Barcelona - Circuit de Catalunya Track Guide, Setup Analysis

[David Anthony]

Hello

i was wondering if anyone had any information they could share on the Circuit de Catalunya track. I am looking into f1 car setup for this track. Mostly i have learnt that there is a huge demand on the left side tyres, mostly the rear left, and the teams aim for stints around 90km at a time. But there is not much technical analysis on the web on this topic, well not that i could find.

so if anyone has some info on this topic, i would realy appreciate it.

thanks

[Ciro Pabón]

First, welcome to the forum, David Anthony. I hadn't seen your previous posts...

Second, I must be boring repeating this, I apologize to those who think that (rightly! ).

Here is the restitution I made of Catalunya. You need AutoCAD. If you don't have it, google for "Free Autocad Reader":

AutoCAD drawing and Excel worksheet (76 Kb):
http://ciropabon.googlepages.com/Catalu ... tution.zip

AutoCAD drawing with satellite photos on it (1.5 Mb):
http://ciropabon.googlepages.com/Catalu ... images.zip

How I made the drawing:
http://ciropabon.googlepages.com/index_ ... on_eng.htm

It has the track as it was in 2003, sorry, I don't have more recent photos. If you can provide me with satellite images for the current track, I'd be happy to do it again.

The worksheet included has all curves and straights measured in meters, including the few transition curves the track has, the speed on them and the G forces deduced from the braking points and curves radius. Curves are in red, transition curves (spirals) in yellow and straights in green.

Perhaps this can help you to know the forces on tyres (actually, they are calculated, roughly, but they are). The curves with a positive deflection are curves to the right, the curves with negative deflection are curves to the left. Simple formulas for calculation of G-forces are included in the columns to the right of the worksheet.

BTW (some people has asked before): deflection means the number of degrees you turn in the curve. An U-turn is a 180 degrees deflection.

Here is the latest file I made of the track, just in case (you need Google Earth: it's a 14 Mb download you can get clicking here):

satellite image with stands and parking lots and a virtual lap
http://ciropabon.googlepages.com/Catalunya.zip

It includes (for the people that goes to the track) the stands location, the circuit web page (it includes the directions to get there by metro, including how to walk from the metro station to the track, or by car, indicating the route to each parking lot), the wikipedia page, the track layout at F1.com (which also includes the gearshifts and speeds for each curve) and the webcams available.

Here are some images of what you can get with the previous file and some clics on the links provided:

Google Earth view of the track, stands and parking sites

Web Cam of the track

Access by metro

Access on foot from railroad


If you wish, you can check my webpage on tracks around the world, that includes all Formula One tracks ever used since 1950, all current CART and NASCAR tracks and around 200 more tracks in the world, to be seen in Google Earth. There are instructions to try a virtual lap around the current tracks, using Google Earth "Play Tour" feature. Check the "Downloads" section here:

http://www.ciropabon.co.nr/

I added recently images for China and Turkey, wich doesn't appear on Google Earth standard photos, btw.

If you are into vehicle simulation, check the "Links" section. You'll find several programs that provide you the information you wish. I recommend Racer Free Car Simulator. It rocks!

Finally, you can get the lap times (after the race or qualys) at http://www.f1matrix.it/gp_2007_eng/index.html . Its a great site for lap by lap analysis of all drivers.

Here (on other thread) somebody pointed us to http://www.visionf1.com/#, where you can see the cars (it's much more useful than just watching the numbers!) after the race, like this:

Sepang "live" graph of car position lap by lap


There are some people in this forum that are nuts for tracks. Just ask anything and somebody will answer (sooner or later!).

[David Anthony]

WoW thanks Ciro Pabón thats awsome work, i really appreciate this its realy helpfull. Now all i need is some articles on the actual F1 car setup for this track and we are in business. HEHE

awsome once again thanks

[DaveKillens]

Here's some more.
http://www.formula1.com/race/circuitmap/773.html
This interactive circuit map displays speeds at certain points too. Turn 3 is tough on the left rear, it's a constantly accelerating right. Turn 9 is a fast right. And turn 11, 12, and 13 are nothing but right, just adding tremendous heat and load to the left rear tire.

[Ciro Pabón]

Dave, that link is included in the Google Earth files I provide. It's what I called "track layout at F1.com (which also includes the gearshifts and speeds for each curve)".

My mistake: I should have said "formula1.com".

Anyway, I don't post again to complain, but to give a few more links to track layouts (none as magnificent as mines! ).

For those interested in the "historic" layout, I provide links for historic tracks (you can find them also for current tracks) to see how the layout has changed over time at RacingCircuits.com, by Neil Tipton. I think there is no better source. Mr. Tipton has been so kind as to allow me to use his layouts on some tracks where the satellite imagery is not good.:

http://www.the-fastlane.co.uk/racingcircuits/
Mirror: http://theracingline.net/racingcircuits/racingcircuits/

I also provide links to the Wikipedia list, where I contribute regularly since Manchild told me they have a link to my site (thanks, guys!):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Fo ... e_circuits

Another beautifully crafted site devoted to historic circuits is "Circuits of the past", here:

http://groups.msn.com/CircuitsofthepastEnglish

Other wonderful resource is Guido Di Carli "Circuiti Nel Mondo" (this is better than my list, actually Mr. Di Carli and myself have interchanged track locations for our respective sites):

http://www.gdecarli.it/index_circuiti.htm

Mr. Darren Galpin has another fine site:

http://www.silhouet.com/motorsport/tracks/tracks

And the best site for North America is RaceTracks:

http://www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks/

A less complete (but full of articles) lists are Trackpedia and e-Tracks:

http://www.trackpedia.com/wiki/Main_Page

http://www.etracksonline.co.uk/

Even less complete is the wiki at Ten Tenths:

http://www.ten-tenths.com/wiki/index.ph ... y:Circuits

Thanks for any other site you could mention.

[rob]

WoW thanks Ciro Pabón thats awsome work, i really appreciate this its realy helpfull. Now all i need is some articles on the actual F1 car setup for this track and we are in business. HEHE

awsome once again thanks

Here you can find set up sheet from year 2001 nad car AP 04.Some really useful technical papers
http://www.gurneyflap.com/prostap04datas.html

Really great site

[Ciro Pabón]

Thank you very much, rob. Nice site indeed.

[David Anthony]

rob that link is awsome thanks heaps mate.

[modbaraban]

...I am looking into f1 car setup for this track...

I hope that isn't Anothony Davidson asking for setup tips here

Okay, being serious, I wonder which changes in car setups are required after the 3rd sector was 'tilked' with that chicane? Will we see any overtaking attempts round there?

[mahesh248]

I have played a simulation game in Rh 05 ...and this track is a high downforce and u need a lot of differential freedom in the rear tyres to actually get good speed in the las two turns but the new track would be slightly different and yeah always my left front tyres over heat the kurbs are slightly not so good so u cant really run a stiff suspension well i dont know how the actual F1 car set up works ...