My Tracks

[mac]

Originally posted by Sherman
How long does it take you to come up with the names for the tracks?

I am running out of them! I just take a place I know, and tinker with it a little.

[Jordi]

I think there are two parts, one, very Surfers Paradise like, many chicanes, and not too fast. The other part is very fast and sweeping.

[Lee Janotta]

Okay, I've got another one!

With the EuroSpeedway being going bankrupt, and the current lack of a single venue in Germany both worthy and capable of hosting the Grand Prix, I figured I'd come up with an idea which would solve both problems.

So here it is! The Lausitzring GP Strecke!

[mac]

Goodness me, you're tracks are long, Lee.

Some good passing spots, long straights and a few quick corners. Pretty good I say.

Although, you'd probably cover a GP distance in 3 laps.

[mac]

Here is my latest effort - Pitt Point.

Question - which current Formula One track was it's inspiration?

I'll post the detailed map and circuit details later. I'm off to cricket training now.

[Lee Janotta]

Originally posted by mac
Question - which current Formula One track was it's inspiration?

I'm gonna guess Hackedinhalf... It's better than Tilke's design, but seems to have a lot of the same corners.

[Lee Janotta]

Originally posted by mac
Goodness me, you're tracks are long, Lee.

It's my German ancestry. Never do anything half-assed, ESPECIALLY race tracks! And this _is_ a German track, after all.

But my designs always include shorter track layouts for club racing or slower cars. Can't expect a Formula Vee to run on the same massive course as an F1 car... Though some people who currently have a _lot_ of power in racing think it works fine to have F1 on glorified go-kart tracks...

[QUOTE]Some good passing spots, long straights and a few quick corners. Pretty good I say.

Thanks!!! I like this one a lot... The fact the facility already exists gave me a lot to start with... Was just a matter of making the very most of the existing roads, and adding on a few crucial bits to give the track some character.

Although, you'd probably cover a GP distance in 3 laps.

Good... No time for pit stops that way!

[Lee Janotta]

Oops, I forgot to even mention, like all my tracks, it runs counter-clockwise...

Sorry about the bad formatting in my last post... I probably shouldn't post when I'm so tired.

[mac]

I said CURRENT F1 track, Lee. Keep guessing people.

Pitt Point is a track all about rhythm.

You blast down the flat main straight and mash the brake pedal for the tight left turn 1. This is a good passing place.

Turn 2 is a long, flat-out, left bend. The first part of it goes slightly uphill. There is a crest right at the very end of the turn where the track starts going downhill.

Turn 3 is a tricky, double apex right. The track runs downhill to the first apex, where the track flattens out. The track remains flat for the second apex.

Shortly after turn 3, the track begins uphill again. It continues uphill through the right-hand part of the turn 4 esses. On the apex of the left part of these esses, the track flattens out abruptly, creating a crest. This is a pretty quick esses combination.

The track remains flat for the tight left (turn 5) shortly after the esses. This is slightly tighter than 90 degrees.

There is another esses section shortly after turn 5 in a similar configuration to 4. Turn 6 is also right-left and reasonably quick. The track goes uphill right through the sequence.

Turn 7 is is a flat left-hander. It is slightly more than 90 degrees.

Turn 7 runs into yet another esses section. It is right-left again, but tighter than the previous ones. Turn 8 runs downhill.

There is a flat short shute after turn 8. This leads into the slightly downhill left-right esses. The turn 9 esses are flat-out and very fast.

Turn 9 leads you down the back straight. It continues downhill until just before the braking zone for turn 10, where it flattens out.

Turn 10 is a left hairpin. It is slow, and is the second good place to pass on the track. It is a flat corner.

There is an uphill short shute to turn 11, a reasonably quick, uphill right.

Immediately after 11 is the turn 12 chicane. It is right-left, slightly uphill, and the 2nd part is a little tighter than the first part.

The chicane leads you on the run home, which features the most demanding corner on the track. Shortly after 12, the track continues uphill down a short shute. Turn 13 is a flat-out right kink. At the apex of 13, the track begins slightly downhill.

