282 replies to this topic

[Kristian]

http://www.autosport...rt.php/id/81055

It looks very mickey mouse to me.

I estimate the race should be about 45 laps now?

[Henrytheeigth]

F1 has taken the phrase 'A change is as good as a holiday' far too literally far too often IMHO!

[Pharazon]

old:



new:



new section is totally mckey mouse

no straights, all curves, no passing, pointless

Edited by Pharazon, 25 January 2010 - 14:51.

[ConsiderAndGo]

old:



new:



new section is totally mckey mouse

no straights, all curves, no passing, pointless

What a pointless addtion to the circuit!

[Kristian]

As far as I can see, its totally negated the only semi-interesting part of the circuit (that quick S) and put in a load of slow pointless corners.

I'm still angry at it being the first race too - its just awful and so soulless.

[jeze]

WTF? That used to be a great layout

New passing opportunities? WTF?

[Henrytheeigth]

I'm still angry at it being the first race too - its just awful and so soulless.

Ya me too! Melbourne has been the first race for so many years, not in 2006 coz of the commonwealth games I think it was, but now not the first race of the new decade? Disgusting!

[stevvy1986]

"it is the perfect time to evolve the circuit with this new challenge and new overtaking opportunities" Must be joking. How does it create new overtaking opportunities? It doesn't add anything to the track, other than distance. Don't like it personally, just looks like a faffy mickey mouse section that's there for no real reason.

[Kristian]

Maybe actually its the introduction of Bernie's shortcut plan, with them allowed to use the old layout 5 times a race

[jeze]

I estimate the new laptime to 1 min 56 seconds, which is far too long. The average speed should be just above 115 mph. They can't be serious

[robracer]

I like. An extra 2 or maybe even 3 overtaking opportunities with this layout.

[Pharazon]

I like. An extra 2 or maybe even 3 overtaking opportunities with this layout.

WHERE?

[ConsiderAndGo]

I like. An extra 2 or maybe even 3 overtaking opportunities with this layout.

Would you care you actually show me where?!

It will be about a 40 lap race

[RodrigoL]

As with Silverstone, they've removed one of the most challenging parts of the circuit... Like track wasn't boring enough, that we need ANOTHER handful of midspeed corners without any flow..

Edited by RodrigoL, 25 January 2010 - 15:01.

[jeze]

Would you care you actually show me where?!

It will be about a 40 lap race

No, 49 laps for 308.651 kilometres, which should take one hour and say 48 minutes to complete. Savagery...

[Atreiu]

Well, let's be honest, Bahrain has never been a classic circuit which shall remain untouched.
Hopefully it'll provide more first lap drama and passing, if not, the racing can't get that much worse.


The cars will probably be set up with all the downforce possible now.

Ideally, they should have jumped the whole infield and took it from the new chincane right to the turn 10 exit, that would make it faster and more interesting.

At least nobody needs to miss the Buenos Aires mickey Mouse infield anymore.

Edited by Atreiu, 25 January 2010 - 15:07.

[Rob]

How silly.

[lustigson]

I understand why Bahrain opted for this extra bit of tarmac: the cars go across it going slower, allowing for narrower camera angles, making sponsor decals more visible.

[johnmhinds]

What the hell, turn 4 was the only good corner on the whole track.

That layout might be ok for slower cars, but that whole section is going to be so tight and mickey mouse for an F1 car.

[Henrytheeigth]

I understand why Bahrain opted for this extra bit of tarmac: the cars go across it going slower, allowing for narrower camera angles, making sponsor decals more visible.

A tear has just run down my cheek.

[jeze]

Well, let's be honest, Bahrain has never been a classic circuit which shall remain untouched.
Hopefully it'll provide more first lap drama and passing, if not, the racing can't get that much worse.


The cars will probably be set up with all the downforce possible now.

Ideally, they should have jumped the whole infield and take it from the new chincane right to the turn 10 exit, that would make it faster and more interesting.

