- 11 May 08, 03:11#42966
The thread about processional races got me thinking (a shock, I know 
). Where would overtaking opportunities arise if the cars could follow each other through faster corners? Many of these chances used to be available to the drivers before the 2000s when Aero (not the chocolate bar) became excessive and passing near-impossible at certain tracks. I will discuss these in detail now. Also, I will give my thoughts on the exciting (and fast) new tracks in Valencia and Singapore. Beware, this is going to be a long one...
Melbourne
The Australian Grand Prix traditionally goes against the theory that you can't pass on a tight track. At the moment, the only clear cut chances to overtake are into Turn 1, and Turn 3 is sort of a half chance on most laps. The main chance that could be opened up that isn't feasible now is the corner after the very fast chicane at the back of the circuit. Naturally the car behind would still lose some grip following through there, but they would be more likely to get a good run down to a 90 degree right hander where some guys still occasionally manage to find a way past. Also there would be a possible chance into the hairpin before the last corner. This is normally negated because the previous corner is in the 120ish mph range where the cars suffer pretty badly.
Sepang
Malaysia is known for good overtaking over the years, despite this year's uneventful GP. Obviously The Petronas hairpin (last corner), the first chicane, and Turn 3/4 (I think) are good spots to pass. When the circuit first opened there was more overtaking at the hairpin after the double-apex right hander at the back of the circuit. Now this is negated by the speed of said corner. That would be made more likely by new regs. i think the corner before the back straight would work too. You occasionally see a desperate lunge into there, but would be a safer bet if the cars could follow through the flat-out turn 12.
Sakhir
Normally a good circuit for passing, but not this year for some reason. There are good chances to pass into turn 1, and turn 4 in particular. Able to follow each other, the cars would probably be able to pass frequently into the hairpin at turn 7, where Button accidentally took out DC this year. Also the last corner would become available as a passing chance. The current problem is that the corner before is a very nice 100mph right hander, which is near impossible to follow effectively. As it is an arrive and drive type corner, it isn't as big a problem as the others, as cars usually use it as a starting point for an attack into turn 1. However the ability to pass into the last corner could cause the car infront to make a mistake, even if the driver behind is only faking a pass.
Barcelona
Where do I start? Let's face it, there is only one REAL opportunity remaining at the CDC and that is turn one, and even that is very difficult to get by at. The ability to follow would do wonders for the races at this track. Turn one would only work if they returned the track to it's old state. The slow corner preceding it perversely makes overtaking harder with the concertina effect coming out of it. Turn 4 would be a realistic chance, because turn 3 is so long, being close to the car infront would give you a great slipstream and a chance into 4. You could even go round the outside at 4 and have a go into 5, a left hander. Turn 10, reprofiled in 2004 is a much better overtaking spot than how it used to be. However, if the cars could follow each other through the esses and Campsa, where Kovy went off this year, it would be a super overtaking spot.
Istanbul
One of the best. The run from turn 9 and 10 down to 12 is one of the best chances on the calendar. This is because the corner previous isn't aero-reliant as such, you can hustle the car through there to some degree. Turn 1 only works in certain instances. The ability to follow would make this track an absolute joy to pass on. 3 and 4 would be available, and you could have a lunge into 7 (at the top of the hill) if you were brave. A pass into 8 wouldn't be out of the realms of possibility, but you would need rather large cojones to do so.
Monaco
Regardless of regulations, Monaco is always going to be Monaco. Tight, twisty and difficult to overtake. Schumacher and Wurz showed it is possible in 1998, also Heidfeld and M Schumacher in 05 and Fisichella in 06. The only passing move in can think of would be into Mirabeau, but the straight is so short you would have to be brave/foolish/deperate (delete as applicable).
Montreal
Montreal would be great with new regulations. Most corners would provide passing opportunities. Currently we have turn one (sort of), the hairpin and the last chicane, but that's about it. New rules would open up chances at the chicanes at the back of the circuit, and increase your chances into turn one. Nearly every corner in Montreal is medium speed, and this is why it is very difficult to get past. being able to follow through the last chicane would greatly boost passing into turn one.
