30 replies to this topic

[August]

The UBS ads in the kerbs at Yas Marina brought to my mind something I have sometimes wondered. Does the colour of the kerbs depend on sponsors and are red and white kerbs so common because of Marlboro? Marlboro-backed races used to have red and white kerbs as well as tyre barries. At Interlagos the kerbs were white, yellow, and green like the logo of Petrobras and IIRC RAC British GP had blue and white kerbs and tyre barriers.

[roadie]

I think it is more an issue of contrast to show the edge of the track.

[Lights]

Red and white is simply the perfect contrast between the usual black tarmac and green grass.

[showtime]

The UBS ads in the kerbs at Yas Marina brought to my mind something I have sometimes wondered. Does the colour of the kerbs depend on sponsors and are red and white kerbs so common because of Marlboro? Marlboro-backed races used to have red and white kerbs as well as tyre barries. At Interlagos the kerbs were white, yellow, and green like the logo of Petrobras and IIRC RAC British GP had blue and white kerbs and tyre barriers.

In Valencia the colors are taken from the flag of Valencia Region.

[King Six]

When did they start adding these kerbs (or is it curbs) and/or rumble strips to circuits anyway? And why did they do that, people say to show the edge of the track, but I still don't really get it.

[August]

Red and white is simply the perfect contrast between the usual black tarmac and green grass.

Still, there are other colours in the kerbs. Red and yellow in Spain, yellow, green, and white in Brazil, red, blue, and white in Assen IIRC.

[Peppe]

I think it's not only to show the edge of the track but also to give the drivers a feel for when they are at the edge, like the tightly painted lines on the highway that makes the car vibrating and rumbling.

[Tombstone]

Whatever the reason behind the preponderance of red and white kerbs it does make a rather effective form of subliminal advertising for Marlboro.

I rather miss the days when it was normal, not the exception, for the edge of the tarmac (in corners) to be where the grass started.

[King Six]

I mean you can still watch rally if you want to see proper road racing and balls out inches-from-someones-house style racing. F1 is just too fast for that these days, just gonna have to accept it, even though it sucks but it makes sense, just like that girl that doesn't like me.

[scheivlak]

Still, there are other colours in the kerbs. Red and yellow in Spain, yellow, green, and white in Brazil, red, blue, and white in Assen IIRC.

The national flag of Abu Dhabi is red and white..... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Dhabi

[Lights]

Still, there are other colours in the kerbs. Red and yellow in Spain, yellow, green, and white in Brazil, red, blue, and white in Assen IIRC.

Yeah ok, I guess it can have some national influences.

[Clatter]

Whatever the reason behind the preponderance of red and white kerbs it does make a rather effective form of subliminal advertising for Marlboro.

I rather miss the days when it was normal, not the exception, for the edge of the tarmac (in corners) to be where the grass started.

You must be an advertisers dream. I have never associated the colour of the kerbs in any way with any sponser.

[August]

You must be an advertisers dream. I have never associated the colour of the kerbs in any way with any sponser.

At least I've always associated red and white kerbs and tyre barriers to the barcode brand. Or why the kerbs aren't always red and white.

[Clatter]

At least I've always associated red and white kerbs and tyre barriers to the barcode brand. Or why the kerbs aren't always red and white.

Advertiser will love people like you then if you make that association. I have never made that connection.

[zepunishment]

Whatever the reason behind the preponderance of red and white kerbs it does make a rather effective form of subliminal advertising for Marlboro.

I rather miss the days when it was normal, not the exception, for the edge of the tarmac (in corners) to be where the grass started.

are you struggling to quit smoking? kerbs...red and white.....marlboro! candy canes....red and white......fags! flag of monaco....red and white....quick roll it up and smoke it!

[Andrew Hope]

The kerbs at Zandvoort used to be in the style of Marlboro cigarette packets -



Dunno if any other tracks had that but there presumably were a few more. I was going to start a thread about this a while ago, or about kerbs/rumble strips in general. What materials they're made of, why some tracks have both colored ones and faded brick ones (Nordschleife, for example), etc. Why a track like Oulton Park has several different kinds (kerbs that are just extensions of the circuit, kerbs that are jagged, kerbs that are red with little white balls on them, etc.).

