30 replies to this topic

[Peter Morley]

I've just seen a Seat advert that shows sections of a banked circuit with a grandstand in the background, looks to be in reasonable condition.

Which circuit is it?

My guess would be Monza (it isn't Sitges or Brooklands) the banking just before the start/finish line?

[Sharman]

We must have been watching the same programme Peter, it was such a brief bit of film and I don't have a video
John

[jcbc3]

Sure they didn't just tilt the camera?

[Paul Rochdale]

Montlhery? Why do you say it's not Sitges, Peter? Spanish car..........

[macoran]

Originally posted by Paul Rochdale
Montlhery? Why do you say it's not Sitges, Peter? Spanish car..........

I don't recall there being a grandstand still intact at Sitges last time I visited

[Peter Morley]

Originally posted by Paul Rochdale
Montlhery? Why do you say it's not Sitges, Peter? Spanish car..........

That was my first reaction, it would make sense and I would like to think they thought of the historical connection (Seat used Sitges in the adverts when it was current), then I saw the advert again and remembered the rewind button on SkyPlus!!

The transition and angle of the banking is too gentle for Sitges, and at the base of the banking there appears to be a rumble strip.

The grandstand at Sitges is a long way from the corner and has been covered over to convert it into a grain silo - plus I don't think the Sitges grandstand is as steep or tall.

A bit of self publicity here:
http://users.pandora...s.bvba1/sitges/

My recollection of the Montlhery grandstand was that it isn't so 'open' (I think it has pillars supporting the canopy, and the canopy seemed lower) - possibly it was a more modern type of building.
But I can imagine Montlhery would have the rumble strip.
The track splits just before the banking at Montlhery (as with 1st banking at Monza) with the flat track disappearing behind the banking and that wasn't evident on the video.

Of course it could all be computer generated!!!

Maybe a search on Youtube will find a copy of the advert so some stills can be caught......

Other possibilities would be:
Brooklands - doesn't look right and Mercedes would presumably rule that out.
Miramas - the other French banked circuit, but now a BMW test track?
Littorio - Italian circuit now Rome's airport, nothing remains?
Avus - nothing exists?

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by Peter Morley

Other possibilities would be:
Brooklands - doesn't look right and Mercedes would presumably rule that out.
Miramas - the other French banked circuit, but now a BMW test track?
Littorio - Italian circuit now Rome's airport, nothing remains?
Avus - nothing exists?

...or anywhere in the US

[Darren Galpin]

Or it could be filmed at the VW test facility on what was the West/East German border and featured in the Top Gear film about the top speed of the Bugatti Veyron. SEAT are part of the VW group......

[jcbc3]

Originally posted by Darren Galpin
Or it could be filmed at the VW test facility on what was the West/East German border and featured in the Top Gear film about the top speed of the Bugatti Veyron. SEAT are part of the VW group......

No grandstand there. But that could have been added in post production.

I just trawled YouTube. Couldn't find an ad that fits the description.

[FrankB]

Originally posted by Darren Galpin
Or it could be filmed at the VW test facility on what was the West/East German border and featured in the Top Gear film about the top speed of the Bugatti Veyron. SEAT are part of the VW group......

I just caught a glimpse of it last night - from what I saw it didn't appear to be in good condition - I wouldn't have thought it was in everyday testing use. But as I say, it was just a glimpse as I looked up at the TV.

[Mark A]

I haven't seen the advert but the Miramas banking is only the new (15 years old-ish) high speed track. Original circuit was never banked.
All remaining grandstands were demolished in 1998 (apart from a short replica section, without roof, they built on the back of the Motorsport workshop).


Edit, there is a very highly banked very short circuit there, but again no grandstands. Also I'd be very surprised if tBMW let Seat use it.

[Darren Galpin]

The other option could be the Lausitzring - not the oval which CART raced on, but the test oval on which Alboreto was killed.

[Peter Morley]

Originally posted by Darren Galpin
Or it could be filmed at the VW test facility on what was the West/East German border and featured in the Top Gear film about the top speed of the Bugatti Veyron. SEAT are part of the VW group......

Found pictures of Ehra-Lessien:
http://googlesightse...gen-test-track/
The track is surrounded by trees and has two sets of white lines along its length.

[Peter Morley]

Originally posted by jcbc3


No grandstand there. But that could have been added in post production.

I just trawled YouTube. Couldn't find an ad that fits the description.

I think it looks likely that a lot of it has been added, edited or computer generated.

Really need to see it again and remember to video it!

