Some very interesting pictures of the racetrack here: http://www.formula1.com/gallery/other/2008/308.html

The pitlane exit looks incredibly slim in the very first photo. Some of the corners look incredibly challenging as well - I have a feeling some F1 drivers might want some minor changes doing to the circuit Friday night. Thoughts on the pics?

It also shouts out "high attrition rate" - I wouldn't be surprised if only eight or nine cars finish. Who knows, Force India might actually get points!

Pit lane does appear narrow in that photo.

I don't think the attrition will be anywhere near as high as you predict.

Me neither, some 5 or 6 retirements should do.


I really hope it's fun.

wow, some lucky fellas from neighboring buildings dont even have to buy tickets to have a grand-view of the circuit. cool.

I actually downloaded the F1 Challenge version of the circuit. Hard to say how much it reflects the reality, but it looked like modeling of the circuit it self (read: pavement, not surroundings) was top-notch. If it's any accurate, it's one of the hardest circuits on the calendar. Lots of awkward corners, lots of heavy breaking zones and not THAT much of run offs (altought that could be down to not accurate 3D modeling).

I predict quite a lot of front wings will get to know the walls really well.

i have to say the track looks ok, but the surroundings look rubbish and empty, like its being hosted in a car park or something, to much open space

An empty desert is worse IMHO.

Yea your right but this is a close second

An empty desert is visually entertaining because it's so different and surrealistic. The same with Monaco and hopefully Singapore.

This is just like being dumped in your local industrial area.

However, if the track produces great racing then fine. It could be an incentive to have Barcelona removed and Suzuka and Silverstone reinserted to the program.

You could not be more wrong.

I was on holiday in Valencia last week and was in the area. I even walked part of the track when it was still open.

The circuit is located at the Playa de la Malvarossa. The hippest city beach in Valencia, with lots of hotels, restaurants and hip clubs. Malvarossa is the place to be during the summer in Valencia and this circuit could not be at a better place.

Caesars Palace

We'll have to see how things go with the circuit I think. There's probably a better chance it will be on the schedule for 3/4 years before disappearing than there is of it taking over from Barcelona full-time. I hope I'm wrong though and it works out well. Certainly a couple of the last few corners seem ok although its not exactly Spa!

When I heard Valencia were getting the race - I thought "FANTASTIC - they'll run it around the Operah house and the science museum" http://www.autosport.com/gallery/photo.php/id/110871

Then I saw the map of the track and thought "Hmmm - OK - not where I'd have done it, but maybe they'll make something of it" hoping that it would still make sense to take the race there without using the out-of-town circuit.

And now I've seen it....I hate it. It doesn't 'go' anywhere - it's just some tarmac, in the docklands. There is zero glamour, zero features. Street tracks should scream their city. Monaco does. Long Beach does. Surfers Paradise does.

This looks like a dock yard - it could be anywhere. It doesn't say "Valencia". It says Portishead

Doug

The link takes me to Bristol in England.

Good for you.

However, doesn't change the fact that in the pix, the surrounding area indeed looks shit and boring...
I agree w/ the poster that is complaining.
Let's hope that there is good racing, but I doubt that as well.

You're being ignorant for judging a track surrounding by pictures that do not do it any justice at all.

Have you been there? Obviously not.

I've been there and I am telling you it's up there with the likes of Monaco, Montreal etcetra. All other tracks are in remote areas. The Valencia track is not.

That's my point. Portishead, outside Bristol, is a massive dockyard. That's what the Valencia track looks like. The circuit looks nothing like the Valencia I visited and loved in October '06. I spent much of my time in the newly rebuilt area at the Science Museum, but did visit the Americas Cup area. Then, as now, I think it was a dreadfull place to build that track and an massively missed opportunity.

"Let's have a London GP"
"Sweet - in Hyde Park or Regents Street or something?"
"No. Hammersmith"

Doug

I dont understand what you guys want from a street track. A monaco style track probably wouldn't be built today and has pretty bad driving anyway (Maybe Macua is possible?), Montreal and Albert Park are both in Parks. I think the Valencia track looks fine. Not great, not bad. Just fine. We'll see once the cars get on track and on TV cameras (which is most important, really). By the way, the pictures on Autosport.com make the show a much more lively sorrounding area than the f1 pictures.

Judging a track? I am not judging the track itself.
I am judging the aesthetic environs and backdrop.

