The Formula 1 calendar development threadFormula 1 

I found a bit more information of the circuit, and a couple of pictures of the location.
A raw sketch of the layout, but the one posted by PM seems more accurate and interesting:
circuito_callejero_mar_del_plata_f1_formula_uno-13.jpg

And the topography:
circuito_callejero_mar_del_plata_f1_formula_uno-06.jpg

Escollera_norte_de_Mar_del_Plata.jpg

BNMdP.jpg


And results from early simulations.
Track lenght: 5 km
Top speed: 320 km/h
Average speed: 193 km/h
Lap time: 1 minute 33 seconds
 
PeterJB
The proximity to the water makes me a little uncomfortable though.
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Why? The circuit will have to hold an FIA Grade-1 circuit certification to host the race, which means it will have to have safety features in place. The will most likely be a safety access point at the very end of the pier, and the pits are right in the middle of it, so any accident on the long straights could easily be accessed. Plus, that section of the circuit will be lined with safety fencing the way Valencia is. Even when Mark Webber launched himself off the back of Kovalainen in 2010, he did not gain enough air to vault over the fencing. Likewise Kubica at Montreal in 2007. There is always a chance that someone would jump the fence, but the FIA would never approve the circuit without being confident that the odds of it happening are about one in nine billion.

GTPorsche
Also looks like it has a tunnel or a massive overhang down the one straight.
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I'm guessing that's the pit building and grandstands in close proximity to one another. The pier itself is 125m wide, and with the circuit needing to be between 12 and 15m wide, that means there's not a lot of space to fit the pits and paddock and grandstands in. Hence, everything is very close to the circuit.
 
Not to mention the fact that there will probably be a team of professional divers there like there are at Monaco every year in the event that someone finds their way into the water.
 
You never know. If someone gains air like Webber and at the same speed you'd need a bloody strong fence to stop that.
 
The Red Bull gives you wings, but the wings have so much downforce that it wouldn't go over the catch fence.

As for the angry bird in the Caterham, he might just go over :lol:
 
I disagree. I think the calendar needs variety in terms of circuit configurations. This is a pretty extreme layout, but I think the net result will be that all of these straits and hairpins will produce a circuit that requires very little downforce - possibly even less than Monza. There will be less emphasis on aerodynamic grip, and more focus on mechanical. At the very least, the Mar del Plata circuit (assuming this is the final plan; it was, after all, first conceived in 2009) will stand out as being very unique.
 
Endless-Wilso
To many strait's needs more corner's
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prisonermonkeys
I disagree. I think the calendar needs variety in terms of circuit configurations. This is a pretty extreme layout, but I think the net result will be that all of these straits and hairpins will produce a circuit that requires very little downforce - possibly even less than Monza. There will be less emphasis on aerodynamic grip, and more focus on mechanical. At the very least, the Mar del Plata circuit (assuming this is the final plan; it was, after all, first conceived in 2009) will stand out as being very unique.
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Seconded. This layout looks far more interesting than any number of Tilkedromes currently afflicting the calendar.
 
Because it's long straights and hairpins, with a fiddly switchback thrown in for good measure. It's Tilke turned up to eleven, seemingly made up of all the elements that make him so unpopular with fans.

Also, this is apparently the final version:

430226_1979956114457_1709810577_960905_1693883198_n.jpg


The ones with the blue lines appear to be an early draft, or speculation.
 
That second one doesn't look quite as good. The section to the south, at the bottom of the picture has been reprofiled to be much sharper and acuter compared to the previous pictures. I prefer that section in the first picture. It looks more flowing and natural with some kinks and swerves as opposed to sharp braking and hard cornering.

From the topography photo at the top of this page, there seems to be some reasonable natural elevation. The layout looks promising. It could be terrible, but I'm excited much more so than I have been for any other Tilke track.
 
I get the impression that the two chicanes in the bottom part of the circuit will be closer to Tilke's reprofiling of Hockenheim (around Turns 5-7) than the slow chicanes at Monza. And the chicane coming off the breakwater looks like the Variante Alta and the old Variante Bassa at Imola. It should slow the cars down, but not to a crawl. The only one that is really a problem is the Monza-like chicane before the switchback, but this proposal was apparently drawn up in 2009. Tilke has since gotten quite adverturous with his circuit designs, so some parts might have been changed or removed.
 
I can't help but notice a strange trend in Formula 1 in the moment: we're suddenly going west. Once Bernie got Russia and India on-board, we've suddenly picked up two races in America and possibly one in Argentina (nothing has been signed yet) to go with Canada and Brazil. I wonder if we're going to get more soon. Ever since Sergio Perez (and Esteban Gutierrez) signed with Sauber, the Mexicans have expressed an interest in reviving their Grand Prix; Carlos Slim's son called it a "no-brainer", and he's said to be investigating possible venues for the sport to run on, including an upgrade of Hermanos Rodriguez.

