Track orientation: clockwise vs counter-clockwise
Discussion
Not Ideal said:
As far as I know the only anti-clockwise circuit the F1 brigade visit is Brazil..??
Turkey is anticlockwise too since that was introducedETA: What does Suzuka class as. Does it depend where you are relative to the crossover point?
Edited by PulsatingStar on Tuesday 28th April 07:39
The question was why, clockwise? I'm sat here bored trying to be logical and think of a reason. I can't think of a historical one, arn't most hourse racing ciruits Anti? so can't be a take over from a older practice. I even think the charriot race in the Ben Hur film was Anti Clockwise.
Yesterday I watched a show on Discovery with the UK's first motor event, (some promanade in the South of England), they were running on side of the road next to the Sea in the norml traffic direction. (left Side), so my bet would be that as we drive on the left, the drivers at the first event (and any other UK event) therfore turned right, (clockwise) at the end of thier run to come back down the road.
Yesterday I watched a show on Discovery with the UK's first motor event, (some promanade in the South of England), they were running on side of the road next to the Sea in the norml traffic direction. (left Side), so my bet would be that as we drive on the left, the drivers at the first event (and any other UK event) therfore turned right, (clockwise) at the end of thier run to come back down the road.
At a guess in Britain we drove on the right side of the car and thus it put the defending driver on the side of the car that most overtakes would take place on? Other countries then copied?
Nascar runs ainticlockwise on ovals so it not a universal thing.
Nascar runs ainticlockwise on ovals so it not a universal thing.
Edited by cogitoergozoomo on Tuesday 28th April 08:26
I'd imagine NASCAR race anti clockwise on ovals for safety, drivers sit on the left hand side of the car, US car drvers sit on left on the highway. That said like most European fixed purpose built road courses are also clock wise(except laguna seca) includng NASCAR road courses watkins glen & sonoma.
No I don't why road courses favour clockwise historically, but is it because we follow our European cousins, for once, where the gear shift was on the right, for right handed people, with it outside of the cabin, in early 1910', 20s, who sit the driver on right, and have the mechanic on left, and the toffs look after themselves and want to turn right, leaving the workers, to fall out, break the drivers fall on the left.
Or is simply the clock goes clockwise, still horse racecourses, athletic tracks are anti, so that doesn't seem to follow.
No I don't why road courses favour clockwise historically, but is it because we follow our European cousins, for once, where the gear shift was on the right, for right handed people, with it outside of the cabin, in early 1910', 20s, who sit the driver on right, and have the mechanic on left, and the toffs look after themselves and want to turn right, leaving the workers, to fall out, break the drivers fall on the left.
Or is simply the clock goes clockwise, still horse racecourses, athletic tracks are anti, so that doesn't seem to follow.
Edited by Northern Munkee on Tuesday 28th April 09:08
Edited by Northern Munkee on Tuesday 28th April 09:11
Lordbenny said:
Last time I drove Imola it was anti! 
Yes that's why I used 'most' and 'favour', rather than an absolute.Will do some reasearch, as it's one of those possibly futile quests where the taking part maybe more interesting than winning.
(mixed metaphors!)
It's a slow day.
Edited by Northern Munkee on Tuesday 28th April 09:59
Well I don't think there is real reason.
Here's brief synopsis...
The Greeks race cwise, the Romans chariot race cwise, a legend says someone hit the nutter Nero with a whip or something, gets executed, he orders change to anti, marries horse. Don't know if the continentals follow Greeks and the US are following Romans. I doubt that.
Modern history suggests horse racing provides the lead. UK apparently raced horses cwise, (not if my memory serves), but did according the colonials, in the new world so when they were fighting for independance some Kentucky chap insisted going the other way,just to be different, a political gesture (very American). Hence the racetracks/fairgrounds are anti, and motor racing ovals grow out of those and the flat tracks.
The European habit of clockwise grows out of the most successful early circuits, le man, Monaco, cwise.
Fascinating reading about circuits from wiki, there's a new Korean gp next year. Missed that. Is hermann tilke the only man allowed to design circuits these days?!
Here's brief synopsis...
The Greeks race cwise, the Romans chariot race cwise, a legend says someone hit the nutter Nero with a whip or something, gets executed, he orders change to anti, marries horse. Don't know if the continentals follow Greeks and the US are following Romans. I doubt that.
Modern history suggests horse racing provides the lead. UK apparently raced horses cwise, (not if my memory serves), but did according the colonials, in the new world so when they were fighting for independance some Kentucky chap insisted going the other way,just to be different, a political gesture (very American). Hence the racetracks/fairgrounds are anti, and motor racing ovals grow out of those and the flat tracks.
The European habit of clockwise grows out of the most successful early circuits, le man, Monaco, cwise.
Fascinating reading about circuits from wiki, there's a new Korean gp next year. Missed that. Is hermann tilke the only man allowed to design circuits these days?!
Northern Munkee said:
Is hermann tilke the only man allowed to design circuits these days?!
I think they should get Hot Wheels to design the new track - complete with a loop-the-loop.We are always being told by Martin Brundle that F1 cars create enough downforce to drive upside down...
german tony said:
Maybe it's connected with the pits were historically being on the inside of the circuits & with RHD cars mostly being used the driver got out of the car on the safe side. Not sure though.
Does the direction affect the pit position though?Clockwise
Silverstone - pits on right
Montreal - pits on left
Anti-clockwise
Imola - pits on right
Turkey - pits on left
Jungles said:
Why does it seem there are more clockwise tracks than counter-clockwise tracks - particularly in Europe?
Most of the major European tracks are clockwise: Monza, Spa, Silverstone, Donington, Zandvoort, Nurburgring, etc.
Anyone know if there is a historic or logical reason for this?
it used to be harder to make left-side and right-side wheels the same size, left hand side wheels usually came out bigger, so traditionally race tracks are clockwise because with bigger left hand wheels, cars prefer to turn right. This does not apply to the US where they solved the problem by tilting the track over, and only having left hand turns, leaving them with their legacy of oval racing.Most of the major European tracks are clockwise: Monza, Spa, Silverstone, Donington, Zandvoort, Nurburgring, etc.
Anyone know if there is a historic or logical reason for this?
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