idea, they could get rid of the Variante Alta. Then there is a straight from Acque Minerali to Rivazza. That could work.

[nickyf1]

If you want to look at other ten-tenths members edits of imola look on the imola thread in my tracks.

[luke]

When they put all the chicanes in and made it a stop start track, similar to a street circuit and no real runs for the engine to be stretched I have always hoped for the day that a chicane would be taken out.