Are Some Race Tracks Becoming a Little Less Interesting Nowadays?

[JohnBM01]

With Formula One racing this weekend at the German Grand Prix in Heidelburg, Germany at the Hockenheim Circuit, I had a chance to notice the track map. I was quite shocked to see this configuration of Hockenheim. I don't really like the short course, and I'm certainly not a fan of this new configuration. Hockenheim that I remember, is like a German Le Mans. I mean, after Turn One, the track has its own Hunadieres/Mulsanne, and you blast all the way down and then try to overtake in the first chicane. Then the second long straight was like the third straight of Le Mans, that being a long straight with kinks in it. Then you zoomed down this third straight, another overtaking chicane, then head out to where handling is more important than pure speed. And I think the FIA made a big mistake doing that. I don't think that of the old track is purely dangerous, just that Hockenheim is now a second-rate Monza. I agree with everything David Hobbs said about old Hockenheim. The old Hockenheim had a configuration like a knife. The hilt of the knife was the handling section, but the "blade" itself was all or mostly speed. And think of the two chicanes of old Hockenheim can be thought of as dents in the "blade."

Gran Turismo Planet, has race track design been less interesting as of late? I knew Eagle was talking about how Hockenheim's original configuration was mixed up with this newer configuration. And I hate to say this, but, I miss the old Hockenheim. I wanted to see Montoya try to overtake Schumi in some of those slow corners and chicanes. But, someone took a big chunk out of the "knife" and made it a second-rate speed circuit. Has race track design been subpar as of late? Reply now.

 

[kart racer]

It seems that most tracks that are new or reworked have been done so with saftey in mind.Because of this,the tracks seem to be boring.They lack any real speed and are just not as tough as the old ones.In a way you might say this is a good thing but we old timers miss tthe day when it was driver skill and not the car that won races.

 

[wellyrn]

I'd rather see F1 the way it is than having 1/2 the race done under yellow flags.

 

[Pupik]

I've been a big fan of F1, but until this season, I only watched it sporadically since 2000. So this was the first time I've seen the modified Hockenheimring in action. There was never that much passing on the original track, because it was a true power circuit, like Monza. Cars usually qualified in team order, and the passing was far and few between. The old H-ring was interesting in that it was a forest with very few spectators outside the stadium area, but despite all the straightaways followed by the chicanes, there really wasn't that much overtaking. Most passing took place into the 1st chicane or the Sachs Kurve (stadium area), but the track was always just too narrow in places. With all the "blocking" that takes place nowadays, the old track is just a littel unsuitable. Many drivers found it dangerous and boring; it's one thing to have a dangerous track because it's challenging, but the long straights were exactly the opposite.

In away, the drivers are getting what they asked for, although I'd hate to see Spa-Francorchamps get a similar treatment...luckily, it gets unanimous praise from the drivers and fans. And to me, this year's F1 race at Hockenheimring (heh...not very "ring"-shaped anymore) had lots of passing, really the best racing of the year so far; even if it wasn't for the lead it was still entertaining from start to finish.

The racing circuits of the world are becoming boring, however. The circuits should still retain the flavor of the area, using the natural terrain, color, foliage, and "flavor" of the region in which the race is held. Too many street circuits mask the surrounding areas of a racecourse with concrete barriers and miles of chain-link fence, replete with cigarette, cell-phone, and motor oil advertising. But it's a real shame that the purpose-built tracks of today are becoming cookie-cutter, offering little in the way of ingenuity, skill, or challenge to the drivers. Mabye it's the competitive and professional nature of today's racing drivers, because they never praise the difficulty and awe of many circuit features anymore.

The "new" Nürburgring's re-design in 1981 set the tone for many other weak circuits to follow. The lovely terrain and historic aspect of the area should have produced a magnificent track, but a 2.8-mile track with few challenging and awe-inspiring fast corners makes me say "no thanks" when it comes to watching an entire race at that venue. It's got to live up to the North circuit's repuatation, that's for certain, but just doesn't offer the same challenge.

