Formula 1 & Rally Track Research - New Layout Designs

Formula One

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12499373

"There's a big difference between safety and overtaking possibilities. Safety has to be paramount," says Mr Peart.

When it comes to F1 tracks, safety is in everyone's minds when designing or re-designing a race circuit 

Silverstone Race Circuit has had a recent re-design to create more overtaking opportunities and make the racing more exciting for the spectators.

"It is a tricky corner for powering down, so if there are a couple of cars fighting to win, it will be much more likely that one of them will make a mistake.

"Previously, the final corner was a very easy, fast curve," he says. 

http://www.vivaf1.com/blog/?p=8052

Another track that had a lot of iteration in the design was Suzuka.  The original Suzuka design was based purely around the land in which they had to use. There were a lot of rice fields are the area so they needed to miss those. 

Suzuka saw more iterations as the design of the cars from 1987 changed.  The modern track that is used today isn't all that different from the original design but there are parts that have been changed to increase the safety. 

Turns 8 and 9 were originally one long high speed corner, a lot of traction and down force was needed for the cars to complete the corner safely, so the designers changed it and made it two corners the second of the two slowing the cars down.  Also adding overtaking opportunities. 

There was never the chicane (Turns 16 and 17) on the original design.  The cars was have been traveling at speeds well over 190mph, this was way to fast entering the start finish line.  So they added the chicane before turn 18 onto the start finish straight, to add another overtaking point and to increase safety. 

Rally

Rally on the other hand doesn't need any designing as all of the WRC tracks are just sections of roads that have already been built. These roads are normally the windy back roads that can be found on mountains and in the hills. 

Rally cars don't travel as fast as Formula One cars so there isn't as many rules on safety.  The safety is strict when it comes to designing the cars. 

The major difference is that rally stages are point to point and not circuits, the drivers race against each others times, not side by side on the track.  A better driver will complete the track in a quicker time and someone who isn't as skilled.  Its all about car control. 

Track Layout Designs

Instead of just trying to come up with designs off the top of my head, I decided to use google maps and have a look at my home town in Oxfordshire.  Using the street layouts i could create some decent starting track designs.

Circuit

Sprint

My Favourites

There is already some iteration from the original designs on some of these final ones that I am bringing to the team.

(Updates from Discussion)

• Shortcuts on some of the tighter sections.  Add in the Sprint (Time Trial) race.
• Unreal, Splines, vertical space
• (Idea) being shot out of a Volcano as it erupts, racing down the side. View of whole map. 
• Look into crevices and possible hazards leading into shortcuts.
• Corners to be on and off camber, Arcade games normally have the sharper corners on camber, so the track is rotated inwards.  This makes taking the corner easier.