Formula E Circuit Design Thread

[Beetle]

Hello, all,

It's been a while since I've posted something decent on here. And it may just be a little while longer as I actually don't have any tracks to show for myself. But Formula E, the new electric Formula racing series everyone is raving about, presents a unique challenge not just for me but for all track designers: street circuit racing within major cities. Here are the ten, if you aren't familiar:

Europe
- Monte-Carlo, Monaco (supposedly the same layout as F1 track)
- Berlin, Germany (held at the abandoned Tempelhof Airport)
- London, England (rumors of circuit near Wembley Stadium grounds or 2012 Olympic Park)

Asia
- Beijing, China (highly rumored circuit in the 2008 Olympic Park)
- Putrajaya, Malaysia

South America
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Puente del Este, Uruguay

North America
- Miami, FL, USA
- Los Angeles, CA, USA

So that's your challenge! There are only a few restrictions...

1. The track or facilities cannot run on the city's major road(s).
2. The circuit must be at least three lanes wide at all times.
3. The circuit must be within 20 or so miles from the city centre.
4. Shoot for 2.5-3.0 km in length... a little over or under is OK but try to design it to fit to that distance regulation.
5. Must have suitable facilities for paddock, event parking, spectator stands, etc.

Here's a taster of the Hong Kong Formula E track that got shelved...



Let the designing commence.

[ScotsBrutesFan]

I can't see a streets of Wembley. The Stadium is in a very Urban area, ad the only reason it gets away with the size of crowd that fit into it, is the fact that it has it's own railway station immediatley to the South, and and Underground station to the North that has it's own dedicated footpath (Wembley Way) that's 20 yards wide and 600m long.

The latest Google Earth images of the Olympic park still shows lots of construction (or perhaps dismantling) going on with temporary roadways etc. Something there might be possible but there are also lots of little bridges in that area as the Olympic Park was built on a number of small islands.

[SpeedingTortoise]

My proposal for the Formula E track in Putrajaya, Malaysia.
2.51mi/4.0km. Anti-clockwise. Elevaton taken from Google Earth.

[bio]

Are there any significant differences between "traditional" and electric racing cars? I man trackdesign-wise. What are the things we have to take into consideration we didn't have to with "normal" cars, and the things we don't have to take into consideration we had to with normal cars?

bio

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by SpeedingTortoise

My proposal for the Formula E track in Putrajaya, Malaysia.
2.51mi/4.0km. Anti-clockwise. Elevaton taken from Google Earth.

It needs to be 2.5 - 3 km to comply with Formula E specifications. :/

Nevertheless, I like it! Cyberjaya... sounds like something out of some William Gibson steampunk novel.

[SpeedingTortoise]

Redesign of my Putrajaya track. 1.81mi/2.92km Anticlockwise

[apri]

One quick question... Are airports allowed?

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by apri

One quick question... Are airports allowed?

Yes, unless the venue has already confirmed their relative location and it doesn't happen to be at an airport (Los Angeles, for example).

[ss_collins]

You have to consider the car performance (no long straights), and the circuit requirement - the pits need to be big - 2 cars per driver 2 drivers per team. They also have to be next to major power sources - ie a stadium.

[apri]

http://goo.gl/maps/dwaF0
I hope that's good (It isn't...)
Track goes counter-clockwise.

[CJDJ500]

Here is my idea for the race in Rio. It has 12 turns, runs in a clockwise direction and is 2.67km (1.66mi) in length. The start line is the red dot on the east side of the circuit, and the pit straight is the longest on the course, at 718m. The screenshot (below right) is just a view from turn 12 (the final corner). Just in case you were wondering, the pit lane exit does not run straight into harms way. It curves off, pointing to the right and towards turn 3. Any other ideas you may have? Feel free to reply.

[Metzo]

my proposal for tempelhof

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6164206

would probably be too fast the formula e cars so i added chicanes for a second layout

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6164209

[AoB Special Stage]

Given what we now know of FE racing, I think this deserves a bump.

[pirenzo]

I've been trying to draw a circuit for Florence, Italy, which has some very interesting roads up on the hillside around the Piazza Michelangelo. Unfortunately, none of these seem to loop conveniently back on themselves.

I've designed this one down by the hippodrome instead.

It's maybe a little too narrow in places, and the straights are a bit long. Also, I think I'd run it in the opposite direction (clockwise)

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6682081

[AoB Special Stage]

Don't sweat the width, some areas on the calendar are terrifyingly narrow, but another chicane on the front straight would be desirable.

I prefer Roma myself, but I had the same problems and settled on the Circus Maximus, for centuries the largest speed-sport arena in the world and still well up the order if it is counted.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6666938

[pirenzo]

My proposal for a circuit in Rome:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6698463

I preferred the roads around the nearby Baths of Caracalla. You needn't have the convoluted switch back if the circuit needed to be shorter or faster.

[Cardona18]

This is my first post here (welcome me!) and this is my first time using gmap.

I made this 1.284-mile course in my grandma's hometown of Aschaffenburg, Germany!

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6713099

[pirenzo]

Hi Cardona, welcome to TenTenths.

Looks like a fast track. Where would you have the pit garages?

[Yannick]

As Formula E is significantly slower than other major open wheel motor racing series, it can safely have street circuits that would be deemed too dangerous at higher speeds. These circuits can thus be more "old-style", and that is being liked pretty much by the people over here on this board. Let's say Forza Formula E!

[AoB Special Stage]

Two Montreal solutions from Alenptetak11 of the Skyscrapercity forum, who may or may not be this person. ( https://schalensys.wordpress.com/ )

2.85 and 3.42 km respectively

[HighParker]

Originally Posted by apri

... Are airports allowed?

Originally Posted by Beetle

Yes...

Downsview Airport, Toronto

The runway in the middle is apparently 61m (200 ft) wide -- enough to put a barrier in the centre and use both sides. Track length would be roughly 2.8 km, although I did not measure it that carefully. It would go in a clockwise direction, and require some new paving beside the soccer fields.

[AoB Special Stage]

I have my reservations about the length of a few straights, but at airport circuits chicanes become child's play to install.

[CJDJ500]

http://www.motorsport.com/formula-e/...e-race-683407/

I found this article on Motorsport.com, outlining the possibility for a FE race in Brooklyn, NYC, which could "occur as early as season 3".

So I decided to investigate the area and search for any possibilities for a decent layout, if this proposal does go ahead.

Here is what I came up with: https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6832064

It's a fairly simple layout, with a clockwise route consisting of 14 turns and a long 0.7mi straight after turn 2. The course also passes several key sites, such as Prospect Park, the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch and the Brooklyn Museum. It may be slightly long for a FE circuit, at 2.275mi (3.661km), but overall I'm pretty impressed with my creation.

Also, for your information, the pit lane will be located further down Washington Street, rejoining at turn 1 on Empire Blvd.

Hope you like it

[AoB Special Stage]

Formula E straights should not be greater than 600m. The lap is 221m longer than the longest venue (Beijing), and that is quite a bit in terms of Formula E. I do like it personally though.

[AoB Special Stage]

Agag is keen on another American race, and during an interview Friday on the topic of a Vegas GP, Ecclestone said they "would have Formula E anyway".

FE did a demo run in Paradise last year, and as much as I don't trust articles dated April 1 (although Bill Nye apparently believed the one about Tesla in NASCAR) Ecclestone held talks with Vegas back in '14 and these reports were nearly simultaneous from Autosport in Motorsport.com.

I'll come up with something soon (also don't bother looking for the old Caesar's Palace track, the casino expanded over it).