Shortly after 13 is turn 14. Along with turn 9, the highlight of the lap. 14 is only slightly downhill, a little off camber, and a very fast left.

Soon after turn 14 is the final turn, turn 15. This is a slow to medium speed, flat left-right esses, leading you onto the main straight.

[Jordi]

Hungaroring-inspired?

[Tristan]

Nope. Sepang. Surely??

[Lee Janotta]

Originally posted by mac
I said CURRENT F1 track, Lee. Keep guessing people.

Huh? It _is_ current!

[Number Juan]

monaco mac?

[Nicholas]

Let's go through the other 15. Spa?

[mac]

I think Pitt Point is a faster Hungaroring, with more passing spots (ie. 2). It wasn't so much inspired by, but it ended up in a configuration that reminds me of it.

Well done, Jordi.

Sorry, Lee, I got mixed up with your nickname for Hockenheim.

[Lee Janotta]

Ah, s'okay.

[Jordi]

I knew it was the Hungaroring because there are those chicanes that you can do almost without turning too much

[Speedworx]

Some good tracks in there.

[Tristan]

But.... Hungaroring's arse!

[mac]

Hungaroring could be made better. All of the driver's enjoy the challenge as there are lots of corners and it's like a little go-kart track. The big problem is that there is little grip, no possing spots and most corners are pretty slow.

Pitt Point is just (in my view) a better track, with similar characteristics to Hungaroring.

[Lee Janotta]

I think Montoya'd disagree with the "all drivers enjoy the challenge" statement... He absolutely hates the place.

[mac]

That's cause he can't get it right.

[mac]

My next track is Watterford. This is it:

[mac]

Watterford has 2 distinct passing places, some long-ish straights, a very fast section, and 2 tricky turning-braking-downshifting parts. This track could be pretty tough on brakes.

At the end of the flat main straight is the tight, right turn 1. It is a good place to pass, and is flat.

Turn 2 is a flat-out left. It is also flat.

The 3, 4, 5 & 6 section is perhaps the trickiest on the track and all of these corners are back to back.

Turn 3 is at the end of a long-ish straight and is a pretty fast, slightly uphill left. The end of this turn demands braking for turn 4 as it is immediately after 3. Turn 4 is a slower right, that also goes slightly uphill. Immediately after turn 4 is the opening turn 5 left which is slightly uphill. Shortly after turn 5 is the tricky turn 6. Between 5 & 6, the track flattens out. Turn 6 is a slow, flat right. It is tricky because the approach is a quite sharp right bend.

There is a short shute to turns 7 & 8. 7 & 8 is a right-left esses section. It is a medium speed section and is slightly downhill.

After these esses is a medium length straight, leading to another tricky section - turns 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13.

Turn 9 is similar to turn 3. It is a quite fast and flat left. However, as opposed to turn 3, immediately after turn 9 is another pretty fast turn.

Turn 10 is a fast, slightly downhill right immediately after turn 9.

Immediately after turn 10 is the tight turns 11 & 12, left-right chicane. This chicane is flat.

Shortly after turn 12 is a flat-out, uphill right - turn 13.

There is a short shute to the hairy-chested turn 14, 15 & 16 section. Turn 14 is over a crest & is a fast, flat-out, slightly downhill right.

Turn 15 is a fast, slightly downhill left.

Turn 16 is a fast, slightly downhill right.

After turn 16 the track flattens out in a straight where the highest speed will be reached. This straight leads down to the final turn.

Turn 17 is slightly tighter than 90 degrees, right-handed, and a very good place to pass. The exit of turn 17 begins another blast back down the flat main straight.

[Lee Janotta]

Okay Mac, this one I _really_ like... My only complaint is that chicane after turn 3... Take that out, and you've got a great little track.

With the braking zone so close after turn 3, you kill a great opportunity for drivers to take that turn flat-out, then try to pass into the hairpin.