2017 Russian Grand Prix - Sochi Autodrom, April 28-30

[ferkan]

Its Tilke.

Funny since Bahrain, right before Sochi, is quite a fun track!

[godlameroso]

whoever designed sochi needs a dressing down. Its got to be the worst track on the calendar surely?
so insanely dull. if its Tilke, you'd have thought he'd have learnt from previous tracks.

What makes it dull exactly?

[fiohaa]

whoever designed sochi needs a dressing down. Its got to be the worst track on the calendar surely?
so insanely dull. if its Tilke, you'd have thought he'd have learnt from previous tracks.

What makes it dull exactly?

the continuous right angles. The complete lack of any elevation or camber changes. The vast expanses of tarmac surrounding the outsides of every corner followed by a white barrier.
The corners are virtually indistinguishable from each other.
it somehow has even less character than valencia, which at least had certain sections which were exciting to watch, mainly sector 3.
i cannot see one interesting corner or feature in the whole of sochi - even the long left hander is easy flat, so its not exactly turkey turn 8.
sochi can't get any worse, as circuits go. They might as well be racing round a giant car park.
fortunately the racing is good again after years of tyre drivel, so that will make up for it, could end up being a good race.

[godlameroso]

They're not exactly 90 degree corners save for the final 2 turns. They also have slightly different cambers through the turns in sector two, and it's very difficult to nail every apex perfectly, since they're medium high speed turns (160kph+). Turn 14 is off camber, and there is some elevation change in 15, it goes slightly uphill and then downhill at the apex which is what makes 14-16 so low grip. From a driver's perspective it's actually got a nice rhythm once you really learn it. To be honest I think Mexico is probably the worst track on the calendar, at least from a racing perspective.

[fiohaa]

They're not exactly 90 degree corners save for the final 2 turns. They also have slightly different cambers through the turns in sector two, and it's very difficult to nail every apex perfectly, since they're medium high speed turns (160kph+). Turn 14 is off camber, and there is some elevation change in 15, it goes slightly uphill and then downhill at the apex which is what makes 14-16 so low grip. From a driver's perspective it's actually got a nice rhythm once you really learn it. To be honest I think Mexico is probably the worst track on the calendar, at least from a racing perspective.

well i thought i'd give it a go in the sim as i've never even bothered driving the track before despite it being around the last 4 years.
you are right to an extent, but i still think its terrible overall, i don't agree that the drivers would like it. It flows in the same way any other track flows.... its whether you enjoy that flow or not.
the only redeeming feature i can find is the braking into T13 which is fun - and strangely the corner with the least amount of run off despite being by far the most tricky. After T13 it becomes abu dhabi last sector pretty much.

Turns 8 and 9 are pretty good too, medium speed corners, 4th/5th gear
All the other turns are pretty boring to drive.

and the way they've had to use the kerbing because of this flat expanse of tarmac - you're right it does require precision to hit those apex's but even in the sim its so dull to drive.
the drivers must hate it.

[godlameroso]

Fair enough, nice driving btw.

[fiohaa]

Fair enough, nice driving btw.

well, i found this http://en.espn.co.uk/russia/motorsport/ ... 79033.html
my feeling that the drivers would hate it is probably wrong then....though i'm sure they are never going to outright say "i hate this track" due to PR.
i guess in real life its probably more enjoyable....Vettel and Rosberg say its better than what the sim suggests, who am i to argue.

i think maybe if i spend some time on it and set up the car, i'd learn to enjoy it and find a more enjoyable flow, who knows.

[Nickel]

well i thought i'd give it a go in the sim as i've never even bothered driving the track before despite it being around the last 4 years.
you are right to an extent, but i still think its terrible overall, i don't agree that the drivers would like it. It flows in the same way any other track flows.... its whether you enjoy that flow or not.
the only redeeming feature i can find is the braking into T13 which is fun - and strangely the corner with the least amount of run off despite being by far the most tricky. After T13 it becomes abu dhabi last sector pretty much.

Turns 8 and 9 are pretty good too, medium speed corners, 4th/5th gear
All the other turns are pretty boring to drive.

and the way they've had to use the kerbing because of this flat expanse of tarmac - you're right it does require precision to hit those apex's but even in the sim its so dull to drive.
the drivers must hate it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLAPFYh ... e=youtu.be

Off Topic but you should adjust whatever settings on your "SIM" let you drive all over the kerbs under braking at turn entry. There's no way you should be getting away with that

[bauc]

Smells like a Ferrari pole after a long time, but you cant never rule HAM out

[edu2703]

Smells like a Ferrari pole after a long time, but you cant never rule HAM out

Correction: You can't never rule out Mercedes PU qualifying mod.

[Artur Craft]

whoever designed sochi needs a dressing down. Its got to be the worst track on the calendar surely?
so insanely dull. if its Tilke, you'd have thought he'd have learnt from previous tracks.

My thoughts too. I think only Canada and Mexico have worst layouts than Sochi. Bar a couple of 160kph bends, the corners are all dull 100-140kph 90º(or so) ones with no character

Smells like a Ferrari pole after a long time, but you cant never rule Mercedes out

FTFY

Ferrari typically looking relatively faster than their ultimate QLF pace, on FPs, against Mercedes. I'm still very condident Mercedes will crank it up for Q3 and get pole by some 2 or 3 tenths.

My prediction for pole is on the high 32s. Something like a 1.32.8 or lower. Will be surprised if they stay on the 33s. Red Bull will suffer with it's Renault engine and will be 1 to 1.5s slower. Now, my boldest prediction, Mclaren will be dreadful

[atanatizante]

Even with that qualy mode engine mapping (even though it has nothing to do regarding their tyre management) Merc couldn`t bring temperature in their tyres : 1. quicker as Ferrari did ... the latter have been able to set a hot lap even on their first attempt! ... and 2. on lap 3, when Merc finally were in that operation window, and that after 3 or 4 laps, soon in S3 they are overheating them and get a slow lap overall, as we saw Lewis did in FP3 ...

So maybe they should qualify on SS in Q2 and stay as long as they need in the race, coz in Sochi track position is king ...

What is the tyre lap time difference here between US and SS tyre? Had it`s under 4-5 tenths they could do half of the race on US, as Bottas did 32 laps on US but most of all setting his fastest lap on the 31th ...

[atanatizante]

From my point of view there are 2 conclusions after 3 races why Merc has a poor tyre management:
1. They and RB are the most affected by the ban of so called FRIC (or whatever hydraulic system they had) ... is there a coincidence or Merc was struggling with their rear tyres last years when they didn`t had the FRIC or not?
2. From Australia until Sochi we have had 3 types of tyre ; US, SS and S and only on the soft ones they were competitive and each race they were struggling on US & SS ...

[hollus]

Have you noticed the farting noise when Alonso goes on the kerbs?
Can that come from the engine? Too perfect, it must come from the chassis...

Edit: nevermind, Massa has it too, Perez had vibrations in the onboard frame... it must be in the cameras and microphones.

[gandharva]

Palmer is such a joke...