FIA Has messing with the cars distracted the FIA from sorting out the circuits?

[KekeTheKing]

I did.

And I meant to make this comment at the time, but forgot. So, here we go.

I downloaded the Euro F3 race they had at the Paul Ricard HTTT earlier this year, and I couldn't even finish watching the 19 lap race in one sitting. I was damn near hypnotized by the multiple stripes surrounding the circuit. From a TV viewers perspective, it was a horrendous experience.

How's the view from the driver's seat Sportsman?

 

[sportsman]

Its not so noticeable as it is on TV. You are aware of the colours but generally they only serve as a reference point.Certain corners can't remember which they show up much ,more clearly than the others.
I was driving a Dallara F3 with a VW engine and in these you sit very low , indeed I could only just see the tops of the front tyres so the striping is not that pronounced.

 

[RevMaxPower]

So Sportsman - do those stripes REALLY make you go faster???

 

[sportsman]

So Sportsman - do those stripes REALLY make you go faster???

Something did.I binned it.Thats how I know about the abrasive asphalt

 

[no-FIAt-please]

Why not just have a 2-3 foot wide gravel trap 'snake' that follows the white line of the track, this would not mean cars would have to retire fore their mistakes but would be severely hamped and would lose at least a few seconds and therefore would not try and extend the track.

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

Unless they soak the Astroturf before each session, that would be carnage!

Vitaly would love that.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Why not just have a 2-3 foot wide gravel trap 'snake' that follows the white line of the track, this would not mean cars would have to retire fore their mistakes but would be severely hamped and would lose at least a few seconds and therefore would not try and extend the track.

I don't think that would work as the cars may dig into the gap between tarmac and gravel and it could catapult the cars into the air.

As for the abrasive strips why would they have to be different colours? They could make a very harsh surface but keep it as the same colour as the surrounding area's to make tv viewing easier.

What kind of surface could be used though? They have to allow for all formula's and not just F1 although most of the new Tilke tracks only seem to ever have one race per year on them.....

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

They are very abrasive indeed.If you do get on them you normally need a tyre change within a couple of laps.I have driven this track and experienced that first hand.

Well, that sounds like they are just what we want!
(not so nice for bikers who happen to come off, though)

 

[sportsman]

Same as Paul Ricard.I was running on Avon 514 slicks and it worked on those.Apart from F1 which is highly specialised most other series use very similair tyres.
http://www.avonracing.com/compounds_page.aspx

 

[sportsman]

Well, that sounds like they are just what we want!
(not so nice for bikers who happen to come off, though)

Actually it would benefit bikes as well.Race leathers and plastic back protectors are very good protection indeed.
The biggest danger of injury to bikers who come off is friction burns as they slide down the track.They would slide a lot less distance and the friction heat build up would be less.

 

[sobriety]

They would slide a lot less distance and the friction heat build up would be less

Would it though? It still takes the same amount of energy to slow them down, it's just the high friction surface would remove their sliding energy faster, but still as friction. So the heat build up would be a similar amount, just over a shorter period of time.

 

[Road of Bones]

They use the same system at Abu Dhabi as they do at Paul Ricard, don't they? No Sandtraps in that particular bit of desert...