Now This Should Be Awesome

[Treetop64]

F1 is returning to the United States (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2010/5/10824.html) in 2012. Austin, Texas will host the event, and on top of that, it will be at a brand-new, purpose-built facility.

Well, it's about damn time...

We haven't had a decent grand prix since the Glen. Here's to no more races at casino parking lots; bumpy, manhole infested street courses; or unimaginative circuits crammed inside ovals.

I never thought that the recent Indy effort was the best place for F1 today, and felt that the design of the infield circuit there was beyond lousy. However, I getting nothing but good vibes about the venue in Texas. Managed right, I think it will be a huge success, and I'm very hopeful that we will see a huge, majestic, sweeping circuit laid down there.

Really looking forward to his one! http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/25.gif

[Airmail109]

Bleh, F1 at Laguna Seca would be epic.

[WTE_Galway]

Monaco is still the grand prix track to beat. The best part of Iron Man II was the Monaco Grand Prix sequence .. now that's a race track. I think only the Isle of Mann TT can compete in terms of history and public fame.

[Airmail109]

Originally posted by WTE_Galway:
Monaco is still the grand prix track to beat. The best part of Iron Man II was the Monaco Grand Prix sequence .. now that's a race track. I think only the Isle of Mann TT can compete in terms of history and public fame.

How about the Southern 100? Thats impressive, if not as famous.

Anyway back to F1, Laguna Seca would be pretty kick ***. Hope the new tracks interesting.

[GoToAway]

I don't know about "awesome," but anything is a step up from NASCAR and I 100% support it.

[BoCfuss]

Originally posted by GoToAway:
I don't know about "awesome," but anything is a step up from NASCAR and I 100% support it.

Nascar is horrible, I still love F1 even though they keep trying to ruin it. Every year they have more and more stupid rules, it is getting ridiculous.

I will be setting some time aside to go to Texas, I was hoping they would find a way to have a Grand Prix in Las Vegas down the strip, I though that would be awesome. Oh well, Texas is much better then that flat boring Indy track.

[GoToAway]

Originally posted by BoCfuss:
Nascar is horrible, I still love F1 even though they keep trying to ruin it. Every year they have more and more stupid rules, it is getting ridiculous. Rally stuff is really all that captures my interest, but I don't mind if I happen to see an F1 race on TV.

NASCAR, on the other hand, makes me want to throw the TV out the window. http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

Here's to hoping that F1 gains some ground against it.

[ImpStarDuece]

Originally posted by Aimail101:
Bleh, F1 at Laguna Seca would be epic.

I like the course, but at F1 speeds and levels of downforce, Laguna Seca would be more processional than Hungary and less interesting than Vlaencia.

Laguna Seca is too short and needs way too much work if it wants to meet FIA standards. The limited run-off space alone almost guarantees that it would never get the needed FIA classification.

An F1 lap at Lagna Seca would be over and done in about 1:05, probably less. Monaco, the shortest lap on the F1 calendar, has an average lap of 1:15.

Epic would be more tracks like Spa and Interlagos, or even Turkey. Fast, flowing and good change of gradient. The less street circuits, the better (Melbourne, Montreal and Monaco excluded).

[Badsight-]

Originally posted by WTE_Galway:
Monaco is still the grand prix track to beat. The best part of Iron Man II was the Monaco Grand Prix sequence .. now that's a race track.
please tell me you are joking

monaco only still has a F1 race because of money . the track makes for a procession , its the joke round of the season

Laguna is famous for its corkscrew & appearance in video games , but Watkins Glen makes for better racing . it too will never get FIA approval

[AndyJWest]

Originally posted by Badsight-:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by WTE_Galway:
Monaco is still the grand prix track to beat. The best part of Iron Man II was the Monaco Grand Prix sequence .. now that's a race track.
please tell me you are joking

monaco only still has a F1 race because of money . the track makes for a procession , its the joke round of the season

Laguna is famous for its corkscrew & appearance in video games , but Watkins Glen makes for better racing . it too will never get FIA approval </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
This is one of the rare occasions when I have no problem agreeing totally with Badsight. Laguna Seca is an interesting bend with a middling track attached. Monaco is only included in the F1 calendar for financial reasons, and as an excuse for pretending to be a 'playboy sport' rather than the business concern it has become. Though F1 has become increasingly dominated by off-track factors, at least at Spa, or even Turkey, the final say comes down to the car and driver - to race F1 you need a track actually capable of testing both.

[Badsight-]

i wouldnt say middling . the course is quite technical , & a good rider/driver will have his skill showen in the lap times

but as far as a racing track ? it only has one easy passing corner & (the car) races there are generally processions

it makes for a much better bike track than it is for cars , not just because they can pass more eaisly but because its quite technical & that makes the riding fun

& if watkins glen was in more racing games , it would get more recognition by (young) people outside the USA . its one of the most under-rated american tracks

monaco is a spectacle rather than a race

[Crazy_Goanna]

Monaco is a beautiful layout, historic but in terms of racing and the ability of vehicles to race each other it is hopeless.
If you get out in front and your ar doesn't break down you have a great chance of winning as passing is virtually non-existent.

Albert Park is a better laid out street circuit, has a history back to the '20s, but as all street circuits have surface problems it is not ideal in that regard either.
Philip Island is fantastic for bikes,
How about F1 races at Mt Panorama (Bathurst 6.3km)- now that would be great as any Aussie who watches the 1000km race for touring cars can agree!!! The bikes and sidecars are incredible there, and anywhere for that matter.

[AndyJWest]

Bathurst

I'm not sure an F1 car could cope without a heck of a lot of testing, and possibly some major suspension changes, and I think there would be complaints about the lack of runnoff areas if they did manage to get round. It would be spectacular if they did.

They'd have to find a foolproof solution to the kangaroo problem though...

[WTE_Galway]

Originally posted by AndyJWest:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Bathurst


They'd have to find a foolproof solution to the kangaroo problem though... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

... and the sheep, bathurst is prime sheep country, though it was suggested at one stage that a few family sedans towing caravans as mobile chicanes and random road trains loaded with cattle coming the other way would make bathurst a true Australian track with a unique spin to it

[Treetop64]

Take away all the vanity, and the Monaco GP becomes the most pointless race in the F1 calendar. Completely unsuited for F1 cars.

Laguna Seca has an excellent track layout, but it's too short, and the facilities are nowhere near ready for any F1 participation.

Sonoma is surrounded by beautiful country, but again it's way too short, too bumpy, and too twisty to allow F1 cars to show their stuff.

Watkins Glen (the longer version, not the shortened version that NASCAR uses) is an outstanding circuit, but would need a very expensive overhaul to bring it up to current standards.

Road America would have been great, but it's gone to rot. It needs to be completely rebuilt from the ground up just to make it acceptable for any racing series, let alone F1.

I thinks it's better what they're doing in Austin. Just make it a brand-new, F1 specific effort from scratch, and hopefully we'll end up with a circuit that rivals - or beats - those of Spa, Turkey, and Shanghai.

[pwengland]

I'm glad F1 is returning to the U.S. I just hope they design the track with more than one or two passing opportunities. I'm not fond of NASCAR, but I'll give em one thing, there's lots of lead changes.
Indy wasn't ideal, but living only 2 hours away, I still regret not going to one. I think the debacle of 2005 was the deathknell for Indianapolis.