Notable features at circuits past and present Options

[BRG]

Wading through the mire of the RCF, I came across a thread from Vunz asking where the arch on Barcelona pit straight was no longer there. I had not noticed this although I did keep getting the feeling that something was missing this year. Anyone know what happened to it?

It made me think about the landmarks at race circuits that so often help us to recognise a track with just one glance. I don’t mean corners (we had a thread on that recently anyway) but the buildings and other surrounding features. Some that spring to my mind, either from years back and more recent, are:-

· the Dunlop bridge at Le Mans (and of course the ferris wheel)
· the figure-of-8 bridge at Suzuka
· the banking over-bridge at Monza
· the coloured gravel traps at Melbourne
· the grandstand at the final corner at Sepang
· the Hockenheim stadium
· that distinctive cantilevered grandstand opposite the pits at Zandvoort

Those unfamiliar with British circuits may not know these ones:-

· Starkey’s Bridge at Donington Park
· the gatehouse at Lodge corner at Oulton Park
· South Bank at Brands Hatch with its serried ranks of parked cars

Many of these familiar features have proved transient, like the old manual results displays at many circuits, often on some sort of tower, but now swept away by redevelopments.

[Gil Bouffard]

Welllll,

These may be obvious....But.....

These two are often featured in TV ads for cars or car products.
The Corkscrew at Laguna Seca.
The downhill sweep to the Karussel at Sears Point.

To me the landmarks like the SportHotel and the Tower at the Nurburgring were very special.
Reims with the escape road going past the restaurant at Thillios.
Goodwood's chicane before the pits.
Aintree's Melling Crossing.
The climbing esses at Watkins Glen.

Most American tracks don't have that same atmosphere.

[Frank de Jong]

The yellow & black striped guardrails in Buenos Aires, in the 70's and 80's GP's (are they still there?) is the first which springs in my mind. The control tower at Zolder. The straw bales at that Austrian Airport circuit Aspen.

[Barry Boor]

I'm pleased to say that the Restaurant at Reims is still there and the escape road is the main road into town!

[Kpy]

• The café at La Source at Spa
• The Hunaudières restaurant at Le Mans
• The White House at Le Mans
• The old clock on the start/finish line at Le Mans
• The old Station at Monaco
• The old railway viaduct at Ste Devote - Monaco
• Tabac kiosk and balustrade - Monaco
• The hotel overlooking the approach to the Bosch-Kurve at the Osterreichring
• The cottage at the exit to the Hairpin at Cadwell Park

Just a few off the top of my head, but happy memories all.

[33 route d'o...]

I remember the "Insure your car eagle star" printed on the bridge at Silverstone during the 70's,
I loved to see this building (what was it ?) in the background of Oulton park,
I noticed too all these planes parked inside a corner at Anderstorp.

[Ray Bell]

Much of Mt Panorama is indescribably different to anywhere else in the world.

[Vitesse2]

That's pretty profound Ray, but then isn't anywhere different to anywhere else? Or am I just being pedantic? It's pretty late here and I've had a long day!

[Barry Boor]

When I tell my wife I want to go and walk around old race tracks she says "...but aren't they all just bits of road? ":cry:

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Vitesse2
That's pretty profound Ray, but then isn't anywhere different to anywhere else? Or am I just being pedantic?

We know too little about you round here, Vitesse, but it seems to me you aren't aware of Mt Panorama. You have never seen anything of it on television, in pictures, in the flesh... have you?

[Gary Grant]

The one track I really wish that I'd seen a race on is the incomparable Montjuic park - can't mistake it for anywhere else really.

http://www.motorracingretro.i12.com/gp75/75esp07.htm

I walked round the area where the track used to be when I was in Barcelona last year - incredibly scenic, but its hard to believe that they raced there just 25 years ago.

Another feature I'm surprised that no-one has mentioned is the building (a house, or was it a chipshop?) near the Masta Kink at Spa, . Truly terrifying....

[pancho]

I've mentioned this on a thread before, but I love the rotunda building behind the North Banking at AVUS, (the one with the huge 3d Mercedes logo on top) The viewing from the balconies around the edge must have mindblowing!

