Forum Challenge: Liberty State Park

[Helicon_One]

As mentioned on several news sites now, there's a move to build a circuit in New Jersey's Liberty State Park with the intention of hosting a formula 1 race in the near future. For anybody looking for the location on the map it couldn't be simpler: find the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbour and scroll north-west a kilometre or so until you hit land: that's the park (the exact long/lat co-ordinates are 40°42'14.66"N 74°03'01.86W)

Here's the initial circuit proposal:



I can't really say I'm much of a fan: it reminds me of the hungaroring with no straight or overtaking opportunity worthy of the name. I'm sure the residents here can do better!

[dyewat808]

This solves the question of its location for me. Cheers for that
However, I'm a little confused - which line is the race-circuit?

By your likening of it to the Hungaroring, I thought you were talking about the dashed, darker line, but then where would the pits go?

If we're talking about the same line, then I quite agree, I'm not a fan either. I hate the Hungaroring.

However, if the circuit is the pinker, lighter line, I like it.

And sure, I'll have a crack at this - I love street circuits. I kind of had already had a go, but not in the right location in this thread..

[Helicon_One]

From looking around on Google maps, the pink line seems to show the existing roads on the park, I can only assume the purple line is the proposed circuit.

Google Streetview is my new favourite toy, its really handy for scouting out locations for street circuits, and I should point out that from looking around in it none of the existing 'pink' roads appear wide enough to race on. Morris Pesin Drive and Phillip Street (the south and west sides of the square) are two lanes wide, Freedom Way (the east side) is a single lane, and Audrey Zapp Drive to the North is paved with cobblestones! Whatever the final layout, its not as though you're saving any work by using the existing streets since they're all going to have to be torn up and massively widened anyway (unless of course the Streetview images are out of date now).

Here's my first attempt: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3699286

[tlongman]

It's funny I was just about to start the same exact thread! haha

[Yannick]

I don't like the location at all for F1. The locals are better off without F1 and they know it. Please, no Valencia Marina style circuit with the corner sequence of Hungaroring. A race in the US needs a US-style circuit. This is not one.

To be honest, I'd prefer a return to Indy over this.

[dyewat808]

Originally Posted by Yannick

I don't like the location at all for F1. The locals are better off without F1 and they know it. Please, no Valencia Marina style circuit with the corner sequence of Hungaroring. A race in the US needs a US-style circuit. This is not one.

To be honest, I'd prefer a return to Indy over this.

I'm inclined to agree, the only thing is its a new circuit that doesn't have a massive straight and then a sharp hairpin, then another massive straight and then another sharp hairpin.

I'd like to see it in action, but then maybe it has too many corners.

I dunno, I'm undecided here.

[Tathrim]

Will attempt, but NOT at liberty state park.

[jab]

All a bit academic now, though

[dyewat808]

Originally Posted by jab

All a bit academic now, though

I'm not surprised to be honest. In all honesty, I think a lot of ordinary Americans are a bit wary of F1 since the 2005 Indy mess.

[tlongman]

Thats not it at all actually. Most Americans don't even know what happened at Indy 2005. Heck, many don't even know what F1 is. The problem is that in America, when people think of racing they only think of Nascar and, in turn, big, beer drinking, red necks that cause a lot noise and lower the standards of society. (a common stereotype, not one that I agree with) They don't understand that the F1 crowd is very different than that of Nascar. Also, many of these races get shot down because of the tree huggers and artsy types who enjoy these parks. In 2005, Champ Car tried to do a street race on the streets of Philadelphia on 4th of July weekend, at night. It would have been a huge deal but since the proposed track ran past the art museum, it was shot down as soon as news leaked out. This is the exact same thing. The "Friends of Liberty Park" were quick to shoot down the prospects of this event without even considering the potential value of an event like this. They just think that a bunch of rednecks are coming to destroy the sanctity of their little park. Unfortunate really...