909 replies to this topic

[TomNokoe]

After 24 years, F1 is back in Portugal! The wonderful Autódromo Internacional do Algarve is the setting for this week's racing.

 

Opened only in 2008, its hosted Superbikes, ELMS, F3, GP2, Touring Cars, A1GP, Superleague (!), and probably plenty more, but now it's time for the big(ger) one.

 

A sweeping, undulating, sharp, quick, thrilling circuit that I am very much looking forward to, for Round 12 of the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship.

 

 

The Circuit
 

Here's an onboard, courtesy of Mercedes.

 

 

Nicknamed "The Algarve Rollercoaster", the 4.653km track looks a real treat. A terrifically quick opening turn sets the tone for what's to come. I can't wait to see modern F1 cars through the turn 7-8 and 10-11 combinations. After turn 14, the cars should be flat out for around 20 seconds, pushing 1.5km of full throttle, with a very, very long DRS zone to spice up the racing.

 

The Mercedes simulation gives a lap-time of 1:18.6, no doubt they'll be faster in qualifying. And a healthy 66 laps ensures a challenging afternoon on Sunday.

 

Tyres and Weather

 

A slight tweak in allocation this weekend. The drivers have one more set of Hard tyres and one less set of Soft tyres. Also, Pirelli is running a 2021 tyre test in FP1, so expect plenty of action.

 

A coin flip on rain, don't bet on it.

 

Time zones and daylight savings (watch out!)

In Europe, the clocks go back on Sunday morning. However, the Grand Prix is still comfortably mid-afternoon, so you won't need to set five alarms to make sure you don't miss the start, like I do when this happens during the conventional Suzuka weekend. But be warned, the race does start one hour earlier than "normal".

      BST/GMT  -  CEST/CET
FP1    1100        1200
FP2    1500        1600
FP3    1100        1200
Q      1400        1500
R      1310        1410

Other time-zones need not apply. Check your own here or here.

 

Weekend musings

 

A track layout that should suit Mercedes slightly better than the Nurburgring, but without any upgrades, Red Bull will be closing all the time. Is this a "must-win" for Albon or a "must-not-lose"? In the context of his own relative competitiveness, I'll let you decide what that means. Mercedes can secure one championship this weekend, the constructors', but they'd need to outscore Red Bull by 41 points. Unlikely.

Ferrari are bringing more updates in search of performance, and to fight off the ever-growing threat of falling to P7 in the constructors. Elsewhere in the midfield, Racing Point reclaimed P3 in the WCC, but will face a real challenge from Renault and slightly out of form McLaren. Another interesting prospect that will rage all weekend long.

The back of the field doesn't seem to be a happy place at the moment, scraping for points and battling for seats. My bizarre fact of the weekend is that both Williams drivers tested a 2015 Mercedes at this circuit in 2017. Maybe they'll have some insider knowledge.

 

 

--

 

Assorted predictions, memories of Estoril, Tiago Monteiro tributes and weekend related infographics welcome below

 

Edited by TomNokoe, 21 October 2020 - 18:33.

[Anja]

I don't think I've ever seen a race at this track but it was by far my favorite one in GRID: Autosport. Watching F1 race here should be quite something. Of all the new/returning races this is probably the one I'm most excited for!

Edited by Anja, 21 October 2020 - 20:23.

[PayasYouRace]

Great circuit and I was lucky enough to go to the A1GP race weekend back in 2009. So pumped to see F1 at the circuit.

 

 

 

 

 

[LucaP]

I thought they were using the chicane at turn 1

You know, F1 and their inability to overtake and all that

[FLB]

The track will also feture a race by the European Le Mans Series the following week, so I wonder if Ant Davidson will show up at the track instead of staying in London?

 

Alex Brundle commentating for F2?

[PayasYouRace]

I thought they were using the chicane at turn 1

You know, F1 and their inability to overtake and all that

 

That chicane is for bikes, I think.

[Tiakumosan]

F2 will resume only in Bahrain.

Edited by Tiakumosan, 21 October 2020 - 18:39.

[Ellios]

Will they brake going into turn 1 ? 

[PayasYouRace]

Will they brake going into turn 1 ? 

 

If they want to get round it in one piece. It's two downshifts in the video from the Mercedes sim featured in the OP.

[TomNokoe]

I used Google Maps to try and estimate how long the DRS zone is, and I measured 825m. For DRS alone. I think it will be very overpowered.