Magny-Cours
Passing has always been problematic here. it can be done, but not very easily, even though, like Barcelona, it is a great driving track. The hairpin still remains as a good chance, even though the fast Estoril corner causes problems for the attacking driver. Removing aero would allow much passing into Adelaide, and the circuit would be much better for it. you have to be brave to follow a car through the 160mph Nurburgring chicane, but if you could do effectively, the following 180 corner would open up nicely for you to have a go. Chateau D'Eau would be possible if you were close enough through the fast imola chicane, and the reprofiled Lycee would be a decent chance, as the straight is just about long enough for a pass, as Barrichello proved in 2004 when he passed Jarno Trulli there.
Silverstone
The British Grand Prix, 2003. One of the greatest races ever and the most overtaking I think I have ever seen in a Grand Prix. Albeit caused by a certain priest running onto the circuit, it proved Silverstone can still provide overtaking. My ideas of passing at Silverstone involve returning to the classic layout, but I will discuss the current track here. At the moment, Stowe and Vale are your best shots of passing, but you need a decent car advantage. Abbey is also a possibility, but it's too fast to have a lunge, just ask Scott Speed and Alex Wurz from last year.
Copse, I think will always be a no-go area. Just because it is too damn fast to make a 'safe' pass. You are risking too much going in wheel-to-wheel with someone at 170 mph, and not just your race. It can be done, but you have to be infront when you get there, and that's very difficult coming out of Woodcote. Opportunities would increase into Stowe, but I can't help thinking that Becketts, no matter how brilliant it and Maggots are, is a hinderance in modern f1 when it comes to passing. The old run down to what used to be Becketts was a much better passing chance. It in turn provided a similar run down to Stowe.
With increased passing at Stowe, it would naturally help the action into Vale and Club. Club isn't too sensitive to Aero at the moment, and Abbey overtakes would become more common, but why not just get rid of the chicane and bring the old flat out kink back? Can you imagine two cars going into Bridge wheel to wheel at nearly 200 mph? That would be a fantastic racing moment you would remember for a long time, and it would happen on nearly every lap if they got rid of Abbey chicane.
Hockenheim
I know that a lot of people preferred the old Hockenheim, and the slipstreaming battles through the forests were fantastic, and provided close exciting racing. Sadly, it is no more, but the new track is a very good one for Formula One to have. The run to the hairpin after the easy turn 3 encourages passing moves, as does the run out of the hairpin, as Button and Alonso demonstrated so well in 2004. You can also have a brave stab into either turn one or two, but these are currently long shots. Getting rid of aero would open up more chances into these corners, and also into the difficult Opelkurve heading into the old stadium section. This in turn would open the door for a lunge into the hairpin at Sachskurve.
Hungaroring
A lovely track to drive, but traditionally a difficult one to pass on (except in the wet). Turn one is currently a chance, and moves have been made into turn 12, the recently added 90 degree right hander. A move into turn 12 would become more feasible without most of the aero, likewise turn 1 would become more viable. Those with bigger organs between their legs may relish having a go into the 130mph turn 4, which would become a half chance.
Valencia
I am only going by the track map for this, the European Grand Prix through the streets of the Spanish city. This looks like an exciting, very fast street circuit, and three main opportunities spring out at me for this track, and more importantly, this year's cars with full aero. Amazingly, for a street circuit, there are 3 parts of the track where the cars will reach 200 mph or more! Each of these areas is followed by a tight hairpin. Turns 9, 13 and what looks like 20 will be the main chances to pass. Also, turn 7 is another hairpin after a 190moh approach. Depending on how wide the circuit is, Cars may be able to run side by side through slow corners, resulting in epic battles akin to Senna/Alesi at Phoenix and Schumacher/Wurz at Monaco. This should be one hell of a street race.
Spa-Francorchamps
Spa is just one of those places. Even a procession isn't boring there as the circuit is so majestic. I didn't see last year's Belgian race (the only one I missed
), but I've seen highlights and there was a fair bit of passing throughout. Eau Rouge is a brilliant corner but a problem when it comes to overtaking. It has been accused of being too easy, but it is not quite easy enough that you can follow another car even if said car is flat-out. This stifles many efforts to pass into the Fagnes chicane at the end of the back straight. However it is still a decent opportunity. Malmedy, the downhill, helter-skelter of a second gear corner, would become a good passing place with new regs. Pouhon would become a possibilty, albeit a brave one, and if you can follow your opponent through there, the esses provide a pretty good chance as the straight is of a decent length. Drivers can still pass into the new bus stop, or whatever it's called, but with reduced aero they would get better chances hopefully.
