That was horrible - is Interlagos fit for F1?

[Hugh Jarce]

Back again after a couple of glasses.

Ok, Ok - some valid points but why is water running all over the track when it's stopped raining?

Why?

Even my road has adequate drains and you only go 30 mph down it!

Oh, and I'm a Renault fan and I was disappointed today!

[Mania]

I dont think anything is wrong with Interlagos..just give them the right tyres and let them get on with it. F1 has gone backwards since Spain 96 - that was one of the most brilliant drives Ive ever seen by Schumacher in appalling conditions..we need to see more of that...

[TeddyG]

Jesssums did anyone see Schumi almost go headfirst into that big Catipilar tractor???...wow that could have been really bad! Pretty close to losing the world champ there!

I mean maybe they should have red flagged the race as the cars kept piling up there and given like 15 mins to try and solve the river flow problem?

They should at least had someone over there trying to divert the water or something! To be blunt I think it's pretty stupid that they don't have these things well planned out BEFORE the race...jessums it'd be pretty simple...on a huge rainy day see where your problem areas are and fix them...I mean are people really this stupid to have rivers flowing over a premier sporting event..surely they could do more???

[DNQ]

Originally posted by Lee Janotta
Quit whipping on Interlagos! You don't know what you're asking for when you say you want more safety!

Y'know what? You guys need to grow up instead of whining every time a race goes as something besides a 100% safe procession around a Tilke-ring surrounded by seas of gravel. I'm firmly in the Villeneuve "Sh•t happens!" camp. Alonso's crash was a bonehead move, and he's paid for it with injury. No one else got hurt spinning off or crashing! That's GOOD!!! But you're gonna whine because the race organizers couldn't overcome the forces of nature and will the water to flow uphill? Give me a break!

It's racing! It's wild, it's chaotic, it's unpredictable! And may it always be!!!

As ever, I agree 100%

[Hugh Jarce]

Just reviewing some posts on this thread would make you wonder whether it may be worth employing the fire brigade to spray water onto the track in certain places because such danger tests a real F1 driver.

Come on - get a grip - these guys are risking their lives on a circuit with heavy machinery parked on a corner with water running across it.

Sorry, I can't accept this was acceptable F1 risk.

But then I'm probably a boring fart!

[J.McClane]

F1 drivers know excaly what their job entails.
They can't complain over a bit of water on the track, go back and watch some real racers back in the 70's/80's. Then try to compare them to these brave but not racers of today.

[paulzinho]

Fantastic race. As for Turn 3, tested the drivers, anyone notice how the guys who kept it on track were able to back off while going through there.

Interlagos is one of the most entertaining races of the year. Long may it stay!

[Hugh Jarce]

Not against that - just install a proper drain!

[Mekola]

Originally posted by M Coupe
This circuit should be removed from the calendar, obviously it will never happen, but look at the history of the place. Advertising boards falling off on the main straight, teams having laptops stolen and team members mugged etc, bumpiest circuit on the calendar, it always seems chaotic, but having the circut continue to flood itself, when the rain had stopped for at least an hour is ridiculous. Bet it never gets mentioned by the FIA again.

No... NO... NOOO! Please not! First time that we have a spectacular Brazilian rain race (remember 1996 and 2000 ones; they were processions), you must modify or remove the track! On the other way: we need more tracks like this!

[J.McClane]

Originally posted by Mekola
No... NO... NOOO! Please not! First time that we have a spectacular Brazilian rain race (remember 1996 and 2000 ones; they were processions), you must modify or remove the track! On the other way: we need more tracks like this!

Yes, that is exactly it, this is what F1 is all about.
Some people on here really do need to see some real racer of old before they have a pop at todays race........which was great.

[M Coupe]

Sorry,

But I find a race with drivers overtaking and possibly making a slight mistake to let someone through fighting for position etc a spectacular race.
Drivers hitting a river flooding across the circuit due to poor circuit design is not a spectacular race, it's a joke.

[Hugh Jarce]

J Mc - Oh what does that include people potentially getting seriously injured through rivers of water on the track?

Oh well then, I guess bring back the 'good old days'!

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

Turn 3 realy should be looked ar long and hard. Better Drainage?, re designed to stop the water?

But the Tyres were to blame realy. The rule is lydacris. I'm sorry but whatever happens, there should be a choice of wet tyre. Its not about "cost cutting" or "closer racing", its all because they wanted to stop Bridgestones advantage. What kind of sport is that where the only way to solve a competitive problem is to cause loads of counter problems by effectively cheating, and getting the advantage made illegal?

[M Coupe]

Originally posted by Sim_Da_BTCC_Man
But the Tyres were to blame realy. The rule is lydacris. I'm sorry but whatever happens, there should be a choice of wet tyre.

What difference would a tyre choice have made today. At the start Yes, but by the time most drivers were spinning off they would probably have changed to the inters anyway. When the track is damp on 99% of it and very wet on 50yrds who is seriously going to run full wets and have them burn up the remainder of the lap.

[golem]

I think M Coupe was succint and correct. A good race is a good race. Unless it's a drainage problem on Turn 3 then it's a joke.

tyre rule was fine. Shoot, the Michelins were starting to get a bit into their dry zone of spectrum from what I made out... there was a few patches of water that just didn't go away while other parts where nearly bone dry.

According to ITV or something, there was actually water collecting just by the track from other areas off circuit or something. All they need to do is spend a few grand on placing high side drainage to take the water under the circuit by storm tunnels. Problem solved. Save and exciting racing.

Good circuit, I like it. But that one corner was unecassary. Makes it unpredictable but takes it out of driver hands because as Brundle said, it can actually vary lap to lap how much water a river has.

