42 replies to this topic

[Linus27]

The 'Variante Alta' chicane at Imola has been re-shaped. Does anyone have any pictures??? Formerly a quick right-left chicane, it is now tighter and slower.

[BRG]

Great - just what Imola really needs, a tighter, slower corner sequence.

[baddog]

there seems to be one on the formula 1 website

Shaun

[logic]

It's beautiful

[santori]

But that was one of only two decent artifical chicanes on the calender!


(The other being Ascari at Monza).

[RDM]

I thought they had just lowered the curbs - not read about re-profiling the whole chicane. Source?

[carbonfibre]

Alonso and DC article on the frontpage. The lowerd the curbs but also reprofiled the corner to make it slower...

Another slow corner....

[Spunout]

That´s great news. They managed to slaughter the only interesting corner in Imola.

Way to go

[wj_gibson]

What on earth is the point of that?!

[Ross Stonefeld]

I like it, theres an actual corner there now, instead of a launch pad.

[Louis Mr. F1]

can Imola get any slower?

a bird told me that they are planning to add 3 more chicane on the pit straight as the speed is too high for their likings, they don't want to see speed in excess of 50mph.

the sooner FIA scratch Imola from the calendar, the better - I'd rather see Adelaide or Macau.

[Linus27]

Ah Adelaide. Such a fantastic circuit. I so love it. Has the beautiful long straight, some quick corners and some very slow corners where you can follow close to another car and nip on the inside. I so wish they would go back there. Melbourne is ok and has a greta atmosphere but you don't see that much overtaking.

I think we will lose Imola eventually.

[giddyup409]

Originally posted by Linus27

I think we will lose Imola eventually.

yeah... and get what? valencia?

[fumes]

Another ball cut off F1. How many do we have left?

[giddyup409]

Originally posted by fumes

Another ball cut off F1. How many do we have left?

well, we have the "famous" turn 13 at indy ;)

[Umpire]

Darn them, that corner was just so fantastic to see the cars blast through it. GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

[Spunout]

I think we will lose Imola eventually.

What??? Now Imola is starting to look like decent F1 track. All it needs is 3-4 extra chicanes (surely we don´t want F1 cars to go fast trough the corners) and huge facilities...then Bernie & co can dump Monza instead

[Mauseri]

Maybe Button won't be overtaken this time

Why do they castrate circuits? Who no create more tricky corners? Should all be this easy slow left right Button type tracks?

[TedN]

Found link to this pic at ten-tenths forum ....



Ted

[jonpollak]

Oh Dear....
I preferred the launch pad.
Imagine them queuing up into that corner....very exciting...NOT
Hell, looks like they could even stop in at the Cafe atop the hill and still rejoin without loss...

Jp

[swaction]

Tighter corner = slower speeds *duh*
slower speeds = more time through the corner
more time through the orner = lingering camera angle(s)
lingering camera angles = more exposure for Vodafone

[RDM]

Well, suck it and see I reckon. I actually like the look of it...and you never know it might actually provide a good feature...and possibly even an overtaking opportunity. (Yes, yes, I know - it would never do to have one of those in Imola!)

[paulogman]

didn't schumacher overtake button through that corner last season?
didn't need to be reprofiled to allow overtaking.
bummer that a slower corner is being applied.
need more fast corners, especially now that some drivers are having trouble with the forces they are dealing with. fatigue should definitely be a part of the game.

[RiDE]

Is that as tight as the last chicane at Suzuka?

I suppose it's possible to pass if you've got a good run from Acqua Minerali, but then again the run up there isn't exactly as long as the one from the Spoon curve to the 130R.

[Witt]

Stinks of Tilke. Need i say more.

[mrudewyc]

The straight before VA chicane isn't long enough to help a passing move, so this alteration does not help overtaking in that sense. The exit is now a simplified acceleration zone so there is yet another overtaking move gone (into the following left-hander - assuming you went wide on exit or something to that effect).

In summary, I agree that this was Vodafone's doing!

[Peter Perfect]

Originally posted by micra_k10
Maybe Button won't be overtaken this time

Why do they castrate circuits? Who no create more tricky corners? Should all be this easy slow left right Button type tracks?