Monza
Could be the best race if changes were made to the cars. At the moment, turn one is still a legitimate passing place, despite the unwillingness of a modern f1 car to follow another through the Parabolica. Likewise the Roggia (2nd chicane) is a half-chance, and the scene of many accidents. The current problem at Monza is the two Lesmo bends. They are of the 100mph variety which makes it difficult to follow. Changes would make passing into the fast Ascari bends possible. Ascari itself would be easier to follow in, providing a trememndous opportunity into the Parabolica, which in turn could create a lap-long battle all the way through the Grand Prix.
Singapore
Ah, Singapore, and for many, the most anticipated race of the 2008 season. New circuit, new country, new start time, new light level: everything will be new for the Singapore Grand Prix weekend. The cicuit itself looks like a slightly slower version of Valencia. The main chances to me look like they will be into turn one, and also into the 90 degree left hander (turn 7) after the flat-out kink over a road bridge. Later in the lap, it looks like there will be a half-chance coming into a tight hairpin (turn 15), and out of it down a medium length straight into a 90-degree right (16).
For those who haven't seen the track yet, there are some interesting features which, along with the night-time setting, will make this race unique. Part of the track will pass through/under a motorway flyover, and there will be one tight-ish left hander under, yes, under, a grandstand, giving a sort of Monaco effect. While I don't think it will create the racing action of Valencia through the circuit itself, no doubt in the dark mistakes will be made which will see some people losing positions and others in the barriers.
Fuji
Last year's race at the Fuji speedway was a wet one, very wet. Nevertheless it was exciting, and I believe that if we come back in the dry in 2008, we will se some great racing action. I can't really suggest which corners could be improved as there hasn't been a dry race there yet. In the dry, the main passing place will surely be Turn one. A hairpin after the longest straight in F1 (1.5 km) HAS to provide passing, and as multiple lines can be taken through the final corner, this is made even more possible. Turn 4 is a decent chance to pass. Even though it is a fast corner around 160 mph, you could get a run on someone as turn 3 shouldn't be sensitive to the aero, even at around 135 mph. It's possible that you could try round the outside there in the dry, but I'm not sure. If you did make it work it puts you into a great position for the tight right hander turn 6. if you get a good run out of 6, a pass into turn 10 via three flat-out kinks is a big possibility. It is a big stop into 10, which is only 45 mph. This sets up a great duel through the remainder of the lap as multiple lines can be taken through the alternating right-left-right corners coming onto the straight. Do you go tight and attempt to pass, or do you go out wide and cut back and line up a move down the straight. It all makes for some great action.
Shanghai
One of my favourite circuits, Shanghai isn't over complicated and thus provides great racing. It also has the best overtaking opportunity in F1. The banked Turn 12 leads on to a 1000m+ straight, and it is the best example of designing a section of circuit specifically to create passing. With the turn being banked, it means that you can pretty much take it flat-out, and this negates problems with aero and lets you get a decent run onto the straight, where, inevitably, you can pick up a tow. Even if you're not right there into the hairpin, it's safe enough to have a lunge as it's wide on the exit. Turn one is a decent chance, but you needs to be much faster coming out of Turn 16, which I love even if it isn't a spectacular corner. You can take different lines through 1, 2, 3 and 4 to set up a chance coming into the tight turn 5. The hairpin-like turn 11 is also a good chance.
Removing aero may allow a chance into the 60 mph turn 9, coming out of the fast 150 mph esses. Other than that, and a possible increase of passing into turn 1, there aren't really any other problems, making Shanghai the best pure racing circuit of the year for me.
Interlagos
A fine track, and a great host for the last GP of the year, Interlagos usually still sees a lot of passing, but usually only into one place, Turn 1, the Senna S. The Senna S is a great chance, because it has a non-aero sensitive corner (12), leading into a long flat-out section, which is bound to promote slipstreaming. There is also a half chance into Turn 4, which sometimes is a good chance if you nail turn 2 just right. Changes to the cars would probably make this manoevre slightly easier to pull off, and it would open up a chance or two in the infield section. The 140 mph turn 7 effectively prevents any infield overtaking, and following through there would creat a half-chance into 8, a tight right hander. Following through 7 would instigate a possible duel throughout the whole lap, because the next three turns are alternating left-right-left bends. The fast Mergulho corner is good for getting a run on someone, but often the straight proves too short for someone to have a lunge into the last real corner, turn 12.
If you've read through this, then thanks for listening to my thoughts. Let me know whether you think I'm right or not!