Crappy racing?

[depailler on tyrrell p34]

no no no no! sad news!how we can accept always these decisions?the old layout was so beautiful...this is another mickey mouse track now!

Edited by depailler on tyrrell p34, 25 January 2010 - 15:11.

[jeze]

I understand why Bahrain opted for this extra bit of tarmac: the cars go across it going slower, allowing for narrower camera angles, making sponsor decals more visible.

Go watch cycling

[Mark Bennett]

Ideally, they should have jumped the whole infield and took it from the new chincane right to the turn 10 exit, that would make it faster and more interesting.

Ultimately they could have linked T1 and T4 with a large radius curve, then a new straight across the top of the circuit, and a long curve back to the last turn... Oh, hold on...

[depailler on tyrrell p34]

I understand why Bahrain opted for this extra bit of tarmac: the cars go across it going slower, allowing for narrower camera angles, making sponsor decals more visible.

unfortunatley you are right!

Edited by depailler on tyrrell p34, 25 January 2010 - 15:15.

[wingwalker]

Boring addition to a track that is far from exciting. But I'm totally confused with what they're aiming at with this one, the only 'addition' will be less laps and therefore less overtaking oppurtunities. And the lap isn't short anyway.. simply pointless.

[alfista]

Maybe they tried to create an impression of progress with those changes? If so, they have failed monumentally.

[Mark Bennett]

Of course what this does mean is that the probable spectacle of more cars on track at the same time is negated by extending the track length.

I can't see it being any fun for a lapped car (or the leaders who are lapping) if they catch up at that point either.

Stupid yellow-flag-let-the-leader-past rule

[Henrytheeigth]

Maybe they tried to create an impression of progress with those changes? If so, they have failed monumentally.

Just like Barcelona with that last section

[H0R]

Heresy! A Tilke-track gets tilke-ized ...

[depailler on tyrrell p34]

Just like Barcelona with that last section

oh my god...I'm so sad when I saw these news...they are destroying all!

[wingwalker]

Just like Barcelona with that last section

It's not anywhere as bad as with Barcelona were they killed 2 out of the 3 coolest corners on the track by installing a chicane that didn't help overtaking at all. In here they removed a fast but not really that challenging corner but the beginning of the new sections will be fast too. No big drama IMO, but still can't see any point in this.

[jeze]

oh my god...I'm so sad when I saw these news...they are destroying all!

Barcelona was changed in 2007, before it was staggering... just watch onboard on former Barcelona track

[Beamer]

Crappy racing?

That was great action by Heidfeld... Too bad they're cutting precisely that corner...

[Atreiu]

Maybe they tried to create an impression of progress with those changes?

Probably fueled by Abu Dhabi's impression left last season (despite **** track).

[Henrytheeigth]

It's not anywhere as bad as with Barcelona were they killed 2 out of the 3 coolest corners on the track by installing a chicane that didn't help overtaking at all. In here they removed a fast but not really that challenging corner but the beginning of the new sections will be fast too. No big drama IMO, but still can't see any point in this.

Yes just saying that I always think they change things on older tracks to make it look like they do something to compete with the new tracks, as silly as that is.

[stevvy1986]

But I'm totally confused with what they're aiming at with this one, the only 'addition' will be less laps and therefore less overtaking oppurtunities.

Exactly. Always plenty of overtaking opportunities into/out of the first 4 corners or so, so less chance of overtaking into those corners, and no additional overtaking opportunities that I can see in the pointless new section.

[juicy sushi]

I think the track would have been a lot better if they'd just used the layout that ran from turn 3 to turn 10 of the old track (the tarmac is already a part of the circuit, it just isn't used). Of course, that would totally go against everything F1 and the FIA stood for, by creating a fast, challenging track.

[pingu666]

http://en.wikipedia....ational_Circuit

think i would prefer the outer circuit, or the oval , but we havent seen pictures or video of the new section yet, so it might be good....

