Before we get started I think it is worth noting that this post could turn into a bit of a rant. I will try not to but hey, it may be more entertaining for you guys. Now I don't know about you but I thoroughly enjoyed last weekend's race. Well, maybe apart from staying up till 2am to watch qualifying before waking up some 4 hours later to watch the Grand Prix but I can deal with that because it was at Suzuka. Suzuka, the best track on the F1 calendar if you please (I know you Spa fantatics will have a strong case for an argument but create your own blog). To be fair there are several circuits which could be acknowledged by fans as the greatest track in Formula One. Despite being revamped to incorporate the new 'Arena' layout, Silverstone has remained an almighty challenge for the drivers. If you want to look back on the more exciting races of the 2010 season (and there has been plenty), you will do well to look any further than the Grand Prix's in Australia (Albert Park), Canada (Montreal) and Belgium (Spa-Franchorchamps). Notice here how none of these circuits has been designed within the last ten years, save for some minor altering. During the last ten years many new and attractive venues have appeared onto the F1 calendar. All of which have been designed by Hermann Tilke, who in my view, is the most important factor to consider when the inevitable question of 'why is there no overtaking in F1?' crops up.
Ironically Hermann Tilke has a substantial background in motorsport. He is an ex-touring car driver, so surely he must have some indication as to what constitutes exciting racing? Hmm, maybe not. His first creation was the A1-Ring in Austria back in 1997, replacing the fast but very dangerous Österreichring. Out with the blindingly-fast corners such as the Bosch Kurve and the Jochen Rindt Kurve and in with a mix of tight, slow corners that required heavy braking at the end of long straights. Since then, a familar pattern has emerged with new tracks following Tilke's seemingly inflexible policy of tracks consisting of 'a mix of tight, slow corners that required heavy braking at the end of long straights'. To be fair to Tilke, he has produce a couple of real gems. Sepang and Istanbul are both circuits which provide good on-track battles but unfortunately the bad outweighs the good (I would have added Singapore's Marina Bay to the 'good' list, but only for its undeniably beautiful backdrop).
The so-called 'bad' circuits are in my view dull and lifeless. If you're going to try and attract a wider audience to Formula One, Bahrain (or Bore-rain) was not the place to start the 2010 Grand Prix season. What a first impression that would have made. Shanghai, despite often giving us the exciting variable of rain, does little to get me on the edge of my seat. Hockenheim was totally redesigned in 2002 and much to my regret is not a patch on the old layout, which saw the cars thundering through the forests before entering the last sector of the circuit and the much-maligned 'Motodrom' stadium section to the adoring German crowd. Tilke has redesigned many of the circuits which were already on the calendar before he arrived in Formula One and sadly his projects have had an adverse effect on the racing. The final-corner sequence alterations made to Magny Cours, Catalunya, Spa and Suzuka have, although improved safety, provided fans with clumsy, unimaginative chicanes which have done nothing to enhance the on-track action at all. Similar modifications have occured at Monaco; the widening of the track at Saint Devote and from the Swimming Pool section down to La Rascasse has taken away some of the more significant challenges of F1's most iconic venue. Which leaves just Abu Dhabi and Valencia as Tilke's other notable creations (I will talk about next weekend's first Korean Grand Prix in my next post). Despite its spectacular location which left me stunned at first glance, Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina circuit as a racing event wasn't up to much. And Valencia is undoubtedly the most derided of all the Tilkedromes. Crowd attendance is simply woeful and the less said about the racing on show the better (I am however superb around it on the F1 2010 game, but I'm digressing). By the 2012 season, two new tracks will have joined the F1 calendar; India's maiden Grand Prix in New Delhi and the much anticipated return of the American Grand Prix in Austin, Texas - both will have been designed by Tilke. Of this campaign's calendar, only two tracks have remained untouched; Albert Park (Australia) and Interlagos (Brazil). A staggering amount.
So how do we revive the thrills of the F1 circuit? Is Tilke limited as to what he can create due to modern-day safety within the sport or is he simply lacking the imagination to create a wonderful spectacle for not only the fans but the whole Formula One fraternity? I am not suggesting we should make tracks less safe, but there needs to be some balance. Why not bring back some of the classic race tracks? Places such as Brands Hatch (Great Britain), Imola (San Marino) and Zandvoort (Holland) would certainly bring that historical sparkle which appears to be lacking in today's Formula One. Thankfully the methods Tilke uses to decide how to design his race tracks could about to be changed. Tilke has recently revealed F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has given him the thumbs up to adopt a more adventurous stance when designing circuit layouts in the future. I hope this is true because constant tweaking of the better tracks is beginning to get rid of what we loved about them in the first place (think 130R and the Casio triangle in Suzuka). In addition, further introductions of spectacular new venues but incredibly dull circuits could see Formula One simply becoming a precession each weekend with limited overtaking and excitement. And nobody, not even Mr Tilke, would want that.
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