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[Denthúl]

Todt: New tracks must create passing

By Matt Beer and Michele Lostia Thursday, November 18th 2010, 17:02 GMT

Overtaking was difficult in Abu DhabiFIA president Jean Todt says new circuits will have to prove that they provide adequate overtaking opportunities, and has suggested that changes to current tracks to improve the spectacle could be on the cards.

His comments follow the difficulty in passing at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, during which title contenders Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber could not get back through traffic following their pitstops.

"We need to favour overtaking," Todt told La Stampa. "It was impossible at Abu Dhabi."

Todt denied that his complaints were motivated by his former team Ferrari having missed out on the title because Alonso could not get back up to the fourth place he needed at Yas Marina - pointing out that McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton's shot at victory was also severely hampered by the overtaking problem when he was caught behind the yet-to-stop Renault of Robert Kubica.

"I speak as president of the FIA," said Todt. "Take Hamilton: he had fresh tyres, he would have lapped two seconds quicker than Kubica, yet he didn't manage to pass him.

"From now on, before homologating a circuit, we'll evaluate its spectacle potential, besides its safety."

He said the FIA was prepared to take rapid action on the overtaking issue.

"On 23 November we'll discuss the overtaking problem in the commission," Todt revealed. "It's the cars' and tracks' fault.

"We will create a report card with the circuits' competitiveness, and we'll see if we can make some modifications in 2011 already, if possible."

So, uh, who said this guy would make for a bad FIA president?

I'm liking that the FIA will get involved in this, rather than just looking at the safety of the circuits as being the most important of criteria. Of course, this could lead to conflict between the FIA and Bernie, as Bernie seems to be more bothered about how much he can get from a circuit rather than how good the circuit actually is...

[texasmr2]

So, uh, who said this guy would make for a bad FIA president?

Allow me to refresh your memory........ .

I'm liking that the FIA will get involved in this, rather than just looking at the safety of the circuits as being the most important of criteria. Of course, this could lead to conflict between the FIA and Bernie, as Bernie seems to be more bothered about how much he can get from a circuit rather than how good the circuit actually is...

JT is taking a very methodical approach to his position and enfluence within the FIA and those who do not realize it need a labotomy.

[hamilton08]

Hoping something comes from this to stop the boring races like Bahrain, Valencia, Abu Dhabi and so on and make some overtaking.

[texasmr2]

Thing is that if this movement is approved it will take time and so hopefully it will be focused more upon the newer venues that were supposed to offer such things from the beginning.

[vaptin]

Great move Todt.

[racechick]

I must agree! lets hope they keep to this and either ditch or change those
hopeless tracks. Sack Tilke!!

[Fact Man]

Let's hope his vision will become realty.

[texasmr2]

Let's hope his vision will become realty.

Avatar reported to PETA !!

[Fact Man]

Let's hope his vision will become realty.

Avatar reported to PETA !!

Sheriff please have mercy

[Fact Man]

Mansell slams 'boring' Abu Dhabi race

The 1992 title-winner was quick to pat the sport’s newest and youngest-ever world champion on the back after an improbable success story at Yas Marina, which was earned through a flawless lights-to-flag victory when the pressure and stakes were at their very highest.

But Mansell was dismayed at the race itself - and was mystified by Fernando Alonso's inability to take the championship into his own hands.

"The two protagonists, Alonso with Ferrari and Mark (Webber), just didn't pass anybody," said Mansell, a prolific and ballsy overtaker back in his day, in an interview with the Daily Mail.

"It was a very boring race. You should always be able to overtake. I don't understand it. Alonso is known for his charging, and to have a car which seems to be quicker than the car in front and not being able to overtake doesn't make sense.

"It is very easy to comment after the event, but the biggest mistake was when Ferrari responded to Webber's pit-stop. They should have stayed out and only responded to Sebastian, and I think had they done that, there would have been a different outcome.

"Sebastian did an absolutely fantastic job - he did all he could do, which was to get pole position and win the race. He is a great world champion, the youngest one ever and Red Bull did the double. And don't underestimate what Mark did. He did a fantastic job, and hopefully he'll get another chance next year."

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/17112010/ ... -race.html

[Stealthgate007]

This may have been Red Bull's key to success with 10 pole positions for SV. Most every overtake ended in tears or very scary to say the least.

I think Adrian produced a car that was not built for overtaking, just to be flat out fast on a race line... Get off that line and your race is doomed.

[texasmr2]

This may have been Red Bull's key to success with 10 pole positions for SV. Most every overtake ended in tears or very scary to say the least.

I think Adrian produced a car that was not built for overtaking, just to be flat out fast on a race line... Get off that line and your race is doomed.

Go back to sleep ok!!! j/k The avi was too hard to resist .

[What's Burning?]

I don't understand it, in Germany Alonso was able to pass Massa without incident.

[Big Azza]

This may have been Red Bull's key to success with 10 pole positions for SV. Most every overtake ended in tears or very scary to say the least.

I think Adrian produced a car that was not built for overtaking, just to be flat out fast on a race line... Get off that line and your race is doomed.

I would like to say I've been saying this from the start. Webber also proved he couldn't overtake this year. Particularly his attempt on Hamilton in Australia comes to mind.

Webber produced one hell of a drive in Singapore. It's probably the best drive so far this year - he overtook a few drivers and kept his nerve when Hamilton went around the outside. Remember Vettel used to drive the Torro Rosso, and would often finish 5th or 6th. I know for a fact he can overtake - although just not as well as others, and then he has that car.

I think Abu Dhabi is very easy to fix. Looking at the aerial view you can see there are 2 chicanes at either end of the back straight. The shorter version of the track includes a by-pass to both chicanes. If we stopped using the chicane, the overtaking opportunities are there at the front, but more importantly at the end of the straight.

[MattMK45]

This may have been Red Bull's key to success with 10 pole positions for SV. Most every overtake ended in tears or very scary to say the least.

I think Adrian produced a car that was not built for overtaking, just to be flat out fast on a race line... Get off that line and your race is doomed.

I would like to say I've been saying this from the start. Webber also proved he couldn't overtake this year. Particularly his attempt on Hamilton in Australia comes to mind.

Webber produced one hell of a drive in Singapore. It's probably the best drive so far this year - he overtook a few drivers and kept his nerve when Hamilton went around the outside. Remember Vettel used to drive the Torro Rosso, and would often finish 5th or 6th. I know for a fact he can overtake - although just not as well as others, and then he has that car.

I think Abu Dhabi is very easy to fix. Looking at the aerial view you can see there are 2 chicanes at either end of the back straight. The shorter version of the track includes a by-pass to both chicanes. If we stopped using the chicane, the overtaking opportunities are there at the front, but more importantly at the end of the straight.

And like I said in a previous thread, remove the chicane down to the hairpin so there will be a larger breaking zone and less of a concertina effect in order to see some possible overtaking.