[Dolph]

Maybe they tried to create an impression of progress with those changes? If so, they have failed monumentally.

I'm guessing its more of an attempt to lengthen the circuit to facilitate for the enlarged field. When keeping in mind that some new teams could as well be several seconds off the pace this might be a vital improvement to keep lapped cars from always being in the way of faster cars. If it was a fast section it would serve less purpose. As it is a slow section it has much more point in that regard.

The new layout is 15% longer. The new field of cars is also 15% bigger (26 vs 20). As it is a slow section the lap time will be more than 15% slower.

Edited by Dolph, 25 January 2010 - 15:34.

[cheapracer]

Sad, just sad.

You would think these absolute brain dead morons could reconise that Monza and the new Hocky provide action by being short and simple layouts.

Just what we need a more tight and complicated track just as they move to heavier and more conservatively driven cars.

Bloody brilliant aren't they?

[jeze]

It's not anywhere as bad as with Barcelona were they killed 2 out of the 3 coolest corners on the track by installing a chicane that didn't help overtaking at all. In here they removed a fast but not really that challenging corner but the beginning of the new sections will be fast too. No big drama IMO, but still can't see any point in this.

The point is that the blast down to Turn 5 allowed cars taking the outside line in Turn 4, going for extra traction into Turn 5, as proven by Heidfeld's exceptional overtake on Alonso three years ago. With this layout change, it'll be easy just to keep the inside and close the door by veering across the narrow straight into the 'new' Turn 5.

While almost removing one overtaking opportunity, the also have inmcreased the lenght of the snoozefest, esuring that we get to see the caravan following the leader for... 110 minutes in the desert!

[alfista]

Probably fueled by Abu Dhabi's impression left last season (despite **** track).

To beat Abu Dhabi they have to build at least two posh hotels directly onto the track and let the cars drive underneath those buildings.

[Matti Poika]

Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t there is going to be a fair bit of elevation change in that area of the track, If so that could make it quite an interesting addition.

If not an it’s all on the same level at the top of the hill, then I’ll agree with the general consensus about it being a bit micky..

[cheapracer]

I'm guessing its more of an attempt to lengthen the circuit to facilitate for the enlarged field. When keeping in mind that some new teams could as well be several seconds off the pace this might be a vital improvement to keep lapped cars from always being in the way of faster cars. If it was a fast section it would serve less purpose. As it is a slow section it has much more point in that regard.

I 100% disagree and go for the total opposite, open fast tracks Monza, Silverstone, Hocky are examples where lapped cars give the least problems.

[nawz]

I think we should wait and see...

[jeze]

I 100% disagree and go for the total opposite, open fast tracks Monza, Silverstone, Hocky are examples where lapped cars give the least problems.

Exactly. On long straightaways it's easy-peacy for them to remove. There are four long straights in Bahrain, so that was never even a problem.

[Seanspeed]

While you can kind of get an idea, its hard to really say whether or not this new section will be an improvement or not without actually driving the layout.

At the very least, it will make the setup challenges for the track less straightforward, leading to some teams maybe going for a higher-downforce setup and others lower.

And I dont think every track needs 15+ overtaking opportunities, either. Turns 1 and 4 still remain the most obvious overtaking spots, and there's nothing wrong with some twisty bits here and there on a track.

Also, why do some people consider anything tight and twisty 'mickey-mouse' and 'unchallenging'? I tend to find sections like that some of the hardest to drive and easiest to lose time.

[Scotracer]

Cars can't follow in the corners...........so let's add more of them!

[wrighty]

ewwwww

my first thought was 'ouch, poor paying spectators, likely to see the field pass by about 20 times less than last year'......but i realise its Bahrain, where 90% of the 'paying spectators' wear the 'empty grandstand seat' disguise anyway

look on the bright side....at least we don't have to get up at 3am to watch the snooze-fest (apologies to our Californian fans of the sport.....both of you lol)