Bahrain Track Changes: What do you think?

[woody2goody]

As we all know the Sakhir circuit has undergone a raft of changes, mainly concerning the new 'infield' section, increasing lap times to around two minutes.

However, because it was already a pretty long lap, at around 1m 30-35, I wonder why they felt the need to put this section in?

In addition, the new teams haven't been helped initially by the fact that this is now the longest lap (in terms of time) in F1 including Spa. Whereas maybe at Monza or Montreal, or even Sakhir before the alterations, these cars would probably be between 2 and 4 seconds off the pace, they are now 5-7 off in Bahrain and look a lot worse than they probably are in actuality.

My question is this: What does the forum make of the new changes, and were they necessary in your opinion?

[Dave B]

That bump at turn 6 needs a steam roller on it!

Other than that my thoughts are... meh.

[christophulus]

Absolute pile of carp.. it's too narrow, too twisty and too slow. I seriously doubt it's going to add anything to the race.

In fact, I can see the leader coming across one of the Hispanias in that section during the race, getting held up and whinging about it after!

[Old Eyes]

It has to be THE most bland track of the season. I guess we won't know until Sunday, if and when more overtaking happens on that part of the track. If it doesn't, what a waste of time.

[555-04Q2]

They change a poor design to another poor design. It dont make sense to me! If you are going to change the track, make it for the better.

[wedge]

The extended section is great. First part flows nicely downhill.

[N. Jones]

As we all know the Sakhir circuit has undergone a raft of changes, mainly concerning the new 'infield' section, increasing lap times to around two minutes.

However, because it was already a pretty long lap, at around 1m 30-35, I wonder why they felt the need to put this section in?

In addition, the new teams haven't been helped initially by the fact that this is now the longest lap (in terms of time) in F1 including Spa. Whereas maybe at Monza or Montreal, or even Sakhir before the alterations, these cars would probably be between 2 and 4 seconds off the pace, they are now 5-7 off in Bahrain and look a lot worse than they probably are in actuality.

My question is this: What does the forum make of the new changes, and were they necessary in your opinion?

I'll have to watch qualy and the race before I can give an opinion on that. It's kind of hard for me to get a feel for it during practice.

[UltimateDanGTR]

first section of the new bit was quite flowing i thought before the tight bit. It doesnt take anything away from the track, but i still think its a bit pointless.

[V12]

To be honest it's all much of a muchness for me. When I was a kid I used to be able to draw all 16 GP tracks from memory, even when they changed slightly the odd year as some like Silverstone did. whereas all the Tilkedromes just blend into one for me to be honest. For instance when watching FP2 on the web this morning, I couldn't tell at which point the car was on the circuit just from the camera shot, unlike at say Silverstone, Monza, Spa, Suzuka, Monaco, even Barcelona, etc.

[F1boat]

It's OK, not bad, not amazing. But let's wait for the race!

[Allyc85]

The first bit looks good and I like to see the cars moving about on the bumps! the rest of it is far too tight and boring, it barely even looks wide enough for F1 standards!

[Sonic]

That bump at turn 6 needs a steam roller on it!



Like that one at Argentina! That always looked eye wateringly painful...

As for catching a HRT there it'll just understeer wide and allow the leaders through ;)

[DazzlaF1]

Personally I dont like it, I cant figure why the organisers would want to put that section in.

Its not like because there's more cars on the track, hell, its only 4 extra compared to last year

[steveaki13]

I think its OK, it seems from practice that quite a few people are struggling through there, so it may force a few errors in Quali and the Race.

The other thing I laughed at while watching FP, was the fact that on a track where it is near impossible to damage your car against a wall or barrier as the run off appears as wide as a car park, Alguersuari found the one place to risk his car when he almost spun on to that small piece of barrier and made his team boss have kittens.

[AndyRAC]

To be honest it's all much of a muchness for me. When I was a kid I used to be able to draw all 16 GP tracks from memory, even when they changed slightly the odd year as some like Silverstone did. whereas all the Tilkedromes just blend into one for me to be honest. For instance when watching FP2 on the web this morning, I couldn't tell at which point the car was on the circuit just from the camera shot, unlike at say Silverstone, Monza, Spa, Suzuka, Monaco, even Barcelona, etc.

