Part IV: Understanding Formula One Tracks in .NET framework

Printer Code 3/9 in .NET framework Part IV: Understanding Formula One Tracks

The best way to impress fellow race fans is to cruise around the streets of Monte Carlo in a new Ferrari or to pose on the back of a yacht in the harbour But if your budget doesn t stretch that far, you can hang out in some famous places without spending a fortune The Grand Hotel above the tight hairpin serves tea and drinks for anyone walking off the street, and it s easy to get into the Casino as long as you re dressed smartly Failing that, there are plenty of bars scattered around the track, which is opened up at night to allow fans to walk around

The Italian Grand Prix at Monza is all about ambience, and it oozes atmosphere resonating with the names of legends of the past Any driver worth his salt has raced here, and it s hard to forget that wherever you walk, you ll be standing in the footsteps of the sport s greats people like Juan-Manuel Fangio, Jim Clark, Ayrton Senna, and Michael Schumacher Monza itself, shown in Figure 15-8, is built in a royal park just on the outskirts of Milan It is now the fastest track on the calendar, and in 2002, Juan Pablo Montoya recorded the quickest ever qualifying lap in Formula One, beating a 17-year record held by former world champion Keke Rosberg

The track has appeared on the Formula One calendar more times than any other circuit in history, having hosted an event every year since the World Championship started in 1950, with the exception of 1980 when the Italian Grand Prix moved to Imola Not bad for a track that was built in just 110 days from scratch back in the early 1920s including two days when work was interrupted by conservationists The races are always spectacular at Monza The slow speed chicanes at the end of long straight always provide great overtaking opportunities, while the cars are very scary to drive because they re set up with minimum downforce to ensure they re as fast as possible down the main straights With the history, excitement, and passion in Italy plus the fact that Ferrari have done so well in recent years it s not hard to work out why the race attracts one of the biggest crowds of the year More than 100,000 fans attend every year, and almost all of them support the local team! Although Monza has kept its historic characteristic of long flat-out straights separated by high-speed corners, Formula One bosses have had to slow cars down to ensure the track isn t too dangerous That is why the straights are now interrupted with tight chicanes which although slowing the cars down have ensured that their lap speeds are almost identical to how they were more than 30 years ago

Type: Road Length of lap: 3600 miles Length of race: 53 laps (190614 miles) Start time: 2 pm Usual date of race: Early to middle of September To soak up the full atmosphere at Monza, don t just turn up, watch the race, and head home One evening, when practice has finished, wander out to the middle of the track towards the first corner and take a look at the famous banking that was used up until the 1960s The angle is so steep that walking up to the top is impossible but Formula One stars diced wheel-to-wheel here in the quest for glory

The European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring (shown in Figure 15-9) certainly doesn t have the glamour of Monaco, the location of Montreal, or the weather of Magny-Cours But it has been known to put on some good races