). Where would overtaking opportunities arise if the cars could follow each other through faster corners? Many of these chances used to be available to the drivers before the 2000s when Aero (not the chocolate bar) became excessive and passing near-impossible at certain tracks. I will discuss these in detail now. Also, I will give my thoughts on the exciting (and fast) new tracks in Valencia and Singapore. Beware, this is going to be a long one...Melbourne
The Australian Grand Prix traditionally goes against the theory that you can't pass on a tight track. At the moment, the only clear cut chances to overtake are into Turn 1, and Turn 3 is sort of a half chance on most laps. The main chance that could be opened up that isn't feasible now is the corner after the very fast chicane at the back of the circuit. Naturally the car behind would still lose some grip following through there, but they would be more likely to get a good run down to a 90 degree right hander where some guys still occasionally manage to find a way past. Also there would be a possible chance into the hairpin before the last corner. This is normally negated because the previous corner is in the 120ish mph range where the cars suffer pretty badly.
Sepang
Malaysia is known for good overtaking over the years, despite this year's uneventful GP. Obviously The Petronas hairpin (last corner), the first chicane, and Turn 3/4 (I think) are good spots to pass. When the circuit first opened there was more overtaking at the hairpin after the double-apex right hander at the back of the circuit. Now this is negated by the speed of said corner. That would be made more likely by new regs. i think the corner before the back straight would work too. You occasionally see a desperate lunge into there, but would be a safer bet if the cars could follow through the flat-out turn 12.
Sakhir
Normally a good circuit for passing, but not this year for some reason. There are good chances to pass into turn 1, and turn 4 in particular. Able to follow each other, the cars would probably be able to pass frequently into the hairpin at turn 7, where Button accidentally took out DC this year. Also the last corner would become available as a passing chance. The current problem is that the corner before is a very nice 100mph right hander, which is near impossible to follow effectively. As it is an arrive and drive type corner, it isn't as big a problem as the others, as cars usually use it as a starting point for an attack into turn 1. However the ability to pass into the last corner could cause the car infront to make a mistake, even if the driver behind is only faking a pass.
Barcelona
Where do I start? Let's face it, there is only one REAL opportunity remaining at the CDC and that is turn one, and even that is very difficult to get by at. The ability to follow would do wonders for the races at this track. Turn one would only work if they returned the track to it's old state. The slow corner preceding it perversely makes overtaking harder with the concertina effect coming out of it. Turn 4 would be a realistic chance, because turn 3 is so long, being close to the car infront would give you a great slipstream and a chance into 4. You could even go round the outside at 4 and have a go into 5, a left hander. Turn 10, reprofiled in 2004 is a much better overtaking spot than how it used to be. However, if the cars could follow each other through the esses and Campsa, where Kovy went off this year, it would be a super overtaking spot.
Istanbul
One of the best. The run from turn 9 and 10 down to 12 is one of the best chances on the calendar. This is because the corner previous isn't aero-reliant as such, you can hustle the car through there to some degree. Turn 1 only works in certain instances. The ability to follow would make this track an absolute joy to pass on. 3 and 4 would be available, and you could have a lunge into 7 (at the top of the hill) if you were brave. A pass into 8 wouldn't be out of the realms of possibility, but you would need rather large cojones to do so.
Monaco
Regardless of regulations, Monaco is always going to be Monaco. Tight, twisty and difficult to overtake. Schumacher and Wurz showed it is possible in 1998, also Heidfeld and M Schumacher in 05 and Fisichella in 06. The only passing move in can think of would be into Mirabeau, but the straight is so short you would have to be brave/foolish/deperate (delete as applicable).
Montreal
Montreal would be great with new regulations. Most corners would provide passing opportunities. Currently we have turn one (sort of), the hairpin and the last chicane, but that's about it. New rules would open up chances at the chicanes at the back of the circuit, and increase your chances into turn one. Nearly every corner in Montreal is medium speed, and this is why it is very difficult to get past. being able to follow through the last chicane would greatly boost passing into turn one.
Magny-Cours
Passing has always been problematic here. it can be done, but not very easily, even though, like Barcelona, it is a great driving track. The hairpin still remains as a good chance, even though the fast Estoril corner causes problems for the attacking driver. Removing aero would allow much passing into Adelaide, and the circuit would be much better for it. you have to be brave to follow a car through the 160mph Nurburgring chicane, but if you could do effectively, the following 180 corner would open up nicely for you to have a go. Chateau D'Eau would be possible if you were close enough through the fast imola chicane, and the reprofiled Lycee would be a decent chance, as the straight is just about long enough for a pass, as Barrichello proved in 2004 when he passed Jarno Trulli there.
