Abu Dhabi unveil the Yas Marina Circuit

[Ardius]

http://www.formula1.com/gallery/other/2008/323.html

Looks interesting!
As a reminder, heres the circuit plan:

 

[PeterJB]

It's an interesting shape. Kinda reminds me of Valencia.

 

[Robin]

Looks quite nuts....I like it! Should hopefully make for some interesting racing.

Robin

 

[Omnis]

Track looks awesome.

 

[Muzaffar]

It looks like *insert random word here*
Wonder how long that straight it....

 

[paolopepper]

Shame all the great european grand prixs are being replaced by these ultra modern asian circuits which i think arent as good. Plus the main fan base, team base of f1 is in europe!

 

[GT4 genius]

Two very long straights, unusually. Its seems like a similar layout to Bahrain, with long straights and sharp 90* corners.
And it looks like a gun right??

 

[Fujiwara-kun]

Two very long straights, unusually. Its seems like a similar layout to Bahrain, with long straights and sharp 90* corners.
And it looks like a gun right??

Looks like 3 straights but anyways

Yes I see a gun too

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I love the concept art that appeared over at GP Update ...

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

It looks pretty good from the pictures, but I'll assume it's rubbish until proven otherwise.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I recall reading - back when the race was first announced - that the first few corners after the start line (not the actual first corner, but the ones after it) are being styled as a "reverse Eau Rouge". While it's pretty unimaginitive to copy that corner, this one is different because rather than going through a gully, this one is apparently going over a crest and then down, and it may well be constructed such that the main corner - the right - is blind.

 

[NapoleonMikey]

hmm so anyone got any actual pictuers of the courseother then just the track map? anyone know if this track is going to be boring with only 3 good overtaking spots? its hard to tell from just the track map and not telling how wide the track is or any of the elevation changes and what not.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

hmm so anyone got any actual pictuers of the courseother then just the track map? anyone know if this track is going to be boring with only 3 good overtaking spots? its hard to tell from just the track map and not telling how wide the track is or any of the elevation changes and what not.

Concept art @ Formula1.com

And just so you know, most Grand Prix circuits only have a handful of overtaking spots:

- Albert Park has turns one, three and eleven
- Sepang has turn one, four, nine and fifteen
- Bahrain has turns one, four and fifteen
- Catalunya has turns one and ten
- Istanbul Park has turns one, nine and twelve
- Monaco has turns one and ten
- Montreal has turns two-three (really one combiantion), eleven and fourteen
- Magny-Cours had turns one, five and fifteen
- Silverstone has tuns one, seven and eleven
- Hockenheim has turns one, two, four and eight
- The Hungaroring only really has turn one, and maybe turn six if you're lucky
- Valencia has turns one, twelve and seventeen (even if no-one used them)
- Spa has turn one, turn seven and turn nineteen
- Moza has turn one, turn three, turn seven and turn nine
- Sinagpore's Marina Bay has turns one, seven, ten and fourteen
- Fuji has turns one, six and ten
- Shanghia has turns one, six and fourteen
- Interlagos has turns one, four and fifteen

So you see, a handful of passing opportunities is the norm for most circuits. And the 2009 regulations are designed to promote more overtaking. While we might have heard that before only to see about the same amount of action - if not less - the FIA has deferred to the teams this time to try and find a solution, which they have. The teams estimate that at the moment, cars have to be two seconds a lap faster than another car to be able to pass it, and have created the cars for next year such that that time is halved to one second a lap (if they went any lower, they feel that there would be a breakway group of the main teams and no-one could catch the because they'd all be dogfighting one another, which naturally produces a slower lap ... this way, they expect that the leaders will be fighitng and everyone will be able to close the gap).

 

[NapoleonMikey]

Concept art @ Formula1.com

And just so you know, most Grand Prix circuits only have a handful of overtaking spots:

- Albert Park has turns one, three and eleven
- Sepang has turn one, four, nine and fifteen
- Bahrain has turns one, four and fifteen
- Catalunya has turns one and ten
- Istanbul Park has turns one, nine and twelve
- Monaco has turns one and ten
- Montreal has turns two-three (really one combiantion), eleven and fourteen
- Magny-Cours had turns one, five and fifteen
- Silverstone has tuns one, seven and eleven
- Hockenheim has turns one, two, four and eight
- The Hungaroring only really has turn one, and maybe turn six if you're lucky
- Valencia has turns one, twelve and seventeen (even if no-one used them)
- Spa has turn one, turn seven and turn nineteen
- Moza has turn one, turn three, turn seven and turn nine
- Sinagpore's Marina Bay has turns one, seven, ten and fourteen
- Fuji has turns one, six and ten
- Shanghia has turns one, six and fourteen
- Interlagos has turns one, four and fifteen

So you see, a handful of passing opportunities is the norm for most circuits. And the 2009 regulations are designed to promote more overtaking. While we might have heard that before only to see about the same amount of action - if not less - the FIA has deferred to the teams this time to try and find a solution, which they have. The teams estimate that at the moment, cars have to be two seconds a lap faster than another car to be able to pass it, and have created the cars for next year such that that time is halved to one second a lap (if they went any lower, they feel that there would be a breakway group of the main teams and no-one could catch the because they'd all be dogfighting one another, which naturally produces a slower lap ... this way, they expect that the leaders will be fighitng and everyone will be able to close the gap).

and why do most GP circuits only have 3 overtaking spots? because a big majority of them are all designed by the same guy. seriously they need to design a track where about half the turns you would be able to overtake someone.

but thanks for the link. just wish they would show more track renderings then scenery renderings. seriously i dont care what that building looks like or what the roof looks like i care about the circuit.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

While I admit rederings of the media centre are boring, you can see the circuit otherwise. The whole point of showing that big hotel is to generate some idea of what the atmosphere will be like. Besides, I believe the circuit proposal may be modified ahead of construction. Don't ask me how or where, only that it might happen.

Also, there's only a limited number of overtaking spots because the circuits would otherwise be boring: a series of drag strips linked by hairpins, which would also strain the engines. The idea is that by limiting the number of overtaking spots, it will be more challenging for the drivers to break through. They're the best drivers in the world, so they have to fight for position a little. And only eight of the eighteen were designed by Tilke.

 

[Muzaffar]

Well there was this clip lying around Youtube....

 

[Cap'n Jack]

I think the circuit looks fantastic, judging by the renders. Having a room in that hotel would be one of the most awesome things ever. Forget your alarm, just wake up to the sound of amazing cars.

 

[Touring Mars]

As if some of the 'classic' European circuits needed a further wake up call, then surely this is it... Bahrain have managed to pull out a really great circuit, Abu Dhabi will probably deliver a real cracker by the looks of things... I'm not so sure about those trampolines on the roof, though...

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I think the circuit looks fantastic, judging by the renders. Having a room in that hotel would be one of the most awesome things ever. Forget your alarm, just wake up to the sound of amazing cars.

... Wouldn't you want to wake up before the race, though?

Als, I have a tendency to throw pillows at anything that disturbs me before I'm ready to get up on weekends. As funny as it would look, I'm pretty sure the drivers don't want to have to dodge pillows. And the hotel probably wouln't appreciate it much either ...