Also, the old art deco tower/(commentary position?) at Monza, on the spectator side of the start/finish straight. I think it's still there.

[Gianni B]

How about the Tribune at the Norisring. Recognisable for some not so happy reasons...

[bobbo]

Personal recollection from Watkins Glen (with lots of bittersweet memories): That short straight after the Back Straight and Turn 5 on the old track/short course just burns in my mind from all the autumn colors, campers/tents, spectators & cars. That's where my Dad & I watched the 1965 GP:) Miss ya, Big Guy!

Bobbo

[33 route d'o...]

Thanks bobbo for the nice Glen souvenirs you wrote.
And what about the Bog ? is he still in use ?

[bobbo]

Sorry, haven't been to the Glen for a few years, but won't feel bad if the Bog is DOA/RIP. Too much nastiness there. Even the NASCAR folks who come to Dover Downs for the races weren't that nasty/crude/rude/lewd/etc.

[Gil Bouffard]

I forgot to mention a lost landmark from Monaco.

The quayside promenade from the chicane after the tunnel past Tobak to the hairpin at Gasometre. That's why there was all that dust on the first few laps.

Replaced by the Swimming Pool, Loewes and all the flat black pavement.

Gil

[Ray Bell]

Paddock Hill Bend at Brands is unique as well.

And I seem to recall there were wide open spaces at East London... was there sea in the background?

Not unique at all, those apply at Phillip Island.

[Bernd]

Longford had

1. The Water Tower
2. The Viaduct
3. The Pub
4. Long Bridge

Not bad eh ;)

[Ray Bell]

I think I lost track of Gil's original intention with this thread.. he said "surrounding features," and Paddock Hill relies less on the features than the circuit itself to produce uniqueness.

To this end, Longford also has the railway crossing, the attendant signage and the old houses forming the backdrop.

But there is little in the way of photos - the perceived medium of presenting these features - that show the water tower, Bernd. Or have you found some?

The Viaduct also came up in my mind, but I am sure I've seen a similar scene somewhere, whether it be at Watkins Glen or some other old American road circuit, I don't know.

The bridges, however, both the King's Bridge (little photographed by comparison) and the Long Bridge were unusual features. They should be raised high. Can you post one of my pics of the Long Bridge, Bernd, and perhaps the pic of Spencer Martin on the Kings Bridge?

[jrosenzweig]

Unfortunely most new modern circuits have corners that look the same. Damn those corporates.

Ray hasn't said it so i will. Lobethal. I don't think one corner at that circuit is the same. Some are similar speeds but the camber changes are different from memory. Do you agree Ray and Ben?

[Ray Bell]

The Mill Corner is distinctive, and the start area, and also the straight alongside the railway line. The point is the surroundings, not the circuit.. the bridges, perhaps.

With that place, though, it is the overall impact of the circuit... the legend, the awe we should have for those who lapped it so fast...

[Gil Bouffard]

Here's a couple more...

The Restaurant at Eau Rouge at Spa.

The reason I like Melling Crossing is those impressive hedges in the background.

I like Brands for the area names; Dingle Dell, Graham Hill Bend. Most Brit circuits seem to have a Woodcote someplace.

The older circuits in America like Elkhart Lake, Lime Rock, Watkins Glen, have corner names. The only corners at Laguna Seca and Sears Point are the Corkscrew and the Karussel. Oh, yeah and the Chute. That one eliminates the more challenging sections of the circuit so that the NASCAR boys don't have to work so hard. David Hobbs had a good name for the Esses at Sears Point, but I guess nobody saw the humor in it. He called it. "The Twisty Bits."

Gil

[Jhope]

The Jacques Cartier Bridge that is the backdrop of the Casino Hairpin in Montreal/

ALL of Moncao!

[33 route d'o...]

And as soon as you want to take a picture in Donington park, you must use Photoshop after to erase that ugly factory chimney...

[bobbo]

Hate to mention it, because it's (shudder) NASCAR, but the Tunnel Straight/turn at Pocono is pretty memorable . . . . . .and nasty, transition, too, if I remember.