Ha ha, you as well.
Should bulldoze the whole track and start again - without Tilke's help.

[woody2goody]

I don't understand why they changed the track anyway, there was always plenty of overtaking, and the track flowed pretty well for a stop-start circuit.

The new bit doesn't look bad at all, but I'd have rather seen a couple of really fast corners put in instead of what they have.

However it seems that the cars can follow each other decently through that bit, so we'll see.

[Sonic]

However it seems that the cars can follow each other decently through that bit, so we'll see.

Strangely not just through the new bit, the cars seemed able to follow pretty damn closely everywhere. I think it was Alonso and Vettel having a "race" in FP and the Ferrari didn't seem to suffer as badly as previous years.

Perhaps it wistful thinking on my part, but here's hoping.

[UltimateDanGTR]

Strangely not just through the new bit, the cars seemed able to follow pretty damn closely everywhere. I think it was Alonso and Vettel having a "race" in FP and the Ferrari didn't seem to suffer as badly as previous years.

Perhaps it wistful thinking on my part, but here's hoping.

well, if that were the case (fingers crossed) it could be down to the larger length of the cars, with the air having to go over more sidepod length due to the bigger fuel tanks and somehow in a very nerdy technical way having an effect maybe.

[Dr. Krogshöj]

The new 6-7-8 combination isn't bad. Turn 6 is quite fast and the bumps make it even more interesting. I still prefer the original layout.

[Sonic]

Having watched it again I know what it reminds me of - a Kart track!

We have x amount of space, how many corners can we fit in to make the lap as long as possible?

[N. Jones]

I watched qualy and I don't like the changes as the race looks slow to me.
Maybe it's just me.... I'll have a better opinion after the race.

[Koz]

Waste, all of it. There was nothing wrong with the track in the first place, but it looks like they made it slightly more boring.

[Mia 01]

Like it.

[VkmSpouge]

Seems a rather pointless increase in circuit length to me which adds nothing to the character of the track and probably decreased the interest in qualifying due to fewer flying laps being able to be completed.

[nigelred5]

Lipstick on a pig, and an ugly shade at that. I think they made a bad track worse. They said the addition was to make it a multi- configuration track. That's all well and good, but it didn't improve the gp track IMHO.

[wedge]

probably decreased the interest in qualifying due to fewer flying laps being able to be completed.

Smaller tyre allocation over the GP weekend this year.

[Dave B]

Now I've watched the first GP2 race I hate the new section. Too slow to be fun, too twisty for overtaking, too bumpy to be called a racetrack.

[woody2goody]

They should have kept the GP track how it was I think, and maybe left this new section for endurance racing.

There's nothing really wrong with it per se, but I liked the challenge that the old layout presented. With any luck it'll be back to the original layout next year.

Unless that is, if it provides lots of passing.

[ShiftingGears]

Now I've watched the first GP2 race I hate the new section. Too slow to be fun, too twisty for overtaking, too bumpy to be called a racetrack.

Yep.

It's a malignant tumour, and it needs to go.

[wedge]

too bumpy to be called a racetrack.

That's the problem today. The drivers have got it too easy.

[Saint Devote]

I LOVE IT!!!

It is slow, but it is the skill to manage these cars in such a situation that makes it more challenging than faster corners - the new section makes the cars look like times before the dratted aerodynamicists got hold of motor racing.

A time when engines were king and DRIVERS had to actually control the car at tracks that would make Stirling Moss want to drive!

[call_me_andrew]

They took an OK track and made it into a bad track.

I think I've figured out the trick to making a dull track into something people will like: add a bunch of artificial hills.

[Sonic]

I LOVE IT!!!

It is slow, but it is the skill to manage these cars in such a situation that makes it more challenging than faster corners - the new section makes the cars look like times before the dratted aerodynamicists got hold of motor racing.

