That stupid chicane

[zako85]

Baltimore's street course represents everything I hate about the current crop of street circuits that dominate the IndyCar calendar today. You get all the fine ingredients to encourage numerous yellows and little passing:

Narrow streets
No run-off areas
Cars bounce like crazy on uneven pavement

However, that left-right chicane, I mean funnel, on the main straight is one of dumbest things I have seen on an open-wheel circuit. I haven't watched past half of the quali sessions yet, but it already seems like a whole bunch of cars have seriously rattled their suspensions on it. What's the point of this? Come on guys, this is not Le Mans. Get rid of it. This chicane should not even be there. Just let them go full speed on the main straight without the chicane. This would only create more passing opportunities. The way things are now get ready for another race filled with full course yellows.

Here is a funny tweet picture from Will Buxton (I think it's a junior formula car).

https://twitter.com/willbuxton/status/373826695314563072/photo/1

[Corvettian]

Yeah, why put a chicane there, where the cars are accelerating onto the straight? I could understand if it was at the other end of the straight, maybe because there wasn't enough run-off, but not there!
I suspect that it IS there to cause more yellows and thus more "drama" and "excitement", but I'd rather have exciting overtaking manoeuvres at the other end of the straight, thank you.

[Corvettian]

It seems that modern circuits can't be allowed to have a clean layout; I mean, no sweeping curves, long straights etc.; they have to stick a chicane or a "technical section" in somewhere.
I once designed my own circuit, based on a disused airfield near where I grew up. It had long straights, fast curves and a couple of hairpins for good overtaking. A friend looked at it and said, "would it not be better with a couple of chicanes?"!!! :rolleyes:

[heliocastroneves#3]

Guys, we all know that they originally had planned to run the race without the chicane last year but this wasn't possible due to flying cars..

http://motorsportswelcome.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/simon-pagenaud-baltimore-2012.jpg

[booger]

Guys, we all know that they originally had planned to run the race without the chicane last year but this wasn't possible due to flying cars..

http://motorsportswelcome.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/simon-pagenaud-baltimore-2012.jpg

Hope they fare better than the morons in the ALMS race yesterday.

[jarrambide]

Baltimore's street course represents everything I hate about the current crop of street circuits that dominate the IndyCar calendar today. You get all the fine ingredients to encourage numerous yellows and little passing:

Narrow streets
No run-off areas
Cars bounce like crazy on uneven pavement

However, that left-right chicane, I mean funnel, on the main straight is one of dumbest things I have seen on an open-wheel circuit. I haven't watched past half of the quali sessions yet, but it already seems like a whole bunch of cars have seriously rattled their suspensions on it. What's the point of this? Come on guys, this is not Le Mans. Get rid of it. This chicane should not even be there. Just let them go full speed on the main straight without the chicane. This would only create more passing opportunities. The way things are now get ready for another race filled with full course yellows.

Here is a funny tweet picture from Will Buxton (I think it's a junior formula car).

https://twitter.com/willbuxton/status/373826695314563072/photo/1

You are 100%, I also dislike, no, I hate street courses like the one in Baltimore, but I prefer them to ovals.

[big_sw2000]

Baltimore's street course represents everything I hate about the current crop of street circuits that dominate the IndyCar calendar today. You get all the fine ingredients to encourage numerous yellows and little passing:

Narrow streets
No run-off areas
Cars bounce like crazy on uneven pavement

However, that left-right chicane, I mean funnel, on the main straight is one of dumbest things I have seen on an open-wheel circuit. I haven't watched past half of the quali sessions yet, but it already seems like a whole bunch of cars have seriously rattled their suspensions on it. What's the point of this? Come on guys, this is not Le Mans. Get rid of it. This chicane should not even be there. Just let them go full speed on the main straight without the chicane. This would only create more passing opportunities. The way things are now get ready for another race filled with full course yellows.

Here is a funny tweet picture from Will Buxton (I think it's a junior formula car).

https://twitter.com/willbuxton/status/373826695314563072/photo/1

Dose it matter that there is uneven rail track, going across the track at the chicane. And the chicane is used to slow the cars, to stop them getting air off the uneven tracks.
I cant really think of another option. If the race runs, then they need the chicane.

Steve

[big_sw2000]

Hope they fare better than the morons in the ALMS race yesterday.

