Part IV: Understanding Formula One Tracks in VS .NET

Generation Code 39 Extended in VS .NET Part IV: Understanding Formula One Tracks

Although every track is unique and any Formula One driver will instantly recognise it from a photograph or a quick glimpse on a video replay, all the tracks on the calendar can be broken down into certain categories: street tracks, high-speed tracks, high-downforce tracks and medium-speed tracks Teams use these breakdowns to work out which parts they should bring to the track and what kind of set-up they ll work with when Friday practice begins They also take other things into account before they travel to a race, such as the probability of accidents, the difficulties of getting spare parts, and strategy decisions The following sections give you a breakdown of the various kinds of circuits

Some of the biggest challenges for teams and drivers at all levels of motor racing, not just in Formula One, come from street tracks These tracks are closed-off sections of public roads Drivers fight for glory on the very same bit or road where commuters travel to work every day for the rest of the year The Grands Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne and Monte Carlo are the only street circuits currently on the Formula One calendar, although previous events have taken place in Phoenix, Detroit, Spa, and Adelaide Even though the actual characteristics of the Melbourne and Monaco circuits may be slightly different (no track on the calendar is as tight and twisty as Monte Carlo s), there are a lot of similarities between all types of street tracks: The teams and drivers never have any previous data or set-up knowledge about the tracks before they venture out Because the venues are still used by the general public until only a few days before the Grand Prix takes place, there s absolutely no chance for a team to have a test beforehand This means that drivers can make a bigger impact on actual performance at these venues because not everything is so dependent on how well a car has been designed The fact that the tracks are public roads just before the Grand Prix also means that the circuit surface is very dirty when the cars leave the pit lane for the first time Fallen leaves, litter, dirt, and dust all need to be cleaned off, and a layer of rubber from the Formula One car s tyres laid down before the track gets anywhere near perfect condition Head to 8 for information on how drivers deal with these types of conditions during qualifications

Street circuits are notoriously tight and twisty (after all, not many city roads are wide open and sweeping) Although there is still room for runoff areas at Melbourne and Monaco, a lot of the track is very close to the barriers, so any mistake is usually punished with a car-crunching smash into the barriers rather than a harmless spin across the grass or into a gravel trap It takes a lot more skill to be successful on a street track than at other venues, where drivers can test week-in, week-out The high probability of accidents mean that teams have to make extra preparations for street tracks as well: they have to bring many more spare parts (and even whole cars!) in case of an accident Rising Finnish star Kimi Raikkonen managed to get his way through four McLaren cars up to qualifying for the 2002 Monaco Grand Prix! In addition, because they re so tight, street tracks are almost always difficult to overtake on For this reason, getting a good grid position is vital when racing on a street track, and the best way to get past a rival is often to force him into a mistake One of the most thrilling finishes to the Monaco Grand Prix was in 1992 when World Championship leader Nigel Mansell dominated the race but had to come into the pits in the closing stages because of a slow puncture He resumed behind Ayrton Senna Although much quicker than his Brazilian rival, Mansell couldn t do anything to find a way past, despite his best efforts The two drivers crossed the finish line just two tenths of a second apart, with Mansell behind