Yet another street circuit

[Eric Mc]

Gaz. said:

Every venue has a capacity limit Eric, most of the Tilkedromes are seating only, as is Valencia. Singapore, Abu Dhabi & Silverstone have to increase capacity every year, each adding an additional 5000 seats this year.

Spa always struggles to beat 90% capacity though.

And the point I was questioning was, do these other venues reach their capacity limits over the GP weekend. It certainly doesn't look like they do in the images we see of Friday and Saturday sessions - unless they have built more grandstands than their capacity allows - which would indeed be strange.

[chevronb37]

Gaz. said:

Eric Mc said:

I always thought that Silverstone has to turn people away on a grand prix weekend. Indeed, they place an upper limit on the numbers.

(Don't know their opinion on brie though).

Every venue has a capacity limit Eric, most of the Tilkedromes are seating only, as is Valencia. Singapore, Abu Dhabi & Silverstone have to increase capacity every year, each adding an additional 5000 seats this year.

Spa always struggles to beat 90% capacity though.

Gaz - did you see my request above for a link to accurate spectator figures? If it's something you'd rather not share publicly because they're from a private source drop me a PM. It would be really useful in my journalistic capacity to have access to some hard facts.

Cheers! Chev.

[rlw]

Nothing wrong with street circuits in theory - Le Mans is mainly one, but just a fking great big one, as was Spa for may years. I'd rather see cars race on these two than anywhere else in the world

[davepoth]

rlw said:

Nothing wrong with street circuits in theory - Le Mans is mainly one, but just a fking great big one, as was Spa for may years. I'd rather see cars race on these two than anywhere else in the world

True enough. Done right a street circuit offers much more of a challenge than a purpose built track ever could.

Montjuic, for example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx7gk0H05nM&fe...

Long Beach,(Clive James commentating on this one is awesome)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4Hb3MDG-Aw

Rouen, (apologies for the music)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBFFiMYJ1C8

Charade,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh7Tb9cLO4o

New Jersey looks like it could be fun too.

[AJS-]

Is it necessary? There are already races in Malaysia and Singapore which are both close by. Even living in Bangkok, I'd rather see a race around a proper European track. That said if they scrapped the boring Sepang circuit to make way for it then I wouldn't be opposed.

[chevronb37]

I find the majority of modern street circuits end up looking quite similar to one another. With big concrete blocks surrounding the track and catch fencing above, what you actually see could be anywhere. In order to really enjoy a street circuit, it needs either an amazing visual backdrop, awesome topography or a very fast layout. That's why Monaco and Macau are such enduring locations. I walked Montjuic earlier in the year and it has all of those things. It must've been frighteningly fast in a contemporary F1 car. But things move on and modern street circuits are a very different beast to those in days gone by.