[Vitesse2]

Sorry Ray, afraid I have a rather warped sense of humour and I'm a bit pedantic about how people use the English language!!
Yes, I have seen pictures and TV footage of Mount Panorama and I agree with you, it may very well be one of the most beautiful circuits in the world.
As to who and what I am, I'll post something on the relevant thread when I have the time - maybe later tonight, maybe tomorrow.

[FLB]

The tall scoring tower at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

[Gary C]

Actually, I thought the new CART track in Mexico this year was a fantastic place to build a track - right through an old steel works, with half of the buildings still in place!!

[jrosenzweig]

Familiar circuit features... seems i didn't read the thread title properly The HUGE dome at Mexico viewable from the Peralta/Peraltada comes to mind.

[Bernd]

That is the Olympic Stadium Jamie. From a distance & with the lighting right it looks like a giant breast sticking out of the ground complete with nipple

I've got a picture of it somewhere I'll have to ferret around for it.

Ray I'll post those images you requested later in the Longford thread and link to them in here.

[jrosenzweig]

trust you to think about breasts Ben

[Ray Bell]

Good news for those who enjoy looking at circuit features...

The Picturesque Lobethal thread will shortly be on stream again, I have most of the pics uploaded to my Atlas F1 webspace and I'll set about changing the URLs in the posts before the night is out.

And I'll bring the thread up top for further comment.

[Graham Clayton]

One of the notable features of Mt Panorama at Bathurst was the drive-in theatre located on the outside of Conrod Straight. When was the drive-in constructed, and when did it cease operation? At the bottom end of Conrod Straight there is the unfinished hotel, but I don't consider that a "notable" feature

[Rob G]

I'll add Virginia International Raceway and its big oak tree sitting right at the apex of the turn that bears its name.

[john winfield]

Crystal Palace: the mellow terracing around South Tower, the unforgiving 'protective' sleepers, the dinosaurs.

[Alan Cox]

The 'Motor' footbridge at the rear of the starting grid at Oulton Park (now long gone)
The series of three hairpins rising up the ramparts at Angouleme, and the cathedral slap bang on the startline
The trees inside the hairpin at Mallory Park (Again, no longer there)
The old press box inside Woodcote at Silverstone. Long since disappeared, but immortalised in a Corgi kit of the 'sixties.
The front of the old station which appears in photos of the Station Hairpin at Monaco (replaced by a monstrosity of a hotel) and the palm tree on the inside of the hairpin

This post has been edited by Alan Cox: Jul 22 2009, 07:30

[Leigh Trevail]

Fersfield was farmed by Roger Groom, at the end of the straight was his muck heap; which also made a good vantage point for taking photos.

[24hourman]

Anyone have any idea of what happened to the old Dutray clock that was on the start line straight at Le Mans it dissapeared when the new stands were built?

[Kingsleyrob]

It made me think about the landmarks at race circuits that so often help us to recognise a track with just one glance. I don’t mean corners (we had a thread on that recently anyway) but the buildings and other surrounding features.
Many of these familiar features have proved transient, like the old manual results displays at many circuits, often on some sort of tower, but now swept away by redevelopments.

I enjoyed reading this revived thread (old ones are the best, maybe!) and was surprised it was a) so short, and b) not illustrated with a few more photos.

As I don't need much encouragement to post a photo or two and some relevant ones are already on my Imageshack, here are a few. A lot of my favourite landmarks have already been mentioned, but what about the Engelbert advert at the exit of La Source, and the white half tyres at Mexico?

The underbanking bridge at Monza from a more unusual angle:


The iconic palm trees at Monaco, as well as the surrounding high rises, by day:


And by night:


The pink buildings adjacent to the quay under "the Rock", seen here with an assortment of TNFers:


The other Melling Road crossing at Aintree, Anchor Crossing:


Some of the other horse racing ephemera at Aintree - the temporary pits and old grandstands were marvellous - this is just a poor reminder:


The unmistakeable pits at Rheims:


One of the unmistakeable grandstands too:


And the unmistakeable timing pavilion, together with surrounding countryside:


Rob