Could Rockingham host the F1 circus?

[TheOriginalGT40]

I know there are many out there who have strong feelings towards Silverstone, Brands or Donnington, but we all need to move on...

If the money was there, could Rockingham host F1?

Is the infield area behind the pits big enough to host the circus that F1 brings to each race?

If they can host a Cart race, why not F1 (money aside of course)?

Imagine being able to watch the whole track at anyone time from the comfort of your own seat - no muddy grass banks. I have been to Rockingham on several occasions now, and I have never left feeling like I have been treated badly, it's a fantastic facility and to see the pinnacle of motor racing would be fantastic.

[woof]

No - because the infield circuit is totally mickey mouse !

[Muzzer]

Great facilities at Rockingham - I watched the first CART race there and it was great - made Silverstone look like a dump.

However, the infield circuit itself is pony Much too small and twisty for an F1 car. It'd be like a mini Indianapolis and who really wants that?

[freedman]

Wht you need is cars racing on great circuits, that rules out Rockingham and the current Silverstone. Only Brands and Donnington have any character about them at all, for buth driver and specatator

[johnph]

freedman said:

Wht you need is cars racing on great circuits, that rules out Rockingham and the current Silverstone. Only Brands and Donnington have any character about them at all, for buth driver and specatator

True, but if hamilton's sucess leads to a second gp in britain then i'd rsather see it at rockingham than have Brands of Donington mutiliated to meet B&M's safety requirements.

The 'International Long' configuration should do it - they would have to cut out the first chicane after the start finish though.

[Chassis 33]

They'd have to sort out the gulley in the hairpin as you turn off the hairpin, it causes alsorts of problems with grounding and cars bouncing offline.

Regards
Iain

[Graham]

Chassis 33 said:

They'd have to sort out the gulley in the hairpin as you turn off the hairpin, it causes alsorts of problems with grounding and cars bouncing offline.

Regards
Iain

I dont think they run that much now. The current long circuit joins the banking just after turn 4 and takes turn 1 full chat every lap.

I quite like Rockingham, and its infield layouts.... one of the most physical circuits to drive in the uk imho.

G

[LocoBlade]

Having driven it a few times, I dont think its that great a particularly exciting circuit to drive and as mentioned its too tight really for F1, theyd certainly need to sort the pit exit out using that configuration and also the run-off areas in most places are nowhere near up to F1 standards.

Here's a vid from a trackday I did a couple of weeks ago using that layout, as you can see, lots of corners and not many straights!

[skinny]

freedman said:

Wht you need is cars racing on great circuits, that rules out Rockingham and the current Silverstone. Only Brands and Donnington have any character about them at all, for buth driver and specatator

what's wrong with silverstone? still one of the better current F1 tracks isn't it? (tho that's maybe not saying much!)

[SimonY]

The infield section could easily be remodeled if they managed to get F1.

[RLK500]

Rockingham is the reason why Bernie has got such a bee in his bonnet about Silverstone. I went to see one the Cart races at Rockingham and was amazed at the quality of the venue. Nothing like the grubbing around in the dirt experience of going to Silverstone.

[TheOriginalGT40]

So why can't Bernie do a deal with Rockingham. Does the BRDC have any input into Rockingham? If not then Bernie should be a happy man

[teamHOLDENracing]

Graham said:

Chassis 33 said:

They'd have to sort out the gulley in the hairpin as you turn off the hairpin, it causes alsorts of problems with grounding and cars bouncing offline.

Regards
Iain

I dont think they run that much now. The current long circuit joins the banking just after turn 4 and takes turn 1 full chat every lap.

I quite like Rockingham, and its infield layouts.... one of the most physical circuits to drive in the uk imho.

G

I think Iain was referring to the hairpin, not the chicane in turn 1.

Graham - you haven't driven Thruxton in a full fat Tuscan with no power steering on sticky tyres. You pretty much arm wrestle the car all way round the circuit with very little let up. Its far more physical than Rockingham.

I'm surprised that one of the earlier posters excludes Oulton from the list of circuits with character. Far too dangerous for F1 though.

Snetterton would be the easiest to convert for F1, but stuck out where it is it would never happen

[SimonY]

Yes but if you were converting Snetterton you might as well convert Silverstone!

[FourWheelDrift]

Since Bernie likes street circuits why not the old Birmingham Superprix circuit or a race around another city that isn't blighted by traffic islands, speed bumps and narrow bus only lanes.

Although if the media are anything to go by they'll be planning a GP around the streets of Stevenage.

[LocoBlade]

FourWheelDrift said:

....or a race around another city that isn't blighted by traffic islands, speed bumps and narrow bus only lanes.

Errm, doesnt that criteria rule it out being based in Great Britain though?

Edited by LocoBlade on Tuesday 12th June 22:17

[ginettajoe]

woof said:

No - because the infield circuit is totally mickey mouse !

You mean you haven't mastered it yet??? Technical yes!! Mickey Mouse, definately not!!! The only people that criticise it, are the ones that are mickey mouse drivers normally.

[ginettajoe]

SimonY said:

Yes but if you were converting Snetterton you might as well convert Silverstone!

Why convert any circuit when a completely new circuit has been constructed to GP2 standards, and would accomodate F1 cars with no problem. It is 2.1 miles long, 12 metres wide, excellent elevation changes, very smooth fast & flowing. An Airfield just 10 minutes drive away, ......... and a fantastic view over the Irish Sea & Snowdonia. The downside of using Anglesey would be the access roads, but that would be easier to sort out than some of the other circuits!!

[Ahonen]

ginettajoe said:

woof said:

No - because the infield circuit is totally mickey mouse !

You mean you haven't mastered it yet??? Technical yes!! Mickey Mouse, definately not!!! The only people that criticise it, are the ones that are mickey mouse drivers normally.

No, it really is Mickey Mouse. GT cars barely fit on the circuit and have nowhere to stretch their legs apart from the the front straight.

I've yet to work with a driver who hasn't described the infield as "a bit crap".

[Marc W]

I don't think there'd be nearly enough space. When the BTCC was there earlier in the year, they took up all the infield paadock and the support races had to park up outside. The f1 teams take up a lot more space so I can't see them fitting in, never mind the F1 supports!