Points of Interest
I couldn't wait to stick this weeks installment at the top of a page because the thread isn't moving fast enough right now and I have a Hall of Fame dinner I have to attend tonight. This week S.N.A.I.L. will be competing at Mount Panorama (Bathurst), Fuji Speedway on the GT layout, and Silverstone on the International layout. Both Bathurst and Fuji are new to the line-up for this week while Silverstone is making it's second appearance this time around.
Mount Panorama Circuit
Bathurst is a real world track located in Australia. The track is host to two major races in the Bathurst 1000KM and the 12 hours of Bathurst. When the track is not being used for racing, it is a system of public roads that can be driven on in both directions. The speed limit for the public road is a whopping 60 KM/hr or 37 mph and the road is reportedly well patrolled by local law enforcement. The track boundaries here are pretty straight forward. As always, rumble strips are part of the track and green painted areas are not. A few photos as examples are below.
Exit of turn one used as an example of the red/white rumble strips being part of the track. The green area to the right of the strips are NOT part of the track surface.
Taken at the chicane just after the top of the hill. This example shows the red/white rumble strips on the inside of a turn. Once again, the green painted area to the left of the strips are NOT part of the track surface.
Taken at the entrance to the last corner, the white line constitutes the edge of the track in this particular spot. You may not more than two wheels outside of this line upon entry to the corner.
Fuji Speedway GT Layout
Fuji Speedway was originally planned to be a 2.5 mile superspeedway with the end goal to host NASCAR races. That original plan quickly ran out of money and the road course was built instead. The original layout had one of these high banked corners but it was later removed due to safety concerns. Fuji Speedway hosted it's first Formula One race in 1976. The layout of this track has evolved many times over the years and now consists of the GT and F layout. The track boundaries are actually quite easy to understand here. There is plenty of runoff area at this track but none of it is legal to race on. Examples are included below.
Turn one. The inside of the corner is clearly marked by the red/white rumble strips which are considered track at all locations on Fuji. The outside of the corner has plenty of runoff area. The red/white strips are part of the track. The green area is NOT part of the track here or anywhere else. If you find yourself in the green or further out here, you will need to return to the racing surface only when you can do so without affecting any other driver in any way. If this means you have to let the entire field by on lap 1 then so be it.
Exit of turn 3, Coca-Cola Corner. Once again the green stuff is NOT part of the track. If you're out there, you must wait until it is safe to come back on.
Exit of the last corner leading down the front straight. Once again, the green stuff is NOT part of the track. Same as before, if you end up out there, you will need to wait until it is safe to come back onto the racing surface.
Silverstone International
Silverstone was opened in 1943 as an airfield. When the war ended in 1945, there was not another racing circuit in the area and the decision was made to lease the airfield and convert it to Silverstone raceway. The original layout utilized two runways that faced each other so canvas was erected between the two runways and crowds were not allowed in the area for fear of damaging growing crops. In 1949 the layout was adjusted to a more permanent version.
The track made it's first appearance in the GT series with the 2013 GT Academy time trial. The track was then included in GT6 with all three versions available.
With the multiple layouts of the track, there are some questionable areas when it comes to track boundaries. These areas along with basic examples are included in the photos below.
This photo shows the inside of turn one or "Abbey" on the map. The red/white rumble strips are considered to be part of the track. The green painted area and the two red squares are NOT part of the track here or on any other part of the track.
This photo is taken at the exit of "Abbey" on the outside of the track. In this case the white line represents the edge of the track until you reach the red/white rumble strips which are part of the track. As always, cones and pylons are not to be contacted at any time.
This photo is taken at the apex of the "Village Corner." There's nothing out of the ordinary here but the red/white rumble strips are part of the track. The red painted area is NOT part of the track in this, or any other spot on the track.
This photo is taken at the exit of the "Village Corner" just before the "Link." This shows a red/white rumble strip which is part of the track and the green painted area that is NOT part of the track here or anywhere else.
This last photo is taken at the exit of the "Link" and may be the most ambiguous area of the track when it comes to boundaries. This is the spot that the other layout of the track would meet with this layout so there is open pavement and curbs and lines that don't apply to this layout. As always, cones are NOT to be contacted at any time. In this area of the track, the white line will serve as the track boundary. The red/white rumble strips used for the corner on the other layout are NOT part of this track.