Boring and aseptic...
Monaco, Albert Park and Montreal are in classic architecture or beutiful parks.
This one is surrounded by ugly apartments.

Like someone said, they should run this race around the Science City and Calatrava buildings...

There are nicer pics available, than those posted in the link above

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category..._Street_Circuit

http://www.autosport.com/gallery/index.php/id/1436

Maybe that helps to getter a better impression

Macau and F1 cars? Can't see that happening at all. There are quite a few hurdles to take. And if it ever happens, it would ruin the race for other racing venues.

Yeah the pics from the Official F1 website dont look too spectacular, looks like its set around a shipping port or something
But I hope for once we get an incident free race, where all the teams can really shows where they're at in terms of performance ect.

pic 10 http://www.formula1.com/gallery/other/2008/308.html

I'm more fascinated by how the drivers are studying the track. Ok, so it's not long before they get onto track, and just watch the times tumble throughout the day as they get used to it....

But with EVERYONE doing the track walk, even the likes of Kimi venturing out really focused on picking things up about the track, its fascinating looking at images of how the teams and drivers are examaning the track.

Renault seems to be doing quite a study on it...with Nelson on the bike, while Alonso walks with the engineers (including Pat Symonds) just behind, and Alonso going out again on the bike like some other drivers have (notably the Ferrari drivers). This picture intrigues me the most:

http://www.autosport.com/gallery/photo.php/id/110888

While other drivers look around, Alonso is actually 'studying' the track in every sense of the word. In other words, I've never seen a driver in recent years venture out with paper and pen in a track walk to actually take notes on the track points so as to go away and learn and anaylse it before driving. It's not quantitative, but it is very technical and scientific approach rather than just observing....and I would be interested to see if any of the other drivers actively went out to do that to.

Its the perfect opportunity to observe how technically inclined, in tune and astute each driver is in comparison, and generally how they approach things - seeing as though the track is new to everyone in the field. And if Alonso was the only driver to do that, then it would go a long way to cementing this widely accepted idea of his technical clarity and ability over the rest of the field, which many of the teams seem to be attracted by.

If however Alonso isn't the only one to do this, then what will be interesting is which team and driver is the best at interpreting it and understanding the circuit through their 'study'. Some may have fast enough cars not to be affected much or have to show for anything; but certainly from the midfield onwards it will be intriguing to see who shines.

Go to a local Solo2 Autocross event, and you'll see every driver go out and do that. Some of the guys I've raced with doesn't take notes, they memorize it, since you have to memorize every corner anyways.

Nothing really special...

dont the various staff members normaly carry the paperwork?

ive seen more impressive notes from a amature actully

handdrawn picture and notes by a guy who was doing the IOM TT, mind you need good prep for the IOM

The photo's currently don't look too daunting, indeed. However, the area in which the circuit is located, is, AFAIK, very much under development. New buildings should be completed in the next few years, vastly improving the outlook off the track, if these pics are something to go by:

[img]http://www.autosport.com/gallery/picture_free.php/dir/2008eur1/image/XPB_0BNUXKX040IKG10D6S03L-2[/img]

[img]http://www.autosport.com/gallery/picture_free.php/dir/2008eur1/image/XPB_0DE76YP0FBWFPD02YF94X-2[/img]

[img]http://www.autosport.com/gallery/picture_free.php/dir/2008eur1/image/XPB_0H2PJI90T2HMKG0BP92IP-2[/img]

Afraid not lustigson. The Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias is on the old riverbed. The track is over by the beach and around the port, which is still in use. It's at the America's Cup base, so the only new buildings around it are the America's Cup buildings. The rest of it is residential, hotels and bars.

I love Valencia as a city, but Doug is on the right lines. It's like having a London Grand Prix and holding it in Peckham.

Although the club I was in last night had a pretty decent view of the circuit, and I imagine there's going to be a lot of building work in the port area from now on.

Las Animas?

I think so, yeah.

Damn, the track looks awful on TV. And no one can be bothered to go out there today. You'd be delighted if you'd paid to see this.

It looks better now that it's painted and all the banners are up. It looked like an Olympic site a few weeks ago.

In the meantime, Singapore looks like something out of a video game.

was wondering if anyone can pm me a link to live streaming of practice? thanks

Have to agree, pretty it certainly isn't.

hey they are copying ChampCar - what can you say?

I actually look forward to this race

The ribbon of taramc is good - I quite like the track. But the setting is like the bastard love child of Montreal, Albert Park....and Tilbury Docks.