The Difference Between a Track and a "Race Track"

ATLAS TEAM F1
The Difference Between a Track and a "Race Track"
by Paul Rushworth
New Zealand

One of my Colleagues has suggested that the new Albert Park track produced an exciting race. I do not share this view, rather I believe that the track produced a "train" of cars, where competitors were unable to overtake each other.

There are two ways to overtake in motor racing. The first is under braking, where one driver will attempt to out brake another going in to a slow corner. The second way to overtake is on a long straight where by running very close behind the opponents car, the driver behind will "sling shot" past. These basic facts were somehow forgotten by the circuit designers at Melbourne.

The pre-season press build up to the new Melbourne circuit was as usual over-hyped. We were told of a dazzling fast circuit with estimates of top speeds easily in excess of 300km per hour, and even more fantastic were the possibility of fifth and sixth gear corners. Sadly in my opinion, the Albert Park facility failed to deliver to the most important aspect of race tracks, and that was overtaking opportunities. Some associates who watched the Grand Prix have questioned if I watched the same race. It is true that for the first third of the race we saw the top three cars in close formation, and on Michael Schumacher's retirement, the top two cars continued to run together till almost the very end. However, what I viewed was a track where drivers were simply unable to pass each other. The other long train of cars, following Mika Hakkinen early on had the same problems: inability to overtake. The only position changes amongst the leading pack was when Villeneuve had a great advantage, after Hill rejoined the track on cold tires.

Harvey Postlethwaite, the Tyrrell Technical Director, said at the release of this year's car: "We analysed the characteristics of all the circuits hosting a Grand Prix in 1996 and it has been very enlightening. These days, the most common corner is second gear, 75mph (120kph)". Albert Park differs here, the average corner is third gear, 95mph (152kph)*. That is fine in itself, however a look at the track map shows that the two slowest corners, turn two (second gear 51mph/82kph)* and turn twelve (second gear 53mph/85kph)* both occur after slow sections of the track. Certainly outbraking was not considered there. The other opportunity for overtaking is a long straight. Albert Park's longest straight section is two short straights joined by sixth gear corners. This format leaves only one racing line down the fast section, and therefore no opportunity to overtake. The front straight is the longest actual straight section of track in the entire circuit. So, I ask myself, why did the FIA in all it's wisdom decide to move the track south-east to Melbourne? The Adelaide track was a superb circuit with the most essential elements, long straights, fast corners, and, above all, a stand-on-everything hairpin.

The answer as always comes down to money. Melbourne was simply able to turn up at the doors of the FIA with a bigger cheque in the pocket. It is in my opinion a fundamental problem with Formula One today. We have all manner of regulations to remove non-serious Constructors from the World Championship, but what Formula One really needs is a consistent means of evaluating tracks and selecting only the very best. After all, that is what the sport is about.

On a side note, I must comment on the new qualifying format. The decision to reduce the qualifying to a single one hour session on Saturday is a complete success. The added excitement of the commitment that the drivers have to make over such a short span of time with the knowledge that a mistake could cost them very highly. That said however, I think the 12 Lap maximum on qualifying does need to be increased. With the Red Flagging of Sessions, as in Melbourne, drivers' precious laps are wasted. I believe a more realistic number of laps would be around the 15-20 lap mark since the drivers no longer have the option of trying again later.

*Figures from Albert Park are taken from Ferrari pre-race computer projections.


Paul Rushworth
Send comments to:paul-r@ihug.co.nz