 |
Take a virtual tour of historic and modern race tracks
|
|
|
|
|
Tracks
|
|
|
A1-Ring
Site of the Austrian Grand Prix. The track is 4.319 km (2.684 miles) in length. The race length is
306.649 km (190.543 miles) with 71 laps. The track record was set in 1997 by Jacques Villeneuve in a Williams FW19-Renault V10 with a time of 1m 11.814 sec and a speed of
216.709km/h (134.656 miles/h).
The A1-Ring featured its first Formula One event in 1997 and while drivers expected the circuit to provide little or no
overtaking, the race proved the opposite.
|
|
|
Hockenheim
Site of the German Grand Prix. The track is 6.823 km (4.24 miles) in length. The race length is 307.035
km (190.782 miles) with 45 laps. The track record was set in 1997 by Gerhard Berger in a Benetton B197-Renault V10 with a time of 1m 45.747 sec and a speed of 232.272km/h (144.331
miles/h).
Hockenheim became a regular race of the Formula One calendar in 1977 after Niki Lauda's horrific accident at the old
Nürburgring the previous year. Its high speed enables cars to run with virtually no wing, resulting in superb racing with slipstreaming and aggressive steering. With maximum
revs for a majority of the lap and difficult chicanes, the main issue is reliability.
|
|
|
Hungaroring
Site of the Hungarian Grand Prix. The track is 3.972 km (2.468 miles) in length. The race length is
305.844 km (190.036 miles) with 77 laps. The track record was set in 1992 by Nelson Mansell in a Williams FW14B-Renault V10 with a time of 1m 18.308 sec and a speed of 182.418km/h
(113.349 miles/h).
On the calendar since 1986, the Hungarian Grand Prix sees some 200,000 spectators flocking to the Hungaroring every year.
With 77 laps on race-day, spectators get to see the cars more often than anywhere else, but drivers are less enthusiastic with its twisty nature and few overtaking opportunities.
Getting off the perfect driving line will be rewarded with nothing more than dust on the tires.
|
|
Click for a larger image
|
Spa-Francorchamps
Site of the Belgian Grand Prix. The track is 6.968 km (4.329 miles) in length. The race length is
306.577 km (190.498 miles) with 44 laps. The track record was set in 1993 by A. Prost in a Williams FW15C-Renault V10 with a time of 1m 51.095 sec and a speed of 225.99km/h (140.424
miles/h).
Often described as the best circuit in the world and one that offers the best show, Spa-Francorchamps benefits from its
location; rain occurs frequently however, it affects only one side of the circuit while the other remains perfectly dry. This makes Spa-Francorchamps a great tactical race. In
addition, watching a Formula One car go through Eau Rouge flat out is hard to forget. It is therefore not strange that tickets for the race are more expensive than anywhere else on
the circuit.
|
|
|
Monza
Site of the Italian Grand Prix. The track is 5.77 km (3.585 miles) in length. The race length is
305.548 km (189.858 miles) with 53 laps. The track record was set in 1997 by M. Hakkinen in a McLaren MP4 / 12-Mercedes V10 with a time of 1m 24.808 sec and a speed of 244.929km/h
(152.192 miles/h).
Everything on and around the circuit revolves about one team: Ferrari. The circuit offers the spectator a passion for the
sport not found anywhere else in Formula One. The track is the fastest on the calendar; average speeds of almost 250 km/h and top speeds of almost 350 km/h are the rule.
|
|
Click for a larger image
|
Indianapolis
The new 2.606-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course
played host to the inaugural United States Grand Prix at
Indianapolis on September 24, 2000, as the USA returned to F1
competition.
|
|
|
Suzuka
Site of the Japanese Grand Prix. The track is 5.86 km (3.641 miles) in length. The race length is
310.58 km (192.973 miles) with 53 laps. The track record was set in 1997 by H.H. Frentzen in a Williams FW19-Renault V10 with a time of 1m 38.942 and a speed of 213.361km/h (132.576
miles/h).
Suzuka is a favorite circuit for many drivers as the mix of fast and slow corners often provides exciting races. As the
world title battle is often decided here, the circuit has a rich racing history - with the struggles between Senna and Prost still fresh in mind.
|
|
Click for a larger image
|
Sepang
Site of the Malaysian Grand Prix. The track is 5.542 km (3.444 miles) in length. The race length is
304.81 km (189.4 miles) with 55 laps.
The new addition to the Formula One calendar sees the circus travel to the city of Kuala Lumpur. The circuit was
completed in November 1998, it exists of one circuit within another. Spectacular features of the circuit are the smooth and sweeping chicane, capable of negotiating at speeds of
more than 200km/h. The home straight will allow speeds of up to 330km/h, visitors of the circuit speak of a smooth circuit, overtaking should be possible. Touring car races show
that the track dries out slowly, and with the torrential downpours possible in this tropical area, weather is expected to play an important role.
|
|
|
|