Going to the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas

Circuit of the Americas construction

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 38 total)
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  • #131413
    Prisoner Monkeys
    Participant

    This is probably something that I should have created as soon as this forum group came online, but strangely enough, the idea escaped me until today. Previously, I had been posting updates on the construction of the Circuit of the Americas in the round-up threads, but because not everybody sees those posts (and because I’m currently in the moderation queue), I decided that it might be a good idea to keep everything in the one place. However, I’m so late in the game that most of the construction has been done.

    As a refresher, this is the state of circuit just over six months ago:

    http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/300199_223973690998805_125170184212490_613918_1805753455_n.jpg

    And with just over six months to the race, this is what it look like now:

    http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/jdphoto/f1/472440_453183194708026_219399881419693_1736884_184659121_o.jpg

    But that’s not all – here’s a selection of photos dated two days ago, starting with a close-up of the pit building:

    https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/577519_458699627477921_157330087614878_93719821_1133087035_n.jpg

    And the main grandstand:

    https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/181477_458700297477854_157330087614878_93719835_1837826106_n.jpg

    This is the retaining wall between the paddock and Turns 16-18:

    https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/540662_458700227477861_157330087614878_93719833_1108460547_n.jpg

    You can also see the test layer of asphalt at Turn 19 in the background.

    For more, the Friends of Formula 1 Austin Texas Facebook group have Prisoner Monkeys

    Participant

    It’s taken two weeks for some more photos to come though, but here it is – an update!

    Track surfacing is well underway:

    http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/522889_467616969931315_219399881419693_1784603_268590748_n.jpg

    I can’t work out exactly where this is – I suspect it’s somewhere around Turn 7 – but it’s looking fantastic.

    #201906
    DamionShadows
    Participant

    @prisoner-monkeys Thanks, and keep up the good work! I’m really, REALLY hoping I’m able to go to Austin this November!

    #201907
    ed24f1
    Participant

    Nice, thanks!

    #201908
    Prisoner Monkeys
    Participant

    I’m really, REALLY hoping I’m able to go to Austin this November!

    Apparently individual tickets are going on sale soon.

    Which is probably a good thing, because nobody seems to have understood how the Personal Seat Licences worked, other than that they were very expensive.

    #201909
    Prisoner Monkeys
    Participant

    More updates:

    http://circuitoftheamericas.com/articles/cota-may-construction-update

    The first layer of tarmac from Turn 18 to Turn 5 (with the exception of the main straight) has been put down, and the medical centre is almost finished.

    #201910
    Prisoner Monkeys
    Participant
    #201911
    necrodethmortem
    Participant

    Ugh, tarmac runoff on both sides for the whole length of the esses? Why even bother turning the wheel then?

    #201912
    Prisoner Monkeys
    Participant

    I’m surprised that you seem to think tarmac run-off is a new thing. Tarmac can easily be altered to be highly-abrasive, as we saw with the run-off at the Nouvelle Chicane in Monaco.

    But if you look carefully, you can see that the run-off area is a slightly different colour to the actual circuit.

    #201913
    necrodethmortem
    Participant

    I just think it’s silly that there’s runoff at both ends of the track. I understand why they put tarmac runoff on the outside of a fast corner (no idea why they do it after a hairpin, but that’s another story), but on the inside is just ridiculous. If you miss one turn, you can skip the next one. They’ll probably put some ‘baguettes’ to prevent that, but I think some gravel would be more punishing and esthetically a lot more pleasing. And it’s not like they would dig in after missing their initial turn.

    #201914
    Prisoner Monkeys
    Participant

    (no idea why they do it after a hairpin, but that’s another story)

    For the same reasons why they place it on the outside of a fast corner. Remember Robert Kubica’s accident in Montreal back in 2007? If the car is out of control at the hairpin, it can dig in just as easily as if the driver lost control going around a fast corner.

    And it’s not like they would dig in after missing their initial turn.

    Only if you assume they’re travelling in a straight line when they go off.

    #201915
    necrodethmortem
    Participant

    Kubica’s accident was different, I meant a hairpin after a long straight. The cars won’t dig in of they go straight into the gravel, their wing would just fall off (granted, they could take off on their wing, which they also can on tarmac). Remember Buemi’s moment in China 2010? Tarmac doesn’t stop you if you blow your tyres (or wheels).

    Look at the runoff at Sepang. The biggest load is taken up by the couple of meters of tarmac and if they run wider, they end up safely in the gravel. I think this would’ve been a better option. Less safe, but still safe enough. Plus it would also make for safer motorcycle crashes.

    #201916
    Prisoner Monkeys
    Participant

    Well, the run-off is tarmac here for a reason. Probably because Tavo Hellmund has said that they deliberately did the bare minimum as demanded by the regulations to increase the challenge of the circuit. The FIA may have been more willing to relax some regulations if others were tightened, so, for example, they may have been permitted to use less actual run-off if they agreed to pave all of it.

    #201917
    necrodethmortem
    Participant

    I see. Seems like a pretty bad trade-off though, I think it’s far more challenging to have big gravel run-offs than narrow tarmac ones, but I guess that’s only an opinion and I’m not a racing driver, so mine doesn’t really matter.

    #201918
    Prisoner Monkeys
    Participant

    That’s only speculation on my part. I know Hellmund said they did the minimum to get a Grade-1 licence.

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