A time when engines were king and DRIVERS had to actually control the car at tracks that would make Stirling Moss want to drive!

TOSH! At the kind of "speed" that section allows the cars to run they are clumsy and awkaward - if you want to see non-aero cars may I suggest Formula Ford, but this track has no business calling itself an F1 layout IMO.

That said that bump on turn 6 is really marking the men from the boys and the good cars from the great. The ferraris look smooth as silk as the run over it, whereas the Mac look aweful over it - especially Jensons car.

[Dave B]

That's the problem today. The drivers have got it too easy.
I'd agree if we were talking about a touring car circuit, but these cars are set up with a low ride height and stiff suspension. The teams could raise the height, but that would compromise the entire lap for the sake of one bump.

[wedge]

I'd agree if we were talking about a touring car circuit, but these cars are set up with a low ride height and stiff suspension. The teams could raise the height, but that would compromise the entire lap for the sake of one bump.

How it should be.

[Dave B]

All that new section did was add to the lap time. No overtaking opportunities, no spectator spots, no nice camera angles for the TV, no real test for the drivers. It simply has to go for next year.

[ratonmacias]

this damn bahrain races have to go pit girls arent good i woke up at 5:40 a.m. to watch it (actually one of my twins was the alarm clock) and the track is so boring.

[wedge]

no real test for the drivers

bumpy string complex. Silky-smooth Button didnt' particularly enjoy that section.

[N. Jones]

Okay, I have watched the race and can say with confidence that the new layout is terrible.

de la Rosa was passing more people on the old layout than anyone did on the new layout.

[jens]

From an onboard camera the section might look like a challenge for a driver to handle, it is also a challenge in terms of setting up the car. But in terms of racing and from the point of view of a spectator I see no point in it besides uselessly extending the length of the circuit.

[gloomyDAY]

Pointless. Like adding a bit of fluff for no particular reason.

[Bezza]

They managed to make a crap track even worse! The only overtaking opportunity is Turn 1, and even that is tough, so they go and lengthen the track by adding pointless corners meaning the cars go round Turn 1 less times!

Absolute nonsense. An awful modern track and arguably the worst in F1. Whoever decided (Bernie) to have this as the season opener is stupid.

[Sulland]

Easy: Go back to the old track, or only use the outer track !
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahrain_International_Circuit

[Sonic]

Why do they have so many layouts?? Oh no! I've figured it out - Bernie wants to have all 19 rounds at Bahrain but each event takes place on a different layout. Mark my words - you heard it here first.

[Rollo]

The organisers ran the Endurance Circuit configuration, when combined with the heavier and therefore less mobile cars, produced a more boring race than what was needed.

If they'd decided to run the Grand Prix layout or the Outer Circuit, they would have probably produced a better race.

Actually I think that the best choice would be the Outer Circuit. It would be all of he faster sections with a few nasty chicaney things.

[christophulus]

The outer circuit is a great idea, it'd be something different to most of the other tracks. And if the ban on diffusers means the cars can follow closer together, I might actually look forward to the 2011 GP..

[wedge]

The organisers ran the Endurance Circuit configuration, when combined with the heavier and therefore less mobile cars, produced a more boring race than what was needed.

Even in the refuelling era we had races that could cure insomnia which weren't held on Mickey Mouse tracks.

[V12]

Why do they have so many layouts?? Oh no! I've figured it out - Bernie wants to have all 19 rounds at Bahrain but each event takes place on a different layout. Mark my words - you heard it here first.

Nah I think he's working towards this calendar:

Round 1 - Bahrain
Round 2 - Malaysia
Round 3 - Kuwait
Round 4 - Qatar
Round 5 - Turkey
Round 6 - Iraq
Round 7 - Iran
Round 8 - Pakistan
Round 9 - Afghanistan
Round 10 - Egypt
Round 11 - Libya
Round 12 - Morocco
Round 13 - Tunisia
Round 14 - Algeria
Round 15 - Saudi Arabia
Round 16 - Yemen
Round 17 - Dubai
Round 18 - Abu Dhabi
Round 19 - Somalia