I also wouldn't be surprised if Venezuela gets a race in the near future, once Chavez overcomes his cancer and gets re-elected. Venezuelans have suddenly become very prominent in motorsport of late, least of all because PDVSA seems to be funding everything. We've got:
  • Pastor Maldonado in Formula 1
  • Johnny Cecotto, Jr. driving for Addax in GP2 (probably the best team to race for)
  • Rodolfo Gonzalez with Caterham's GP2 arm
  • Giancarlo Serenelli racing for GP2 newcomers Lazarus (which is competing under the name "Venezuela GP Lazarus")
  • Enzo Potolicchio racing with Starworks in the World Endurance Championship
  • EJ Viso racing for KV Racing Technology in Indycar
  • Milka Duno doing whatever it is she's doing now (and probably doing it 10km/h slower than everyone else); ARCA, I think
  • Alex Garcia racing in NASCAR Nationwide
  • Jorge Goncalvez in Indy Lights
  • And I'm pretty sure I missed a few of them
Irrespective of how these drivers are actually doing, Venezuela has suddenly developed a presence on the international motorsports scene. In fact, they're probably second only to Russia in terms of the number of drivers who have come out of nowhere. Even if their politics are to be criticised (personally, I think Chavez has been demonised because he is outposken about America, but that's for another thread), there is a lot of money to be found in South American oil. So I would not be surprised if Bernie's sudden western push results in a race in Venezuela in the near future. In fact, I seem to recall Hugo Chavez loating the prospect of a Venezuelan Grand Prix on the Isla Margarita back in 2009. Nothing ever came of it, but Argentina is also suddenly announcing a race, after radio silence on the subject since 2009.
 
They'd have to get their crime rate under control first. The country is too dangerous for foreigners at the moment.
 
The only thing Milka Duno does well is participate in every race she is in as the mobile chicane. Currently she is the ARCA Series mobile chicane.
 
peter_vod69
They'd have to get their crime rate under control first. The country is too dangerous for foreigners at the moment.
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Why do you think Chavez suggested the Isla Margarita? Crime is generally lower there than in Caracas. And if the race did go ahead, you can bet the Venezuelans would pull out all the stops to guarantee the safety of teams, drivers and spectators.
 
prisonermonkeys
Why do you think Chavez suggested the Isla Margarita? Crime is generally lower there than in Caracas. And if the race did go ahead, you can bet the Venezuelans would pull out all the stops to guarantee the safety of teams, drivers and spectators.
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astrosdude91
We still go to Sao Paulo. And they're pretty bad too.
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F1 fan
Not to mention the situation in Bahrain. Still going there.
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From Wikipedia:

Crime

Crime on Margarita island is currently very high, having soared nationally since 1999 when Chávez came to power. The murder rate index for the island (population about 400,000) in 2008 is reported as 63.1 per 100,000 inhabitants which is among the highest in the world and can be contrasted with a rate of 1.26 for the UK in the same year. House robberies by armed gangs are reported as widespread.[9][1] On 20th January 2012 about 30 or 35 Brazilian tourists were robbed in their hotel in Antolin del Campo, Margarita, by a gang of between 13 and 15 armed robbers.[5]

In 2011 there have been at least three tourist murders on Margarita. On 18 July 2011, Tom Ossel, 28, was shot dead in a robbery after four men and three women burst into the hotel Casa Rosa in Playa El Agua, Margarita where he was staying.[2] French tourist Francés Yves Le Bras was murdered in a robbery on 29 March 2011 at hotel Laguna Mar in Margarita while he and his wife dined at the restaurant Guacuco.[3] Belgian tourist Bonne Philippe was also murdered in March 2011 while eating in a fast food outlet in Playa El Agua, Margarita.[4] On 27 August 2010 an Italian, Emiliano Astore, was murdered on his boat anchored off Margarita Island in an apparent robbery. Two police officers and a civilian were arrested. A third officer was implicated in the "exploitation of objects" from the crime.[10]

The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office warns that street crime in Venezuela is high, and that armed muggings and 'express kidnappings' - opportunistic abductions to extort money from someone - are regular occurrences.[11]

Before 1998 Venezuela was a pirate free country, but since the beginning of the political difficulties the picture has changed, and there have been 38 registered attacks, with about ten of them at or near Margarita. Venezuela is now listed as a dangerous region for pirate attacks and in many regions, including between Margarita and Sucre, sailors should not anchor and yachts should sail in company.
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I'd particularly like to draw your attention to the murder rate of 63.1 per 100,000, compared to Venezuela's national average of 57. Sure it's not as bad as Caracas' 92, but it's still a hell of a lot worse than most developed nations.
 
And do you honestly think that, in the event Venezuela were to get a Grand Prix, the government would completely ignore crime as an issue? Of course not. Countries get Grands Prix to boost their international profile; the last thing anyone in Venezuela wants is their brand-new race besmirched by sprialling crime rates. No doubt they'd have fancy architecture around the circuit that would double as accomodation to keep the tourists close to the circuit and safe, for one. Boosted police numbers is another no-brainer.
 

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