Silverstone
The British Grand Prix, 2003. One of the greatest races ever and the most overtaking I think I have ever seen in a Grand Prix. Albeit caused by a certain priest running onto the circuit, it proved Silverstone can still provide overtaking. My ideas of passing at Silverstone involve returning to the classic layout, but I will discuss the current track here. At the moment, Stowe and Vale are your best shots of passing, but you need a decent car advantage. Abbey is also a possibility, but it's too fast to have a lunge, just ask Scott Speed and Alex Wurz from last year.
Copse, I think will always be a no-go area. Just because it is too damn fast to make a 'safe' pass. You are risking too much going in wheel-to-wheel with someone at 170 mph, and not just your race. It can be done, but you have to be infront when you get there, and that's very difficult coming out of Woodcote. Opportunities would increase into Stowe, but I can't help thinking that Becketts, no matter how brilliant it and Maggots are, is a hinderance in modern f1 when it comes to passing. The old run down to what used to be Becketts was a much better passing chance. It in turn provided a similar run down to Stowe.
With increased passing at Stowe, it would naturally help the action into Vale and Club. Club isn't too sensitive to Aero at the moment, and Abbey overtakes would become more common, but why not just get rid of the chicane and bring the old flat out kink back? Can you imagine two cars going into Bridge wheel to wheel at nearly 200 mph? That would be a fantastic racing moment you would remember for a long time, and it would happen on nearly every lap if they got rid of Abbey chicane.
Hockenheim
I know that a lot of people preferred the old Hockenheim, and the slipstreaming battles through the forests were fantastic, and provided close exciting racing. Sadly, it is no more, but the new track is a very good one for Formula One to have. The run to the hairpin after the easy turn 3 encourages passing moves, as does the run out of the hairpin, as Button and Alonso demonstrated so well in 2004. You can also have a brave stab into either turn one or two, but these are currently long shots. Getting rid of aero would open up more chances into these corners, and also into the difficult Opelkurve heading into the old stadium section. This in turn would open the door for a lunge into the hairpin at Sachskurve.
Hungaroring
A lovely track to drive, but traditionally a difficult one to pass on (except in the wet
). Turn one is currently a chance, and moves have been made into turn 12, the recently added 90 degree right hander. A move into turn 12 would become more feasible without most of the aero, likewise turn 1 would become more viable. Those with bigger organs between their legs may relish having a go into the 130mph turn 4, which would become a half chance.Valencia
I am only going by the track map for this, the European Grand Prix through the streets of the Spanish city. This looks like an exciting, very fast street circuit, and three main opportunities spring out at me for this track, and more importantly, this year's cars with full aero. Amazingly, for a street circuit, there are 3 parts of the track where the cars will reach 200 mph or more! Each of these areas is followed by a tight hairpin. Turns 9, 13 and what looks like 20 will be the main chances to pass. Also, turn 7 is another hairpin after a 190moh approach. Depending on how wide the circuit is, Cars may be able to run side by side through slow corners, resulting in epic battles akin to Senna/Alesi at Phoenix and Schumacher/Wurz at Monaco. This should be one hell of a street race.
Spa-Francorchamps
Spa is just one of those places. Even a procession isn't boring there as the circuit is so majestic. I didn't see last year's Belgian race (the only one I missed
), but I've seen highlights and there was a fair bit of passing throughout. Eau Rouge is a brilliant corner but a problem when it comes to overtaking. It has been accused of being too easy, but it is not quite easy enough that you can follow another car even if said car is flat-out. This stifles many efforts to pass into the Fagnes chicane at the end of the back straight. However it is still a decent opportunity. Malmedy, the downhill, helter-skelter of a second gear corner, would become a good passing place with new regs. Pouhon would become a possibilty, albeit a brave one, and if you can follow your opponent through there, the esses provide a pretty good chance as the straight is of a decent length. Drivers can still pass into the new bus stop, or whatever it's called, but with reduced aero they would get better chances hopefully. Monza
Could be the best race if changes were made to the cars. At the moment, turn one is still a legitimate passing place, despite the unwillingness of a modern f1 car to follow another through the Parabolica. Likewise the Roggia (2nd chicane) is a half-chance, and the scene of many accidents. The current problem at Monza is the two Lesmo bends. They are of the 100mph variety which makes it difficult to follow. Changes would make passing into the fast Ascari bends possible. Ascari itself would be easier to follow in, providing a trememndous opportunity into the Parabolica, which in turn could create a lap-long battle all the way through the Grand Prix.