An important part of the circuits of the world sometimes isn't even the track itself, it's the vantage points and background that make you enjoy watching a race. When you see the old timing tower and abandoned banking at Monza, the "pagoda" at Indy, the old pits down to Eau Rouge, or the Lowes Hairpin at Monte Carlo, you see that there's more to the eye than just racing cars on tarmac. Give the spectator at home a reason to see that this isn't just the same car and driver at the same track; it's an experience that we may want to emulate ourselves, even if only in our mind.

 

[millencolin]

i really miss the old hockemhiem. provided an excellent race every year. awesome speeds, slamming on the brakes for the chichaines, then the stadium section. just mad. does anyone remember the 2000 hockemheim race. Barrichellos first victory. he charged from 18th on the grid to win, predicting the rain and also the crazy guy running on the track. the race was one of the best in history

 

[TheCracker]

I agree that a lot of circuits have become bland and a little uninteresting. I too loved the original Hockenheim circuit, but have to admit, from a racing point of view there was probably as much overtaking on this newer short circuit as you could hope to expect on the older one.

Its the same with most of the 'still used' classic european F1 tracks. Monza, Spa, Imola and Silverstone have all been changed significantly over the 50+ years they've been used. But they still create great races (even by F1 standards) every year. Why is this? - i can only presume it has as much to do with atmosphere and location as it does for still using sections of the original circuits.

All the 'new' tracks like Bahrain, Sepang, Indy 'infield', Magny Cours and even the short Nurbergring have all been designed with safety regulations and good facilities for 'race goers', teams and their invited guests, the drivers like to drive these tracks, but they just don't lend themselves to interesting races to watch on TV.

The real difference comes from the fact that new circuits are designed with modern F1s' in mind. Older circuits usually had other uses originally, Silverstone was a WW2 airfield, Spa was just open roads and Imola was built on the site of a Roman Chariot arena! So racing cars were never in mind when these locations were originally choosen and have therefore always been at odds with these locations to an extent - leading to better racing due to compromise.

I hope this makes some sense, i don't think i explained myself well.

 

[wdb]

I have to agree that the current configuration of Hockenheim worked a treat for Sunday's race. It had some great moments.

But, for sure, modern tracks seem to lack the character of the older ones. Much of this is due to safety precautions, the need to make new tracks multi-configurable, and the need to make them work for multiple categories of racecar/bike. For instance, the Bahrain cirucit is so wide and boring that it's painful to watch in places cos it looks like a test track with no one about...

I think the Shangahi circuit will be the test of modern track design and construction. Huge investment means it should be a real showcase of tech and design. I'll be looking out for developments and events in China...

 

[Cap'n Jack]

China will be great to watch next year, only because the V8 supercars will be there.

Anyway, I think tracks are getting more boring, V8 supercars is getting less exciting, the only track that will always be great to watch is Bathurst.

 

[RyosukeFCDS]

In my mind tracks are getting more boring because people (general public wankers) are only interested in how fast a car can go down a straight, so it's all lame easy sweeping bends or straight lines, you need them, but then you need a crazy hairpin to come out of no where, blind corners, huge intricit sections, low speed, where one mistake sets you off the track

 

[JohnBM01]

So you think race tracks are more about challenge than speed, Ryosuke? In ways I agree with you, in other ways, I disagree. Agree in the respect of how race tracks are designed to challenge people, not go really fast. This is true, even in NASCAR. Talladega has skill to it, because pure speed isn't enough to win. You have to use some wit to pass. I think Monza is pretty much unchanged. It's a high-speed challenge that still has plenty of challenge.

So here's my question. If race tracks are being less interesting, which tracks (and I'm even taking rally races) are still interesting today?

 

[Firestarter75]

Actually Talladega is more luck and having a buddy to help you to pass. Not much wit, just gotta know when to block.. and not to block.