Nurburgring to be "Tilke-ised"

[Nicholosophy]

Story is here -> http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns16344.html

Seems that TOGF (that other german fellow - Hermann Tilke ) is going to be back at it again. Nothing mentioned in the article about exactly what changes will be made on track, but the Nurburgring isn't that bad at the moment I wouldn't think.

I guess this leads onto a hypothetical - if you could suggestion changes to the Nurburgring to TOGF, what would they be?

Bye Bye Hockenheim if the Nurburgring can afford to keep with the times and they can't....

[Halsey]

The new Nurburgring is pretty poor, and pales in comparison to the 'proper' one, so news of the possibility that Tilke is going to play with it is probably for the worse, but depending on the changes won't be too depressing.

[Raglanparade]

As long as he doesnt Tilkerize the real nurburgring that lives next door.. i dont realy care

[Suze]

No, that wouldn't happen.

The old one isn't the worst, but neither is it the best. But then again this news isn't great.

[TheNewBob]

I think they ruined it when they added the new complex after the start/finish straight - I saw the article name on F1-Live and thought good things, then I saw the sub heading of them drafting in Tilke and the smile soon disappeared.

What do people actually see in Herman Tilke? The surroundings and atmosphere to the place might not be too shabby, but it's the circuits themselves that count, and frankly 90% of his designs are just absolutely awful...

I hope I'm missing a point here, because he must be doing something good if he keeps getting hired for these kind of jobs. He struck a positive chord with the circuit in Turkey, but nearly everything else is just so dreary and dull. Yes I can understand there's a need for safety too, but you can make a place safe without losing an atmosphere or character.

Someone please prove me wrong about my comments here, because I really don't wanna see F1 go down the pan with plain, dull circuits helping to produce utterly boring races (as well as it's other problems right now)...

[safc_fan89]

Until the first corner was changed, I didn't think the new Nurburgring was that bad. Nothing on the old one, but then, few tracks are.

I'm sick of hearing that Hermann Tilke is going to redesign either a circuit or its facilities. How about some originality? He's not even good at his job! His tracks are all the same.

[flor]

The changes mentioned in that article arent changes to the track itself.

[shambles]

Yeah - there will be no changes to the track, although, they should remove the first few corners, or restructure them, they're pretty boring IMO.

[Silk Cut Jaguar]

Originally Posted by safc_fan89

I'm sick of hearing that Hermann Tilke is going to redesign either a circuit or its facilities. How about some originality? He's not even good at his job! His tracks are all the same.

He's often said that he would love to build massive, sprawling Nordschleife-esque tracks but at the end of the day he can only design within the specifications he's given. Likewise, when he's given a clean sheet of paper he can produce some fun tracks - Sepang and Turkey are great and Shanghai isn't that bad either.

A lot of circuits often ask Bernie who he recommends, and it's always Tilke that gets the nod so it wouldn't surprise me if it was ultimately Bernie who gave the suggestions on how to make the circuits more F1 friendly.

[ss_collins]

Sepang and Turkey are great and Shanghai isn't that bad either.

Funny must be different tracks to the ones I'm thinking of. If bernie always gives tilke the nod does bernie get a refferal fee perhaps?

There are other track designers - Dubai Autodrome was designed by WSR, and is very un tilke

[Dani Filth]

in which way aren't those great ?? .. It may not have history .. but the tracks are quite good ..

[AllonFS]

Is it too much to ask for circuits which flow, with long fast challenging corners and complexes? My complaint with Tilke is that all of his circuits try to have a bit of everything, meaning that none really have their own character. There are far too many nasty tight corners were the primary objective seems to be to slow the cars to get nice TV shots for the sponsors, (so that is why Bernie likes him).

In fairness though this complaint can be leveled at most circuits these days. Silverstone is no longer the blast it was, and many other tracks have been emasculated. I am all for safety but the combination of go-kart tracks and slot machine cars means the overall spectacle is a lot less exciting that could and should be.

[ss_collins]

The only inspirational thing about Sepang, Istanbul and Shanghai is the associated architecture, which is without doubt fantastic. The tracks themselves are bland to the level of nothingness, when we were doing Autodrome we visited a whole range of circuits - all of which are vastly better than anything Tilke has done. Reims doesn't exactly have any amazing corners but the character of the circuit promoted (and would still) mega racing, the Nurburgring Sudschleife was a real drivers challenge, with serious gradient and of course Monthlery has to be seen to be believed.

You may cry safety - but the tracks themselves were not unsafe - rather the surroundings, they flowed, felt good to drive. And had that most imortant thing - soul.

Let Tilke build the pit complexes (cos they are mega) and someone else do the rest

[vs346]

Good point on the soul comment ss collins. At this point F1 has become so bland (the motorsports equivalent to globalisation) that everything looks the same. From the advert boards to the run off areas to the fencing, etc. (with a few exceptions of course).

Put it this way. The old Hochenheim felt more like Spa while the new Hochenheim feels more like Istanbul. I dont know maybe I like trees...

[429CJ]

Sepang and China are fairly nice, except first corners, Barhrain is weak, Turkey great.

[shambles]

I don't subscribe to the view that they're all the same. They all provide different challenges I feel, but I think Tilke's main downfall has been attempting to be too radical in certain areas. For instance; and the best case, is the first corner at Shanghai. I was intrigued pre-2004 race there, about that turn, and it really dissapointed me. Sepang's first corner is similar, but much less annoying. I think we have a few top class facilities in F1 now, and I really do wonder, what would happen - if we showed title-less maps of each F1 circuit to F1 no-hopers (i.e. people that haven't the foggiest inclination about the sport) and asked them to pick out the four circuits he'd designed.

[Paddockman]

Ok Nurburgring is as we all know fairly uninspiring so get Tilke in to make it even worse! Great! I am afraid the days of great circuits are long gone now. Over zealous safety maniacs and this general health and safety culture has been the death of any form of inspiring circuit full stop!!

[alesi95]

Hasnt Tilke already redesigned th nurburgring once before, in 2002? Ive been lead to belive that horrid complex in turn 1 was his responsibility.

[Bleu]

Originally Posted by alesi95

Hasnt Tilke already redesigned th nurburgring once before, in 2002? Ive been lead to belive that horrid complex in turn 1 was his responsibility.

It is already said in this topic that these new changes will not affect the track, only the facilities.

[Knowlesy]

Nurburgring is a good track, so quite why Tilke needs to come in and make it into a vast tarmac skidpad is anyones guess.

And how exactly can they afford this, given that the German tracks are in dire financial straits?

[fangio]

None of Tilek's designs are any goor. I raced at istanbul and it has a few reasonable corners but the total is just no good.
I think Mr. BE has a stake in Tilke's operation and therefore another way to keep in control.
He probably can't mess up the 'Ring any more that he already did with the first wto corners.
Tilke doesn't understand anything about the flow of a circuit and about history and atmopshere