5126 replies to this topic

[Ruusperi]

Oh great, another night street track that you can't distinguish from others. I put together 3 existing ones. Can you tell them apart?

[FirstnameLastname]

What’s the reason for the night race?

Can’t be to align with European viewers nowadays. I heard somewhere that Bahrain originally changed it to hide the slums surrounding the track when they did high shots

Somewhere like Vegas you can understand I guess… but you’d think the host city would want to show off what they’ve got rather than just the artificially lit track

Edited by FirstnameLastname, 19 March 2025 - 11:46.

[Anja]

What’s the reason for the night race?

Can’t be to align with European viewers nowadays. I heard somewhere that Bahrain originally changed it to hide the slums surrounding the track when they did high shots

Somewhere like Vegas you can understand I guess… but you’d think the host city would want to show off what they’ve got rather than just the artificially lit track

 

Probably just the people in charge thinking it looks "cool" or something like that. I mean, in theory it kinda does. It's just that pesky reality where it's not quite true. 

Edited by Anja, 19 March 2025 - 12:15.

[JimmyClark]

 I heard somewhere that Bahrain originally changed it to hide the slums surrounding the track when they did high shots
 

 

Wasn't it to hide the smoke from protests post-2011? 

 

But I can see the logic in desert races being at night, as there isn't much around to see (though I loved the old shots of cars amongst the sand in Bahrain) and it is cooler at night, especially for fans. 

 

Singapore was a novelty, but Vegas should be the only city-based race at night now as that is the one place that looks better at night. 

 

Singapore, Bangkok, Madrid, Jeddah, etc. all look better during the day. 

Edited by JimmyClark, 19 March 2025 - 12:20.

[LolaB0860]

Especially as Thailand has a perfectly good race track - if Domenicali had gone out there a couple of weeks ago, he could have watched the MotoGP race on that very track.

While the prospect of yet another night street race sounds horribly boring, and rightly so, let's not pretend that night race (or even day race) at Chang would be considerably better either. That circuit is exactly the same sterile clone Tilkering as other early 2010's clone Tilkerings.

Edited by LolaB0860, 19 March 2025 - 13:36.

[Goron3]

Chang would be a fun circuit with a very short lap and Austria-like layout.

 

The issue is that the location is pretty horrible and not suitable for the type of audience F1 wants to attract.

[PayasYouRace]

Oh great, another night street track that you can't distinguish from others. I put together 3 existing ones. Can you tell them apart?

 

You sure the left and right images aren't the same corner?

[PayasYouRace]

What’s the reason for the night race?

Can’t be to align with European viewers nowadays. I heard somewhere that Bahrain originally changed it to hide the slums surrounding the track when they did high shots

Somewhere like Vegas you can understand I guess… but you’d think the host city would want to show off what they’ve got rather than just the artificially lit track

 

It was purely to run the race in more manageable temperatures.

 

Anywhere, there aren't any slums surrounding the track. It's an airbase, a water part, the university and prime beachfront property.

 

[Calum]

Madrid isn’t a night race is it? Would be surprising for a European GP but I seem to remember seeing something about it being considered ages back. Bangkok could be a cool host if you get to see some of the main city sights on tv feed - but if it’s just a business park or concrete ‘tunnel’ it doesn’t really matter which country/city it is.

Edited by Calum, 19 March 2025 - 15:01.

[chdphd]

I think I heard Laurent Mekies call Melbourne a "city track" the other day. I much prefer that to "street track" since a lot of these news races don't race on streets.

 

Also, I am reminded of City Wok from South Park.

[PayasYouRace]

Even though Melbourne does use actual public streets.

[Ruusperi]

You sure the left and right images aren't the same corner?

I started questioning myself, but no:

Left: Singapore

Middle: Las Vegas

Right: Jeddah

[loki]

Grid Girl/Boys in Bangkok?

Yes.

[loki]

I hear you on those every night race looks the same…

[IrvTheSwerve]

Stefano Domenicali has gone to Thailand: https://www.sportsne...ter-meeting-pm/

That sounds like some kind of comedy film.  ​ 

[FirstnameLastname]

https://www.motorspo...-soon/10706896/

Hungaroring development cracking on…

Watch ticket prices go through the roof. A sport awash with money but the fans seem to fund the circuit upgrades

[Goron3]

Really wish they'd bring back the gravel traps, especially at T1 and 2.

[Ruusperi]

Really wish they'd bring back the gravel traps, especially at T1 and 2.

That was the idea a couple of years ago as Hungaroring was supposed to host MotoGP. But then MotoGP chose Balaton Park instead.

https://www.dive-bom...-to-host-motogp

 

Well, they said Della Roggia at Monza was supposed to have gravel too, but it didn't.

https://www.grandpri...-off-areas.html

Edited by Ruusperi, 25 March 2025 - 12:37.