Aerial photo of Monza would seem to rule it out:
http://www.euspaceim...monza-Itlay.jpg

The banking nearest Parabolica is also surrounded by trees and looks to be grandstandless (and possibly circuitless in parts) and I've walked round the other banking which did not ring any bells either.

Maybe Montlhery could be the answer - or as you say one of the modern circuits.

[iGav]

Originally posted by Peter Morley

Really need to see it again and remember to video it!

I thought it was a velodrome the first time I saw the ad, looked too steep for a race track until I saw your pictures of Sitges.

Anyway... here it is.

I'll have a look for the post production house, as they'll more than likely have a breakdown, as to whether it was in-camera or a post shot and if we're lucky a location.

And hello all by the way.

[lil'chris]

Caught a glimpse of about a second of it tonight and thought it might be the old test track on top of the Fiat building in Turin

[Peter Morley]

Originally posted by lil'chris
Caught a glimpse of about a second of it tonight and thought it might be the old test track on top of the Fiat building in Turin

Did wonder about that, grandstand would be hanging off the side of the building but could be computer generated.

Have e-mailed Seat UK to see if they can help!

[Terry Walker]

I'm sure it's a digital job. The grandstand maybe real, and the little the bit of ground the car is parked on may also be real; but the "track" is almost certainly CGI. Maybe a disused stadium was the basis. I'll be fascinated to be proved wrong!

[Peter Morley]

Just got a reply from Seat.

the TV advert was filmed in a stadium in the centre of Buenos Aires, Argentina. They have also confirmed that this stadium is currently being pulled down for safety reasons.

[jcbc3]

Searching on google on "Buenos Aires Velodrome" (iGav was right about that) and looking in pictures this is what you get:




Apparently the velodrome is situated in Palermo Park.


Is this it then?

[Terry Walker]

Google Map, stadium, centre of Beunos Aires in an industrial area ...

Different angle of course. But the 5 tunnels halfway up, and the slope and shape of the terraces to the right match the pictures.

[jcbc3]

I don't have google maps here at work. Can you search for Palermo Park and post the velodrome in a better resolution than mine?

[Terry Walker]

Larger scale: And it looks like a cert to me: the velodrome is it. Not the one I found. You can see it all including the ramp, and even the white splash on the banking. The grandtsand shown is on the south side.

[Peter Morley]

Originally posted by Terry Walker
Larger scale: And it looks like a cert to me: the velodrome is it. Not the one I found. You can see it all including the ramp, and even the white splash on the banking. The grandtsand shown is on the south side.

That's it isn't it- near the airport.
Layout of the stairwells is right for the south grandstand, splash on the banking is right etc etc.

I've just been going mad looking at ovals around BA, there seem to be rather a lot of them, mostly running tracks - did find an intersting looking bent dumbell shape next to a railway line (near Estadio Lanus) that could be a large Go Kart circuit.

[Pablo Vignone]

Terry: that's the Huracan 'stadium, my football club. I am going there to see my team since 1970... We were champions there in 1973 and 1990, so imagine my proud when I saw it here in TNF!

For the record: the stadium was built in 1940, and some times it was used to held midget races, as well as others stadiums here in Buenos Aires, like Ferro or Nueva Chicago.

The velodromo is going bust: the grandstands are falling down, it is not in use since the early nineties...

I did not see the Seat film. Maybe if there is a link where I could, I will be able to identify it.

[philippe7]

Originally posted by iGav


I thought it was a velodrome the first time I saw the ad, looked too steep for a race track until I saw your pictures of Sitges.

Anyway... here it is.

I'll have a look for the post production house, as they'll more than likely have a breakdown, as to whether it was in-camera or a post shot and if we're lucky a location.

And hello all by the way.

It's here Pablo....just click on the "here it is" link

[Pablo Vignone]

I just saw it and can confirm to you that it's the Velodromo Municipal, in Palermo. There was a project to held a Formula 1 Grand Prix in 1994 in an urban circuit there in Palermo, which happened to pass at the gates of the Velodromo.
It's going to be demolished soon.

[Pablo Vignone]

And don't be foolished: the Buenos Aires aerial images from Google Earth are three or four years old...

[peanutslab]

Does anyone know what circuit is shown in the current Seat Leon advert in the UK. It's old, fairly derelict, and has banking.

Edit: here's the ad. It's the first one listed.

Leon website

[wolf sun]

Take a look here:

http://forums.autosp...ght=seat advert

[peanutslab]

If i'd searched on Seat, rather than Leon, I might have found that. Thanks.