'Ring, Portimao and Imola for 2020?

[JonChalk]

..according to Racefans.net;

https://www.racefans.net/2020/07/22/nurburgring-to...

..though what the 'ring weather will be like by the time we get past Sochi is anyone's guess.

I'd quite like to see wet tyres at 3 degrees, with a bit of snow on the track!

[TheDeuce]

All sounds very believable - and I can easily see Liberty and the FIA being inclined towards any circuits that can hold a race and don't throw up particularly awkward travel issues, quarantines etc. Most of the world is effectively unlocked for travel now... But not all of it and not all routes are as practical as normal. I think for economic reasons trying to get the weather right is probably not at the forefront of their decision making.. Which is great for us of course - bring it on!

Imola, Monza and Mugello in a single season

[ch37]

TheDeuce said:

Imola, Monza and Mugello in a single season

Couldn't have come at a worse time for Ferrari!

[Sandpit Steve]

Looks now like the whole season will be in Europe until it gets too cold, then off to the Middle East for as many more races as are required to make up the season’s worth of TV and sponsorship - with no room for Asia or the Americas this year.

Fingers crossed we will start to see some fans allowed towards the end of the season (he says hopefully, clutching his two grandstand tickets for the last race in Abu Dhabi).

[TheDeuce]

Sandpit Steve said:

Looks now like the whole season will be in Europe until it gets too cold, then off to the Middle East for as many more races as are required to make up the season’s worth of TV and sponsorship - with no room for Asia or the Americas this year.

Fingers crossed we will start to see some fans allowed towards the end of the season (he says hopefully, clutching his two grandstand tickets for the last race in Abu Dhabi).

Yea I think they will bumble around Europe as much as possible, and then head further afield as and when they have to - we could yet see further European circuits in addition to those mentioned in this thread.

As regards fans in the stands, I actually think that by then the public mood might increasingly be in favour of that kind of gathering, providing comfortable personal space is maintained, which would require a reduction of capacity - effectively every second seat left empty I suppose. BUT... would F1 or any other sport risk taking that step at the end of the season? If it backfired it could jeapordise a smooth start to the following season, they probably don't want to rock the boat and will see out this season without fans - it's working 'well enough' I think.

However, fingers crossed for you - you never know!

[TheDeuce]

ch37 said:

TheDeuce said:

Imola, Monza and Mugello in a single season

Couldn't have come at a worse time for Ferrari!

I know.. it's starting to feel like 2020 just isn't a good year for team red

[DanielSan]

There's an article on Bridge to Gantry today showing that the hotel at the GP circuit has been completely booked up for that weekend, seems like they're getting ready to sell the bookings onto the F1 teams....

[faa77]

What's so great about the ring? I could understand if people got excited about the Nordschleife, but the ring is pretty small?

I think F1 should go on the Nordschleife, 5 lap race?

[TheDeuce]

faa77 said:

What's so great about the ring? I could understand if people got excited about the Nordschleife, but the ring is pretty small?

I think F1 should go on the Nordschleife, 5 lap race?

I'm personally just happy to see old and previously unused by F1 circuits appearing on the calendar. Mixes things up, and we don't know how the modern cars will get on at some of the tracks.

Almost makes up for being denied Zandvoort and Hanoi this year...

[Deesee]

faa77 said:

What's so great about the ring?

Top quality modern circuit and the V8’s were not quite enough to tame it. The Hybrids will be sensational here..

This circuit had some of the races of the season in 2007/2009 in a similar date.

faa77 said:

I think F1 should go on the Nordschleife, 5 lap race?

Never going to happen... although a gp distance there would be 11/12 ish laps, the pit window would be interesting...

Although I’d like to see the SF70/W09 completely derestricted (Fuel flow/unlimited MGU) and smash the Porsche 919 lap record, for a bit of an exhibition and a send of for Niki..

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KsLi7HgSuhI

[Sandpit Steve]

Deesee said:

Never going to happen... although a gp distance there would be 11/12 ish laps, the pit window would be interesting...

Although I’d like to see the SF70/W09 completely derestricted (Fuel flow/unlimited MGU) and smash the Porsche 919 lap record, for a bit of an exhibition and a send of for Niki..

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KsLi7HgSuhI

The ‘ring is 20.8km, so an F1 race distance would be 15 laps. As you say though, it’s sadly never going to happen, the circuit just doesn’t come close to the standards required any more.

