The Interlagos circuit has long needed a major upgrade in order to stay on the F1 calendar. The track has been fortunate that, along with Canada, it has been a key race for the championship in the American time zone, but with new races coming in the United States and possibly Mexico and Argentina, there is now pressure on both Brazil and Canada to get their facilities up to F1 standard. The idea of a new pit and paddock on the back straight at Interlagos is not new and it makes perfect sense, as there are already huge existing grandstands at that point on the circuit. Moving the pits would also allow for a re-profiling of the corners on the run up to the current start-finish line, where there have been a number of very serious accidents in recent years.
It is believed that this would also require a re-profiling of the circuit at the bottom of the hill, with a new kink to the right, in order to rejoin the original circuit (which has not been used since the 1970s), which loops around the lake and then a left-right kink back on to the track on the run up the hill. F1 has been asking for the changes for around five years but with workable alternatives now available there is more bargaining power. If the work goes ahead the Grand Prix is likely to be guaranteed at Interlagos until at least 2020.
That would be fantastic news if it happens. A bit more of the old track and the elimination of that pit lane entrance that frightens the life out me every time i see a slowing car and one behind on a flyer. Lets hope they can do it
When you look at Google Earth most of the old track is still there and easy to see, so using different bits of it to avoid that nasty last corner must be easier than starting from zero. Good they’re finally sorting it out, we can’t afford to lose too many of the classic tracks.
I suppose we could always ask Herr Tilke to go with a bulldozer and smooth it out?
)
Id rather Tilke wasn’t left anywhere near the place!
What is the issue with the facilities in Montreal?
That’s what I want to know. Montreal seems fine to me. It’s not Singapore, but then again it wasn’t built 5 years ago.
The issue is more extortion from Bernie.
I’m guessing drainage but there could be other issues.
Where to begin! No antiseptic eight-star “luxury” hotel — no spread-out team compounds on islands in the rowing basin — too close to a major city with easy transit access so too many plebs and insufficient-net-worth persons attending — nasty “village” feel in the paddock rather than the “anomic megalopolis” atmosphere that is so desirable — no platinum-plated bog in the CRH suite…
Terrible. Just terrible.
Very constricted space between the track and the edge of the rowing lake behind it. IMHO they would have to move the pits to another location completely – Joe could suggest where as I haven’t been there for a while.
They want the pits redone, larger and more modern was my understanding, plus higher end hospitality suites/area’s. Plus the island doesn’t look “glitzy” enough for Bernie’s liking. Also I read somewhere he wanted a better backdrop (ie city slyline) which I think is impossible, but what do I know, I’ve only been to the race 10 times, its not like I count.
Having read your description of how the original circuit might be put back into use, I’m struggling to visualise this – a right kink “at the bottom of the hill” – which hill do you mean? There’s a few of them at Interlagos!
I think Joe refers to the stretch after start/finish straight, the current one. S do Senna (downhill S after current start), then Curva do Sol, then the back straight (old Reta Oposta): this would become the F1 pit straight and start/finish lines. Though not as steep as the S, this straight is downhill. A decent paddock to be built in the inlet of that part of the track. After this straight would come the right kink mentioned, rounding the lake and leading to the ending part of the old big straight of the 1970s and the (then) hair raising Curva 3, a lefthander (where in the 1977 GP several cars ended at the catch-fencing because of melting asphalt) that is still there but surely will not be adopted back to F1 with its present characteristic banking – then curva 4 which is a plane, slight kink to the left, and a very short straight, to be laid on as non-existent now, linking the ‘new’ stretch to Laranjinha (uphill two-apex righthander before the slow twisty sector). Hopefully the singularity of this corner will be kept, would be a shame to let it be ‘simplified’. I think the adding of that stretch can bring even more to the good level of racing Interlagos has shown over recent years. Again, just hope they dont modify the Laranjinha.
I hope it stays as good as it is now, one of the best tracks, exciting for drivers and fans. Good news on the pit enterance, often making safer makes it less exciting but this is just too dangerous with no benefit to the spectical
Is there a publicly-available map of the proposed new track layout?
about time. and it makes sense with the booming brazilian economy – no excuse not to now.
Ditto Steve’s question. I’ve been to Montreal several times and find the facilities wonderful.
Reprofile some demanding corners? Have we not heard that one before?
a map please, a map.
Go to Google> Click “maps” > Type “Interlagos” > Enjoy your new found searching talents.
great, the curcuit can come up to date. Ive always thought that eccles gripe about the facilities at silverstone a little too far fetch, considering that interlargos looks aged and thrown together. I do hope there will be subtle changes but major upgrades and we dont want a herman tilke boring curcuit do we,raised out of the ashes of interlargos….
There’s something I don’t understand about tracks in general…
Maybe I’m wrong, but my impression is that most of the expensive seats have a view of the grid and of the pits… and of the building across the track… and of not much else. There’s might be exceptions, but my impression is that this is the general rule.
If this is so, why in the world would anybody want that. I’d think you’d want a view of the grid, the pits… and of most of the track too. That seems to be the main potential benefit of the current short-track template. Why would anybody wanna pay through the nose to mainly look at another building and not see much of the racing? Or am I just wrong about this?
Apparently, viewing the start, finish, podium ceremony, pits and pre-race activity plus getting covered seating (which most if not all start/finish grandstand seating are) results in the seats costing a premium. Personally, I don’t care anything I just listed (covered seating would be nice but I’ve done without). But I guess other people do.
Hopefully changes that will not dumb down this amazing track. I think I’m right in saying this is the only track in use that has not changed since pre-1994. As such, it is the longest continuous reference point for F1 performance we have.
I agree that I wouldn’t want those seats either, but the point is that some people do – usually those on a corporate jolly, don’t want to walk far from the paddock area and only have a passing interest in the race. You’ll also notice that most of the hospitality marquees are placed on the infield in crap viewing positions, but close to the paddock. They do this because again, many of the attendees aren’t really that interested in the sport itself. For them it is more about being seen, meeting friends and drinking champagne. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it will be a bit mystifying to those of us who are there for the sport. Commercial outfits wishing to entertain guests are generally willing to pay much more for their entry than enthusiasts… hence the price hike for those areas. I’m glad event organisers realise this and leave much of the decent spectator areas clear.