A question about UK Race Tracks - Why do most tracks run clockwise?
- Thread starter G.T
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- The Grid
- OnE-JoKeR_
- OneCrazedJoker
It's a tough question to be honest. Take the Brands Hatch short track, there are more right turns then left so in that case with the driver side hitting the apex of the corner it would be easier to judge the space, whereas left turns you got the bonnet and passenger side in the way of your view.
Unless you're racing a mclaren f1, then you're in the middle and have equal amount of viewing for both sides. lol
Unless you're racing a mclaren f1, then you're in the middle and have equal amount of viewing for both sides. lol
- 23,901
- It/It
- GTP_TheCracker
A clockwise circuit is bound to have more righthand corners than left. The driver of a rhd car will be able to see a righthand corner less than a left hander because of the A-pillar (windscreen surround) IMO.
Having said that, you could probably judge the positioning of the righthand front wheel at the corners apex better when you are almost sat on top of it rather than to the side of it, so i suppose its swings and roundabouts.
Having said that, you could probably judge the positioning of the righthand front wheel at the corners apex better when you are almost sat on top of it rather than to the side of it, so i suppose its swings and roundabouts.
- 2,216
- Queenstown, South Australia
- guska_Cryotank
- guska1984
interesting point, something to put to someone in the know (ie. someone who has designed a track for real), but my guess is that is could have somethig do do with the way engines rotate, and the changes in weight distribution that that affects. I dunno, just throwing a theory out there
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- It/It
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gooseter
Apart from Rockingham, no one has designed a race track in the UK for probably 40 years or so.
Most older circuits weren't really designed from scratch. A lot of UK circuits were originally WW2 airfields. After the war people looking for a bit of a thrill started running cars around these now disused stretches of tarmac, usually the connecting roads between hangers and runways. Brands Hatch used to be a dirt bike track (run anti-clockwise) when they tarmaced it for cars they probably thought the layout suited a clockwise approach instead.
Most European circuits i can think of also run clockwise so it can't really have anything to do with LHD or RHD. Its probably just tradition.
Roo
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- 7,418
- Hampshire, UK
- GTP_Roo
Not just UK - in Formula 1, of the 18 tracks this season, only 2 (Istanbul, Imola and Interlagos) are run anti-clockwise; Suzuka is a figure-of-8, and the remaining 14 are all clockwise.
The Nurburgring Nordschleife is clockwise too. Although Brooklands was anticlockwise, as all ovals I know of are today.
Edit: Yes, Imola too
The Nurburgring Nordschleife is clockwise too. Although Brooklands was anticlockwise, as all ovals I know of are today.
Edit: Yes, Imola too
- 23,901
- It/It
- GTP_TheCracker
Roo
How about Imola?
- 1,165
interesting topic...
short research just brought up a theory that supposedly explains why in track and field they run counterclockwise. apparently, modern horse racing was started in great britain, were they first raced horses on public roads. they deemed it safer to make only left turns to reduce the danger of crashes on intersections. the concept was then taken over for oval racing (horses/atheltics, maybe motorsport as well).
maybe the same concept applies to roadracing...many early roadraces were held on public roads and on continental europe it would be easier to make only right turns.
short research just brought up a theory that supposedly explains why in track and field they run counterclockwise. apparently, modern horse racing was started in great britain, were they first raced horses on public roads. they deemed it safer to make only left turns to reduce the danger of crashes on intersections. the concept was then taken over for oval racing (horses/atheltics, maybe motorsport as well).
maybe the same concept applies to roadracing...many early roadraces were held on public roads and on continental europe it would be easier to make only right turns.
MagpieRacer
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- Wymondham, Norfolk
- Seagull_Racer
The thing about off centre driving positions wouldnt really work seeing as though F1 and the likes are central and have been since early 1900s..
- 86,683
- Rule 12
- GTP_Famine
G.T
Indeed - stranger things have happened. For instance, the size of the Space Shuttle is directly determined by a horse's arse (or so the story goes - damned Snopes).
However, as is pointed out, it's not just British tracks - even the legendary Nordschleife is clockwise. And the RHD/LHD distinction is a red herring too - most, if not all, racing cars are left hand drive (yes, including F1 cars - the gearshift was to the right of the driver before they went all flappy-paddle), even the "British" Touring Car Championship cars...
- 26,759
- Houston, Texas, USA
- JMarine25
This question shouldn't be in this forum, since we're talking about race tracks here. My answer to this can be defined in two words...
WHO CARES?
May as well ask why ovals are counterclockwise/anti-clockwise. I don't think there's anything revolutionary about a course that isn't a clockwise deal. I did find an answer in an alternative form of racing- horse racing. According to: { http://www.faqfarm.com/Q/Why_do_horse_race_tracks_go_counter_clockwise }, a Kentucky person raced horses counterclockwise in protest to the English. The British race clockwise. So this may be something of preference more than actual scientific research.
I initially responded "who cares?" because I never thought there was anything really important or mind-blowing about a track being used clockwise or counterclockwise. Juan Pablo Montoya says that anti-clockwise tracks put in a little strain on the neck, but nothing serious. Something else I read indicated that British Stock Car Racing is a type of short oval racing which runs in clockwise or counterclockwise/anti-clockwise depending on class. Other than that, I'm not really sure. At least I gave you a little perspective.
Nothing special about what direction a track goes. Only as long as you know how to navigate it without fail. And again... this probably belongs in the Drifting and Other Motorsports forum than here in Cars in General.
WHO CARES?
May as well ask why ovals are counterclockwise/anti-clockwise. I don't think there's anything revolutionary about a course that isn't a clockwise deal. I did find an answer in an alternative form of racing- horse racing. According to: { http://www.faqfarm.com/Q/Why_do_horse_race_tracks_go_counter_clockwise }, a Kentucky person raced horses counterclockwise in protest to the English. The British race clockwise. So this may be something of preference more than actual scientific research.
I initially responded "who cares?" because I never thought there was anything really important or mind-blowing about a track being used clockwise or counterclockwise. Juan Pablo Montoya says that anti-clockwise tracks put in a little strain on the neck, but nothing serious. Something else I read indicated that British Stock Car Racing is a type of short oval racing which runs in clockwise or counterclockwise/anti-clockwise depending on class. Other than that, I'm not really sure. At least I gave you a little perspective.
Nothing special about what direction a track goes. Only as long as you know how to navigate it without fail. And again... this probably belongs in the Drifting and Other Motorsports forum than here in Cars in General.
- 86,683
- Rule 12
- GTP_Famine
JohnBM01
US Stock Cars:
UK Stock Cars:
Ours involves bashing the living hell out of rubbish old cars, on 400 yard long dirt tracks. Calling is "short oval racing" is like referring to a tractor pull as "drag racing" - it's factually correct, but woefully misrepresenting.
- 29,983
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- JDA1982
Think Destruction derby and you'll get an idea.
http://www.btinternet.com/~tim.catley/
and a couple of vid's on this one.
http://www.thedd.co.uk/
http://www.btinternet.com/~tim.catley/
and a couple of vid's on this one.
http://www.thedd.co.uk/
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