[zepunishment]

i guess the only reason they have them now is to stop the grass at the edge of the track getting chewed up over time.

[Andrew Hope]

I've always assumed kerbs were just there in areas where you're likely to get a wheel off, and that they provide better traction than grass (which could spin you out), but they're bumpy enough to make sure you aren't likely to want to go off there lap after lap.

That, and they're pretty. It feels weird to see a circuit without a lot of kerbs, or a corner without kerbs where there should be some.

[chrisblades85]

I love red and white.

[CSquared]

That, and they're pretty.

I love red and white.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that. The look of a "proper" circuit, a ribbon of asphalt through large areas of green grass with some brightly-painted curbs, is a beautiful thing.

[PayasYouRace]

At least I've always associated red and white kerbs and tyre barriers to the barcode brand. Or why the kerbs aren't always red and white.

I think at one time Imola had a red and white curb pattern that was actually the Marlboro shape*, rather than just red and white stripes. I think there is likely a sponsor interest. Silverstone always had blue and white curbs until Santander became the British GP sponsor. Now Silverstone has red and white curbs.

Interlagos has changed a lot over the years. When I started watching F1 in the mid 90's they had white and yellow ones. Then for a while they had green and yellow. That was followed by blue and white for a few years and then red and white for a bit, before the current colours.

I like it when circuits use different curb colours as it makes it easier to identify the circuit at a glance, and adds a bit of character.

*Edit. Andrew has provided a picture, though it is Zandvoort.

Edited by PayasYouRace, 12 November 2010 - 16:06.

[Andrew Hope]

Character is the right word to use, it helps add some flavor to the circuit. I know it's a bit of an odd thing to dislike, but I can't help but feel my heart since a little whenever I see bland, white/grey/sand colored kerbs on a circuit, looks so ugly. No cosmetic value at all. Black, red and white would look pretty lush on an emerald-green grass background, blue and yellow looks better on tracks located in the desert, etc.

[PayasYouRace]

Black, red and white would look pretty lush on an emerald-green grass background, blue and yellow looks better on tracks located in the desert, etc.

Melbourne had those colours for a few years (I think) in the late 90s.

[frp]

I think there is likely a sponsor interest. Silverstone always had blue and white curbs until Santander became the British GP sponsor. Now Silverstone has red and white curbs.

Yes, it's definitely sponsor driven. The Silverstone kerbs became blue and white when Fosters took over the GP sponsorship for 1990. Prior to that, they had been red and white in deference to Marlboro but, IIRC, they were just black and white during the Shell sponsorship period.

[6string]

Melbourne in recent years when sponsored by ING had orange and white kerbs. This year being sponosed by Qantas had red and white kerbs.

[barteks]

It's interesting in Spain. They have white&blue kerbs at Jerez, white&red at Barcelona, yellow&orange at Valencia.

[Bleu]

If they go with sponsor, it should be gold and white at Abu Dhabi, looking at Etihad Airways logo.

I kind of like when they have some national (not sponsor) flavour. Also thinking about some tyre walls in different tracks: red-green-white at Suzuka, blue-green at Magny Cours turquoise-white in Sepang etc.

[highdownforce]

It's interesting in Spain. They have white&blue kerbs at Jerez, white&red at Barcelona, yellow&orange at Valencia.

Jerez

Barcelona

Valencia

[Tombstone]

Point. Made.

Been watching F1 too long not to notice these things.

[chrisblades85]

CS Squared.... I love red and white as it's the Blades colours! Hence why I hate blue and white kerbs!

[Doughnut King]

I always thought that the red and white kerbs were due to Marlboro somewhere in the distant past sponsoring certain circuits, then other circuits adopted it unintentionally to imitate Grand Prix circuits.

No evidence for that but it made sense in my mind.