[FirstnameLastname]

First weekend for July for British Grand Prix… how reliable is that? Wondering for 2026… possible to go if it’s the first weekend, maybe not if it’s the second.

Hmm…

[William Hunt]

I think I heard Laurent Mekies call Melbourne a "city track" the other day. I much prefer that to "street track" since a lot of these news races don't race on streets. ....

Melbourne, like Montréal, is not a city track. It's a park track.
Monaco, Singapore, Baku or Macao are city tracks.

Edited by William Hunt, 01 April 2025 - 12:43.

[JimmyClark]

First weekend for July for British Grand Prix… how reliable is that? Wondering for 2026… possible to go if it’s the first weekend, maybe not if it’s the second.

Hmm…

 

The 2025 calendar was released on 12th APril, so you might not need to wait long. 

 

I've earmarked Zandvoort for next year, given it's the last one. 

[Ruusperi]

Melbourne, like Montréal, is not a city track.
It's a park track. Monaco, Singapore, Baku or Macao are city tracks.

Yep. If it has gravel and grass, it's not a street track.

What about Montjuïc?

[JimmyClark]

Melbourne, like Montréal, is not a city track. It's a park track.
Monaco, Singapore, Baku or Macao are city tracks.

 

I would argue Melbourne is a street track, as it's on regular streets that just happen to be around a park. 

 

Montreal, yes, is a 'park' track, as it was pretty much purpose built to be first the Expo and then the F1 circuit, so has never really been a thoroughfare for traffic. 

 

I'd put Jeddah in the same class as Montreal, as I don't believe the area was really used for regular roads? But I could be wrong on that. 

 

Maybe the simplest definitoon of a street track should be 'if the tarmac has pained lines/indicators for normal traffic instructions/directions, then it's a street track'. So that's Melbourne, Monaco, Baku, Singapore and Vegas counting for me.  

Edited by JimmyClark, 01 April 2025 - 12:51.

[William Hunt]

Yep. If it has gravel and grass, it's not a street track.
What about Montjuïc?

Lol, you read my mind, I was thinking about Montjuich when I was typing that post.

It's a park mountain climb street track I guess...
- in a park
- on a steep hill
- passes buildings as well but it's not in a city (centre) like Monaco, Macao, Detroit (also harbour I guess), Pedralbes, Phoenix, Pau, Singapore etc....

- street track because the streets are used by normal cars when there isn't a GP *this is the case with Melbourne too I guess butthat track is in a park area next to a lake (Montréal also a "lake track")

* Las Vegas Caesar's Park F1 track ('81-82) is a true car parking track. The new current Las Vegas track is a street /city & casino track I guess...

* Valencia is also a harbour track

By the way... *** today you can stil walk the Mobtjuich circuit, long walk though. I did it years ago but not the full distance. It even passses an entrance to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics stadium if I remember it correctly. There is a memory plaque of the F1 circuit there.

You'll be surprised how steep (it's on a hill / mountain tgat track which is quire amazing) it is and how tight and twisty some sections but also how fast some sections must have been. Insane track really and very close to the trees as well...

Edited by William Hunt, 01 April 2025 - 13:11.

[Stephane]

Miami is also a car park track

[JimmyClark]

Lol, you read my mind, I was thinking about Montjuich when I was typing that post.

It's a park mountain climb street track I guess...
- in a park
- on a steep hill
- passes buildings as well but it's not in a city (centre) like Monaco, Macao, Detroit (also harbour I guess), Pedralbes, Phoenix, Pau, Singapore etc....

- street track because the streets are used by normal cars when there isn't a GP *this is the case with Melbourne too I guess butthat track is in a park area next to a lake (Montréal also a "lake track")

* Las Vegas Caesar's Park F1 track ('81-82) is a true car parking track. The new current Las Vegas track is a street /city & casino track I guess...

* Valencia is also a harbour track

By the way... *** today you can stil walk the Mobtjuich circuit, long walk though. I did it years ago but not the full distance. It even passses an entrance to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics stadium if I remember it correctly. There is a memory plaque of the F1 circuit there.

You'll be surprised how steep (it's on a hill / mountain tgat track which is quire amazing) it is and how tight and twisty some sections but also how fast some sections must have been. Insane track really and very close to the trees as well...

I walked it a while back, and it was mind-blowing. Must have been crazy to watch cars racing there in person, and bloody scary as a driver.

[loki]

* Las Vegas Caesar's Park F1 track ('81-82) is a true car parking track. The new current Las Vegas track is a street /city & casino track I guess...
 

 

Mostly city streets for the track except around Sphere and the paddock area which are private property permanent race track portions.  The majority of grandstands and viewing area are resort property though. They want the people and the money not so much the cars. 

 

Before they exiled Steve Wynn he was talking about turning his golf course into a permanent track to host the event.  Plenty of room for a good track.  He was the original bring a race to the Strip guy but now persona non grata.