Singapore
Ah, Singapore, and for many, the most anticipated race of the 2008 season. New circuit, new country, new start time, new light level: everything will be new for the Singapore Grand Prix weekend. The cicuit itself looks like a slightly slower version of Valencia. The main chances to me look like they will be into turn one, and also into the 90 degree left hander (turn 7) after the flat-out kink over a road bridge. Later in the lap, it looks like there will be a half-chance coming into a tight hairpin (turn 15), and out of it down a medium length straight into a 90-degree right (16).
For those who haven't seen the track yet, there are some interesting features which, along with the night-time setting, will make this race unique. Part of the track will pass through/under a motorway flyover, and there will be one tight-ish left hander under, yes, under, a grandstand, giving a sort of Monaco effect. While I don't think it will create the racing action of Valencia through the circuit itself, no doubt in the dark mistakes will be made which will see some people losing positions and others in the barriers.
Fuji
Last year's race at the Fuji speedway was a wet one, very wet. Nevertheless it was exciting, and I believe that if we come back in the dry in 2008, we will se some great racing action. I can't really suggest which corners could be improved as there hasn't been a dry race there yet. In the dry, the main passing place will surely be Turn one. A hairpin after the longest straight in F1 (1.5 km) HAS to provide passing, and as multiple lines can be taken through the final corner, this is made even more possible. Turn 4 is a decent chance to pass. Even though it is a fast corner around 160 mph, you could get a run on someone as turn 3 shouldn't be sensitive to the aero, even at around 135 mph. It's possible that you could try round the outside there in the dry, but I'm not sure. If you did make it work it puts you into a great position for the tight right hander turn 6. if you get a good run out of 6, a pass into turn 10 via three flat-out kinks is a big possibility. It is a big stop into 10, which is only 45 mph. This sets up a great duel through the remainder of the lap as multiple lines can be taken through the alternating right-left-right corners coming onto the straight. Do you go tight and attempt to pass, or do you go out wide and cut back and line up a move down the straight. It all makes for some great action.
Shanghai
One of my favourite circuits, Shanghai isn't over complicated and thus provides great racing. It also has the best overtaking opportunity in F1. The banked Turn 12 leads on to a 1000m+ straight, and it is the best example of designing a section of circuit specifically to create passing. With the turn being banked, it means that you can pretty much take it flat-out, and this negates problems with aero and lets you get a decent run onto the straight, where, inevitably, you can pick up a tow. Even if you're not right there into the hairpin, it's safe enough to have a lunge as it's wide on the exit. Turn one is a decent chance, but you needs to be much faster coming out of Turn 16, which I love even if it isn't a spectacular corner. You can take different lines through 1, 2, 3 and 4 to set up a chance coming into the tight turn 5. The hairpin-like turn 11 is also a good chance.
Removing aero may allow a chance into the 60 mph turn 9, coming out of the fast 150 mph esses. Other than that, and a possible increase of passing into turn 1, there aren't really any other problems, making Shanghai the best pure racing circuit of the year for me.
Interlagos
A fine track, and a great host for the last GP of the year, Interlagos usually still sees a lot of passing, but usually only into one place, Turn 1, the Senna S. The Senna S is a great chance, because it has a non-aero sensitive corner (12), leading into a long flat-out section, which is bound to promote slipstreaming. There is also a half chance into Turn 4, which sometimes is a good chance if you nail turn 2 just right. Changes to the cars would probably make this manoevre slightly easier to pull off, and it would open up a chance or two in the infield section. The 140 mph turn 7 effectively prevents any infield overtaking, and following through there would creat a half-chance into 8, a tight right hander. Following through 7 would instigate a possible duel throughout the whole lap, because the next three turns are alternating left-right-left bends. The fast Mergulho corner is good for getting a run on someone, but often the straight proves too short for someone to have a lunge into the last real corner, turn 12.
If you've read through this, then thanks for listening to my thoughts. Let me know whether you think I'm right or not!
Mainly supporting Sauber, Renault and McLaren
Apex Racing League member.
Twitter: @woody2goody_uk
Apex Racing League member.
Twitter: @woody2goody_uk
