31 replies to this topic

[ExFlagMan]

Autosport web site has headline article that COTA has installed 'fake gravel traps' at some corners to deter track limits abuse.

 

Fake gravel among new track limits measures for US Grand Prix (autosport.com)

 

Not sure how much of a deterrent areas of resin bonded gravel will be.

 

I wonder which driver will be nominated as the 'test bed dummy' to try it out for grip during FP1.

[Goron3]

Similar to Zandvoort in S3 which works well. CoTA is a great track ruined by a sea of tarmac. Hopefully this fixes the issue of track limits a bit more.

Doesn't look like they've resolved the exit of turn 1 though.

[Risil]

Fake gravel!

[PayasYouRace]

Yeah I thought it worked quite well at Zandvoort. Still works like a gravel trap but doesn’t bring loose stones on the track.

[loki]

Put a wall where they want to enforce track limits.  “Thee Worlds Greatest Drivers” should have no problem avoiding it…

[Secretariat]

I wonder what the differences are between this "fake gravel" at Zandvoort/COTA and the tarmac runoff system (blue/red zones) originally implemented at Paul Ricard when it was renovated as a test track.

[pup]

Fake gravel!

 

Is nothing sacred?

[Sterzo]

The topic heading has given me earworm: Fake Plastic Trees.

[MikeTekRacing]

Put a wall where they want to enforce track limits.  “Thee Worlds Greatest Drivers” should have no problem avoiding it…

that's have a championship at Baku, Saudi Arabia and Singapore only then

[Maustinsj]

The topic heading has given me earworm: Fake Plastic Trees.

 

This news wears me out.

[Ruusperi]

When exactly did MotoGP start requiring tarmac run-off areas? Back when I used to follow MotoGP actively (in 2005-06), all tracks like Assen, Sachenring, Brno or Laguna Seca were "old-school" with only gravel or grass beyond the white line. Nowadays they seem to be very anal with asphalt run-off areas, whereas F1 seems to be reverting back to gravel.

[LolaB0860]

Nowadays they seem to be very anal with asphalt run-off areas, whereas F1 seems to be reverting back to gravel.

 

Well, sort of reverting...

[azza200]

Fake gravel!

 

yes next to the fake barriers 

[efuloni]

How much longer untill we have a digitally imposed loss of power to those who go off-track?

[Peeko]

This news wears me out.

 

I could blow through the ceiling myself.

[F1 Mike]

What is the advantage of fake gravel over gravel itself?

[ARTGP]

What is the advantage of fake gravel over gravel itself?

 

It's lower maintenance and less disruptive to the track foundation (they'll need to remove it for MotoGP). Real gravel traps have to be maintained (refilled and leveled) since the cars will tend to excavate the trap when cross it. 

Edited by ARTGP, Yesterday, 23:15.

[baddog]

What is the advantage of fake gravel over gravel itself?

 

make driving on it slow and disadvantageous, but dont scatter gravel on the road too endanger other  cars and need cleanup.

[loki]

Miami: Fake marina

COTA: Fake gravel

Vegas: Fake boobs

[SB]

Put a wall where they want to enforce track limits.  “Thee Worlds Greatest Drivers” should have no problem avoiding it…

 

Heard about the "Wall of Champions" in Canada yet ?!   

[Beri]

I wonder what the differences are between this "fake gravel" at Zandvoort/COTA and the tarmac runoff system (blue/red zones) originally implemented at Paul Ricard when it was renovated as a test track.

Well; the Zandvoort solution, which now seems to has found its way into COTA, consists out of an actual gravel trap that has resin poured in to hold the gravel together. At Zandvoort it's only the edge of the gravel trap and the rest is still actual gravel.
The solution at Paul Ricard is abrasive tarmac. Which destroys your tyres if you go over it.

[jonklug]

Miami: Fake marina

COTA: Fake gravel

Vegas: Fake boobs

 

I mean... one is unlike the others

[Beri]

So in essence you are saying; its unique and thus special? 

[Risil]

Is nothing sacred?

Truly they paved over paradise (a big pit of gravel) and put up a parking lot (resin bonded gravel).

[JRodrigues]

This news wears me out.

 

It looks like the real thing.

[cbo]

How much longer untill we have a digitally imposed loss of power to those who go off-track?

Four wheels of the track, picked up by sensors and engine power is reduced to that of a Morris Minor for 10 seconds....

That might work.....🤔

[Secretariat]

Well; the Zandvoort solution, which now seems to has found its way into COTA, consists out of an actual gravel trap that has resin poured in to hold the gravel together. At Zandvoort it's only the edge of the gravel trap and the rest is still actual gravel.
The solution at Paul Ricard is abrasive tarmac. Which destroys your tyres if you go over it.

Thanks. Was wondering if the difference was actually that simple; I guess it is.

[7MGTEsup]

When exactly did MotoGP start requiring tarmac run-off areas? Back when I used to follow MotoGP actively (in 2005-06), all tracks like Assen, Sachenring, Brno or Laguna Seca were "old-school" with only gravel or grass beyond the white line. Nowadays they seem to be very anal with asphalt run-off areas, whereas F1 seems to be reverting back to gravel.

 

Riders tend to flip through gravel causing broken bones, they tend to slide over tarmac.

[IrvTheSwerve]

Four wheels of the track, picked up by sensors and engine power is reduced to that of a Morris Minor for 10 seconds....

That might work.....

 

Can't see any safety issues with a car joining back on to the racing line with significantly reduced speed...

[RedRabbit]

Riders tend to flip through gravel causing broken bones, they tend to slide over tarmac.

I guess things must have started changing to favour tarmac with improved race suits and built in airbags.

There's also the argument that tarmac will prevent some falls entirely, which we see every race with riders going off track and able to rejoin later.

[PayasYouRace]

Can't see any safety issues with a car joining back on to the racing line with significantly reduced speed...

Why is the driver unsafely rejoining the track on the racing line?

[IrvTheSwerve]

Why is the driver unsafely rejoining the track on the racing line?

 

All hypothetical obviously but I would guess racing drivers being racing drivers they would run wide, join back onto the track onto the racing line in the hope that they got away with it, and then the power would cut out. Either that or they'd have to join the track and instantly pull across it to get off the racing line, which would also be hazardous.

 

The other option is to stay off track, but that would be unrealistic as they'd 1) be picking up marbles/dirt and 2) they wouldn't really know if their power was being cut until they join back on to the track anyway, as we're dealing with a tenth of a second or so between them going off track and coming back on...

 

It's a nice idea but I could see it causing issues.