To be fair it's probably more of a Renault/Ferrari type track given the importance of traction out of the slow exit.

[aisiai]

If that is the final version of the corner, then I think the drivers will cut it big time...
And go very wide on the exit...

Probably the organizers will put some obstacles and we'll see some broken wings and stuff
(Of course I assume they don't intend to leave these tyre piles there )

[lustigson]

Looks good. Perhaps it'll improve overtaking, although the run towards it from Aque Minerale is quite short. The previous chicane was indeed spectacular, but had no function whatsoever.

[aisiai]

Btw was it the corner where Barrichello broke his hand in '94 ?

[Gemini]

Originally posted by aisiai
Btw was it the corner where Barrichello broke his hand in '94 ?

No this chicane does not exist any more

[Al.]

Reminds me of the first chicane at Monza.

[wj_gibson]

It's quite interesting to see the evolution of chicanes since they were first introduced on circuits in the early 1970s. Those chicanes were more like left-right flicks that were still moderately interesting, even if they tended to replace really great corners. The Ostkurve chicane as it existed from 1982-91 was quite an interesting corner because it could still be taken in third gear if the driver aimed the car through the correct part of the needle.

Contemporary chicances, though, are more like short and slow S-bends, and about as interesting as that description implies.

[Gemini]

Originally posted by wj_gibson


Contemporary chicances, though, are more like short and slow S-bends, and about as interesting as that description implies.

Sad, but true. The thread subject chicane at least brought some Imola trademark pictures with cars jumping over the kerbs, but seems this was too 'dangerous' for 'best drivers in the world' :

[roadie]

I think this is better than the old one. However, they really should have just gotten rid of the chicane all together. That would make for some awesome scenes down to Rivazza, although it would be more dangerous.

They should get rid rid of Variante Bassa too or at least re-profile it so it's quicker but still forces the drivers to lift and brake. Does anyone know if they are doing this with the modifications to the pits etc?

[Calorus]

Originally posted by roadie
I think this is better than the old one. However, they really should have just gotten rid of the chicane all together. That would make for some awesome scenes down to Rivazza, although it would be more dangerous.

They should get rid rid of Variante Bassa too or at least re-profile it so it's quicker but still forces the drivers to lift and brake. Does anyone know if they are doing this with the modifications to the pits etc?

I think they should scrap the circuit altogether, and replace it with a sequence of 95 successive low, tight chicanes in a sound proof green house padded with 25 metre thick bubble wrap. The cars should then be forced to run BMC A-Series 850 engines (except STR who can run a rev-limited 1100). All drivers may be permitted to wear driving suits (a metal exo-skeleton which allows all of their motions to be controlled by computer). The entire race can then be run behind the safety car to prevent excessive overtaking and/or peril.

[Tuxy]

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRR they should had removed it all together

IDIOTS

[Jackman]

Originally posted by jonpollak
Oh Dear....
I preferred the launch pad.
Imagine them queuing up into that corner....very exciting...NOT

I agree - the old chicane was quite tricky, and it sorted a lot of drivers out because if you rode the high kerbs and nailed your line it gave you a great chance at getting past the guy in front down the straight, whereas now it's on the brakes, one line through and avoid the kerbs, and follow the leader down to Ravazza.

[HBoss]

Originally posted by Linus27
I think we will lose Imola eventually.

In it's current form, wouldn't that be great?



They should have just eliminated the chincane entirely and painted vodafone on every other curb of the track.

[MattFoster]

Originally posted by Linus27


I think we will lose Imola eventually.

I would be happy to see the back of this sad looking eunuch of a track

Give Mugello a shot! Not perfect but clearly better that Imola as it is now

[MortenF1]

Originally posted by TedN
Found link to this pic at ten-tenths forum ....



Ted

Aha, it's that tight!

I like it.

[Henrik B]

The new chicane is, predictably, crap. The straight before is too short, and it makes it impossible to pass in Rivazza (it was impossible before, too, but someone always tried anyway). Well, we'll see at Gp2. There it might work. A lot of drivers is complaining about the surface and that might make it a lot more exciting but that is purely by accident then...

[Mauseri]

There was a place to overtake. Not anymore.