[Mark1865]

Looking forward to this. I’ve been in the area since Monday and it’s been raining heavily most of the time. Should be dry for most if not all of the weekend though.

Also, I got a bit of a surprise while doing some shopping in Portimao yesterday:

[LucaP]

That chicane is for bikes, I think.

Uh, no
Saw Superbikes there and they were using the faster corner

[PayasYouRace]

Uh, no
Saw Superbikes there and they were using the faster corner

 

Well looking at the rubbered in and resurfaced racing line, it doesn't get used much at all.

 

 

Looking forward to this. I’ve been in the area since Monday and it’s been raining heavily most of the time. Should be dry for most if not all of the weekend though.

Also, I got a bit of a surprise while doing some shopping in Portimao yesterday:

 

How did you fit it in your trolley?

[boomn]

I used Google Maps to try and estimate how long the DRS zone is, and I measured 825m. For DRS alone. I think it will be very overpowered.

I am very worried about that too.  It was nice to see DRS at the Nurburgring not being an automatic overtake many times, and you needed a genuine pace advantage to make it work.  This is probably going to be the opposite.

 

But everything else about this track has me really excited!  I hope F1 sets up their cameras in a good way to help capture the blind curves and elevation changes (maybe I'm being optimistic by even saying that)

[monolulu]

“Ex-Renault and Caterham racer Vitaly Petrov is back in #F1 this weekend - for the first time he will act as a steward. “
Lewis had better behave himself not his biggest fan!

[Mark1865]

How did you fit it in your trolley?

I would have, but the closer I got the more obvious it was that it was only some kind of model. Plus, I think it exceeds the easyjet luggage allowance

[Marklar]

“Ex-Renault and Caterham racer Vitaly Petrov is back in #F1 this weekend - for the first time he will act as a steward. “

#WeRaceAsOne

[OvDrone]

*Did someone mention A1GP ?*

 

I've been waiting for this moment since 2009. Finally I feel strangely whole.

[PayasYouRace]

Trawling through my photo collection, I found one of me getting Robert "Deactivated Brakes" Doornbos' autograph.

 

[cpbell]

Afraid to say I don't get the feeling that this is going to be a good circuit for F1 - seems like an undulating hybrid of Estoril and Barcelona.

[JRodrigues]

Ok, here we go.. #bacalhauGP is trending in social media. Let's do it. 

[F12020]

T1 on the first lap will be mental  partially if its a little damp 

Edited by F12020, 21 October 2020 - 20:22.

[Lights]

“Ex-Renault and Caterham racer Vitaly Petrov is back in #F1 this weekend - for the first time he will act as a steward. “
 

 

Oh dear. If any driver had planned this weekend to come out as gay then they'll now have to reschedule that.

[Beri]

Trawling through my photo collection, I found one of me getting Robert "Deactivated Brakes" Doornbos' autograph.

We should find consensus on either Robert "no brakes" Doornbos, or Robert "deactivated brakes" Doornbos.

I'd vote for the first.

[Beri]

Oh dear. If any driver had planned this weekend to come out as gay then they'll now have to reschedule that.

Albeit I get the tongue in cheek, this is a tad racist now, isn't it?

[AlcidioG]

Albeit I get the tongue in cheek, this is a tad racist now, isn't it?

It’s not racism. It bigotry though

[Lights]

Albeit I get the tongue in cheek, this is a tad racist now, isn't it?

 

It wasn't tongue in cheek.

 

Seriously. If I was a gay F1 driver, I wouldn't want that to be known by a FIA official, in this case a steward that can influence penalties, who last month said “And let’s say a driver admits to being gay – will they come out with a rainbow flag and urge everyone to become gay as well? I think the FIA will no longer allow such behaviours,”

Edited by Lights, 21 October 2020 - 22:31.

[P123]

Not the greatest bit of judgement to let Petrov anywhere near the paddock.

[Ellios]

T1 on the first lap will be mental  partially if its a little damp 

 

Agreed, could be epic !! 

[GlenWatkins]

Thanks for the OP Tom!  I for one am looking forward to a new (sort of)  F1 track.

Edited by GlenWatkins, 21 October 2020 - 22:20.

[dissident]

For some reason I never warmed up to this layout.

 

The elevation changes are spectacular, but I find most corners to be quite bland (T1 and T9 being the exception). 

[r4mses]

Looking forward to this. I’ve been in the area since Monday and it’s been raining heavily most of the time. Should be dry for most if not all of the weekend though.