Might be fine one lap to do it at 60kmh but next lap you'll do 58 and still shoot off. That's the sort of thing I'm not really keen on unless it's been raining between those two attempts.

[jetsetter]

I don't think it's fit for F1, no run off area & they have serious drainage issues that have to be attended to. Hopefully they address these problems before next year.

[J.McClane]

Originally posted by Hugh Jarce
J Mc - Oh what does that include people potentially getting seriously injured through rivers of water on the track?

Oh well then, I guess bring back the 'good old days'!

Rivers.....what rivers?

There were puddles yes, but no rivers.
The F1 drivers of today need to grow some balls.

Its getting like footie players these days, more woried about how their hair looks than doing what they get paid HUGE ammounts of money to do.

Weather is as much a part of F1 as is leting your team mate past. And if teams are willing to cheat to win the championship, they should be willing to do what they get paid for.......race.

[Hugh Jarce]

I'm only quoting Justin Wilson - he was closer than you and I - unless you had a better view of the track than he did from Birmingham!

[J.McClane]

You'd be suprised how close I was......I couldn't get much closer to the TV.

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

Rivers = tecnical term for water going across the circuit proberbly.

[Hugh Jarce]

Originally posted by J.McClane
You'd be suprised how close I was......I couldn't get much closer to the TV.

Then you must have had to change your socks after watching the race!!!! Either that or you are squelching around the living room.

[J.McClane]

No. I wore wellies.

[Hugh Jarce]

Nice one!



You'd better send them out to the poor bloke from 'El Dynorodado' who has got to sort out the drains at Interlagos tomorrow.

[Spudgun]

I personally think Interlagos shouldn't be dropped.. It's one of the better tracks! (since they sorted the bumps out anyway).

I think they do need to address the drainage for next year though.

One thing that I don't agree with is the slating that Alonso has received from some posts. There was a lot of debris strewn across the track. Waved yellows and radio communication can't tell you a great deal where the debris is. I noticed Fisi only just picked his way through.

I'd like to see how any of us would fare negotiating something like that. I just think the criticism is a little unfair.

Also, although I'm not a Ferrari fan I really felt sorry for Rubens. I like Rubens. He had the race in the bag in what is supposed to be the most reliable car on the track. When is one of the nicest blokes on the grid going to get a break?

[Muzza]

I have not posted at Ten Tenths for more than six months but this thread made me come back from the dead.

First, I have to say two things about myself: 1.) I am Brazilian and Interlagos is my home track, so I am somewhat biased about it, and 2.) I have been to eight of the circuits currently used in the F-1 calendar, so I can speak something about them. Having said that, let's go:

1.) Does any of you know how many milimeters of rain fell in Sao Paulo on the 12 hours prior to the rain? Sis hours BEFORE the start it had rained more than eighty milimeters (yes, you read it right). I don't even know how much more fell on the following six hours. So, it was a hell of a downpour. I wonder how many F-1 circuits in the world could cope with that load (Silverstone surely would not - I was there for two races where mere showers transformed it in a swimming pool).

2.) Interlagos draining system has been praised many times over and I know that at least two F-1 circuits (Barcelona and Imola) that sent delegates there to learn and improve their own draining system. Charlie Whitting (FIA F-1 Track Chief Inspector) asked the Barcelona representatives to vist Interlagos in 2000, Imola ones the next year.

3.) The same Whitting said last week: "Interlagos track managers fulfil our requests every year - this time I don't even have what to ask".

4.) It seems that those criticizing Interlagos failed to notice that the turn where most of the accidents happened this year (Curva do Sol) had not experienced draining problems in the past. Sheets of water running through the track were common at Lago, S do Senna, Laranjinha and Subida dos Boxes. These parts of the track undnerwent drainage improvements years ago and well, NOBODY complained about these places in 2003 - even with all the rain that fell!

5.) So, why we had problems at Curva do Sol in 2003? As you surely saw, Interlagos managers laid asphalt on massive amounts of land, replacing gravel trap and soil by tarmac. This was particularly noticeable at Sol, and made the terrain at that point much less permeable. Water, instead of soaking into ground, ran over the run-off area and onto the track. As Interlagos is a natural bowl, the topography worsened this.

6.) Does any of the Interlagos detractors know how much money was invested in the track in the last years? If not, let me tell you that in the three last years alone 9.7 million dollars were put there. And this did not involve ANY lay-out change. And not to include the years before that, as I am unable to check my files now. You, tell me how many European tracks have undergone similar works in this time frame?

7.) To the Silverstone fans: don't get me wrong, I also love the place and it will be a shame if the F-1 GP is transferred from that track. The British press and fans feel that the FIA is unfair with Silverstone - well, Brazilians have a similar impression with the way part of the international media criticize their GP track. How many of you have been to more than one GP circuit?

8.) In 1997 the company that asphalted Magny-Cours (definitely a well "capped' track) re-did the Interlagos track. It did not get any better (actually, I remember Michael Schumacher saying "I don't know what they did, but the track has never been so bad").

9.) About the accident with Alonso, no-one is to blame (quite obvious, but some with less experience in motorsport may need to be reminded of that in moments as the ones we experienced today). Note that yellow flags had been deployed. May I suggest you to rewind the scenes of Alonso's crash to see the marshals on the flagging post BEFORE the location of Webber's shunt frantically waving flags to the incoming drivers (check the background of the scene of Alonso's crash shot from the camera across the pits). Alonso just did not slow enough, or had his vision blocked by another car, or was distracted and did not see the flags. Be he, either, is not to blame.

Cheers,

Muzza