An exhibition would be very cool though, the only thing that’s got any chance of coming close to the 919 is a modern F1 car. I’m sure Niki would be looking down and smiling if they could somehow make it happen.

[TheDeuce]

Sandpit Steve said:

The ‘ring is 20.8km, so an F1 race distance would be 15 laps. As you say though, it’s sadly never going to happen, the circuit just doesn’t come close to the standards required any more.

An exhibition would be very cool though, the only thing that’s got any chance of coming close to the 919 is a modern F1 car. I’m sure Niki would be looking down and smiling if they could somehow make it happen.

A shame, it would have provided enough social distancing space to let fans in

I fear uprating 20km of trackside protection to F1 standards would at best be unaffordable and at worse impossible sadly!

[Sandpit Steve]

TheDeuce said:

A shame, it would have provided enough social distancing space to let fans in

I fear uprating 20km of trackside protection to F1 standards would at best be unaffordable and at worse impossible sadly!

There would be way too much to do, and a lot of the required modifications would totally change the character of the circuit.

There would need to be hundreds if not thousands of trees chopped to make runoff areas and gravel traps, lots of bumps would need resurfacing, kerbs and corner profiles would all need redoing, not to mention needing a dozen or so medical cars and facilities to land helicopters around the circuit if required in an emergency. You’d also need a couple of thousand marshals and associated recovery vehicles, and hard places for them all to stand when not in use, plus the digital timing and flag signalling systems for a circuit three times as long as any other F1 circuit, all with almost no service roads across or joining the track. F1 would want to televise it to the usual standard too, requiring way more cameras than they usually work with, and issues of range for all the remote cameras and radios.

Never happening for a race, as much as we’d all like to dream. Love the idea of an exhibition though

[Deesee]

I don’t know why but i thought earlier that the length was circa 25/28km, no idea why?!? Hence the ‘lower’ laps.

The modern ‘ring I suppose is quite short by modern new build/renovation circuit standards, but has some quality high speed zones with heavy breaking.

Can’t wait to see just how quick they can take turn 10 and turn 12 for example.

I have not seen the modern Imola, or Portimao but it very much looks like they are going to get the 16 races they need.

[thegreenhell]

Deesee said:

I don’t know why but i thought earlier that the length was circa 25/28km, no idea why?!? Hence the ‘lower’ laps.

You should have stuck to your guns. The Nordschleife on its own is 20.8km, but the combined circuit, which they'd have to use for a race, is 25.4km...

[Deesee]

thegreenhell said:

Deesee said:

I don’t know why but i thought earlier that the length was circa 25/28km, no idea why?!? Hence the ‘lower’ laps.

You should have stuck to your guns. The Nordschleife on its own is 20.8km, but the combined circuit, which they'd have to use for a race, is 25.4km...

Not going mad then just forgot the start!

[Sandpit Steve]

thegreenhell said:

Deesee said:

I don’t know why but i thought earlier that the length was circa 25/28km, no idea why?!? Hence the ‘lower’ laps.

You should have stuck to your guns. The Nordschleife on its own is 20.8km, but the combined circuit, which they'd have to use for a race, is 25.4km...

Ah yes, the N24 “combined” circuit, using the new GP circuit (inc the pits) and the Nordschliefe, so a 12 lap F1 race is correct. Not that’s it’s ever happening, sadly.

[TheDeuce]

Deesee said:

I have not seen the modern Imola, or Portimao but it very much looks like they are going to get the 16 races they need.

I think so too. In fact, the barriers to the virus have been so successful that statistically F1 is about as safe as anywhere can be, and far safer than just about anywhere else.. Now that's proven, liberty can have as many races as they're prepared to pay the circuits to host.

[thegreenhell]

The main barrier to adding more European races is now time, or more precisely the seasons. If they add these three races then the calendar is full until the end of October, and already at the mercy of poor weather and shorter days.

[Deesee]

thegreenhell said:

The main barrier to adding more European races is now time, or more precisely the seasons. If they add these three races then the calendar is full until the end of October, and already at the mercy of poor weather and shorter days.

It’s looking likely they will have a fly away to Sepang in November, with perhaps a day & night race, followed by 2 in Bahrain then on to Abu Dhabi.