Also, I got a bit of a surprise while doing some shopping in Portimao yesterday:

 

So, how much was it and is it really that hard to drive?

Edited by r4mses, 21 October 2020 - 23:02.

[OO7]

If they want to get round it in one piece. It's two downshifts in the video from the Mercedes sim featured in the OP.

A little like Suzuka T1 & T2.

[OO7]

I used Google Maps to try and estimate how long the DRS zone is, and I measured 825m. For DRS alone. I think it will be very overpowered.

I don't think it will be powerful enough, unless we're talk a Mercedes or Red Bull vs a McLaren or Alpha Tauri.

[Pete_f1]

Red Bull have this!

Let's hope it's a great race

[TheFish]

Reminds me of Barcelona from the track layout.

 

Hopefully will be much more entertaining than that.

 

Overtaking only in turns 1/2/3?

[balage06]

One of my favorite modern circuits. Great fun on the simulator with all those blind entries and elevation changes. I'm sure the drivers will enjoy themselves here, but hopefully the racing will also be great, the track guide from Gutierrez made me slightly worried about that, the virtual Merc looked almost too fast for this layout.

[Alexis*27]

Weather forecast at the moment is for a wet race as a thin band of rain crosses the region between 12 and 3pm on Sunday.

[jcbc3]

There's a lot of footage from the track in this video. 

 

[Peat]

I thought they were using the chicane at turn 1

You know, F1 and their inability to overtake and all that

 

GP2 used it when it they visited. 

 

 

T1 on the first lap will be mental  partially if its a little damp 

 

Seems quite similar to Hockenheim T1. 

[noikeee]

Well I suppose I need to say something as a Portuguese fan. Nice to see F1 come back after so long, shame about the circumstances that led to this though.

Portimão is an interesting track. I never quite warmed up to it, perhaps irrationally, because in sims it's got an awkward flow as you can't see the apexes as everything's blind! Tbf that's probably just a lack of practice, I had the same with Mugello and then started enjoying it, and watching the F1 cars on it was great. It's quite similar to Mugello in fact, perhaps more midspeed corners rather than high speed (though they do exist, see the final corner!), but even more extreme elevation changes. In one way, it's almost as if someone designed a modern track but then slapped Brands Hatch-like hills on it.

Overtaking will be a problem, hence perhaps a ridiculously long DRS zone. Almost the entire track is under aero load and the only overtaking point is T1, perhaps T5? But then I don't quite know why they're using the fast version of T1 - any overtake will either be under DRS drive-by conditions, or a seriously brave dice into that really quick corner, because there's barely any braking zone! Kind of bizarre and not something you see on any other F1 track.

Finally, I just hope this doesn't lead to a Covid outbreak because although they reduced the attendance, there'll still be 27K people in it. Mental. I pondered catching a plane to go watch it but didn't feel safe enough. I'm concerned about the health of the people who will go, and also about the public opinion effect if people turn against F1 - why is the government asking us to do so many sacrifices, but then allows this event, that kind of question.

[statman]

[ExFlagMan]

Maybe we will find out if grass strips and gravel traps really will deter drivers from abusing track limits.

[Laster]

GP2 used it when it they visited. https://www.youtube....h?v=KQIPF8t-LMw

Wow that’s a beautiful looking circuit. I hope it races as well as it looks.

[Risil]

Hooray! I wish it was at Estoril but this is a cool venue as well. Good warm-up for the MotoGP finale at Portimao next month.

 

Looks like the temperatures will be nice and mild. I suppose that's why people go on holiday there. 

[AustinF1]

 

 

Edited by AustinF1, 22 October 2020 - 11:39.

[Risil]

I'm getting a bit of an Oulton Park vibe from the snaky fast corners. 

[JimmyClark]

Weather forecast at the moment is for a wet race as a thin band of rain crosses the region between 12 and 3pm on Sunday.

 

Guaranteed bone dry race then, with helicopter shots of showers in the distance. 

[Atreiu]

I don't think it will be powerful enough, unless we're talk a Mercedes or Red Bull vs a McLaren or Alpha Tauri.

Is the last corner flat out? If so it will make DRS very powerful since it will be activated at the speeds it makes most of a difference for a high DF circuit.

[ThadGreen]

A rainy race? Fingers crossed.

 

Too bad F1 returns to Portugal under such world wide circumstances.

Edited by ThadGreen, 22 October 2020 - 14:49.