Yes that caused one hell of a mess, and they went either side of the chicane at the start.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMoI_5vjtSI

Steve

[zako85]

I wouldn't call ALMS drivers morons. The ALMS green flag should have gone pretty smoothly without this chicane. I think both, the IndyCar and ALMS race experience over the last weekend prove that the "race track" is a dud. It's so oh exciting to see half million dollar prototypes and open wheel cars bounce like a porno star's fake boobies, even on streets without a chicane. But fear not, the next race weekend in October is a DOUBLE decker event on the streets just like these in Houston. I already checked the track map. Typical street stuff. Out of 10 turns, 5 are 90 degree turns around your typical street blocks, and there is one hairpin. After this weekend, I honestly feel like I am about done with IndyCar past this season, beside the Indy 500 event.

[Starter]

I wouldn't call ALMS drivers morons. The ALMS green flag should have gone pretty smoothly without this chicane. I think both, the IndyCar and ALMS race experience over the last weekend prove that the "race track" is a dud.
The chicane had nothing to do with the green flag crash. The cars didn't go through it for the start.

[zako85]

The chicane had nothing to do with the green flag crash. The cars didn't go through it for the start.

How did they not go? I watched the thing on TV. in ALMS race, the green flag is given in the same place where IndyCar flag is given. One P2 car got unsettled after the chicane and hit the car in front, and then it was just a chain reaction from there. But, then may be I am wrong. There is also rail tracks going in the same area, which could cause the cars get unsettles, wheels spin, etc. The race track is still stupid because of that area. Several ALMS cars have suffered serious damage because of it, including the prototype car that broke its axle eventually. How much more proof do we need that this place is a massive fail?

[Starter]

How did they not go? I watched the thing on TV. in ALMS race, the green flag is given in the same place where IndyCar flag is given. One P2 car got unsettled after the chicane and hit the car in front, and then it was just a chain reaction from there. But, then may be I am wrong. There is also rail tracks going in the same area, which could cause the cars get unsettles, wheels spin, etc. The race track is still stupid because of that area. Several ALMS cars have suffered serious damage because of it, including the prototype car that broke its axle eventually. How much more proof do we need that this place is a massive fail?
For the ALMS start, the two rows of cars went to either side of the chicane. The light rail tracks are after the chicane and that's where the cars got twitchy as they accelerated hard over the tracks.

[big_sw2000]

How did they not go? I watched the thing on TV. in ALMS race, the green flag is given in the same place where IndyCar flag is given. One P2 car got unsettled after the chicane and hit the car in front, and then it was just a chain reaction from there. But, then may be I am wrong. There is also rail tracks going in the same area, which could cause the cars get unsettles, wheels spin, etc. The race track is still stupid because of that area. Several ALMS cars have suffered serious damage because of it, including the prototype car that broke its axle eventually. How much more proof do we need that this place is a massive fail?

Ive posted a video above showing the cars going either side of the chicane for the race start. The chicane was used there after.

Steve

[big_sw2000]

And this video shows the crash happened even before they got to the green flag.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o_Mkq_00yA

Steve

[Starter]

All interesting, but this is the IndyCar board and its the ALMS race being discussed.

(I do realize that even fewer people frequent that board than this one.)

[garyshell]

All interesting, but this is the IndyCar board and its the ALMS race being discussed.

(I do realize that even fewer people frequent that board than this one.)

I'm taking the stance that the discussion is more about the venue than the ALMS and am letting it ride for now. Besides we have weeks until the next race. We gotta have SOMETHING to talk about, right?

...big ol' grin...

Gary

[big_sw2000]

From my point of view. Street tracks. How ever silly, tight is what Indycar, or Cart as it was is all about. With a few ovals thrown in the mix. And the odd airport track, like Clevedon etc.
I see a lot of stuff about Indycars going to Circuit of Americas, but personally think it might end up being to F1. Personally I think Indy cars look good bumping around a tight street track, or flat out on a Super speedway, or maybe Road Alanta, Road America, Laguna Seca.
Full course yellows do get on my tit, in all forms of American racing, I would like to see a local yellow waved sometimes. But its no different than a safety car in F1.

Steve

[Starter]

I'm taking the stance that the discussion is more about the venue than the ALMS and am letting it ride for now. Besides we have weeks until the next race. We gotta have SOMETHING to talk about, right?

...big ol' grin...

Gary
A good point and better than dead air for sure. How's it going Gary? I was kind of hoping you'd make Baltimore this year.

[garyshell]

Starter,

i wanted to, but no time off. Work has me swamped. But I m not complaining.

Gary