COTA Austin - construction and infrastructure

[FW17]

You do realise it's only Turn 1 that's elevated? You go 133ft up, then after the apex it drops by another 133ft?

Circuit de Catalunya has as much elevation change as this track.

As I said, some of the other corners will be fun, 2 and 10 but there is nothing great about turn 1

[raymondu999]

Even with the first few gridslot rows on an uphill incline? (If I remember correctly)

[bhall]

Why would it be better downhill?

Have you ever driven a car on a hill road?

If yes, which is better. Uphill or downhill?

They're not creating a thrill ride for my truck.

Would you rather watch a race car attempt to overtake another on a portion of track that promotes stability (the trough of a valley) or one that promotes instability (the crest of a hill)?

For what it's worth, the reason why Spa's famed uphill corner complex is known as Eau Rouge (the crest) instead of Raidillon (the dip) is because the crest is the hard part.

[FW17]

Why would it be better downhill?

Have you ever driven a car on a hill road?

If yes, which is better. Uphill or downhill?

They're not creating a thrill ride for my truck.

Would you rather watch a race car attempt to overtake another on a portion of track that promotes stability (the trough of a valley) or one that promotes instability (the crest of a hill)?

For what it's worth, the reason why Spa's famed uphill corner complex is known as Eau Rouge (the crest) instead of Raidillon (the dip) is because the crest is the hard part.

Have you tried driving Eau Rouge in the wrong direction (Raidillon down into Eau Rouge) in any racing sim?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ucm9J2-E_c[/youtube]

[FW17]

Any idea where this pic is taken. Found it on COTA FB page

[raymondu999]

For what it's worth, the reason why Spa's famed uphill corner complex is known as Eau Rouge (the crest) instead of Raidillon (the dip) is because the crest is the hard part.

Isn't a crest the top bit of a wave? That would make Raidillon a crest and Eau Rouge a trough. Eau Rouge is actually the dinky (when viewed in isolation) little left kink before the long uphill right.

[bhall]

I actually Googled for the correct terminology with regard to peak/crest/summit/ridge, etc., and valley/ravine/trough/gully, etc., but I wasn't patient enough to wade through the results. So, I just winged it.

As it's been explained to me and others who watch F1 on Speed, the dip/trough ("little left kink" area) is Raidillon and everything else, including the crest/peak/whatever, is Eau Rouge.

Either way, the moral of the story is that the Circuit of the Americas has, in my view, done precious few things correctly throughout their existence, and Turn 1 is one of those things. Video games run in reverse notwithstanding, I don't see anything at all that would indicate a downhill turn would be more potent than the reality of what's on offer.

[raymondu999]

Speed got it the wrong way around - Eau Rouge is most definitely the left kink. Raidillon is the "over the hill" part

[hairy_scotsman]

You do realise it's only Turn 1 that's elevated?

I don't think so. Here's a very crude elevation profile I made of COTA a while back.

[FW17]

Speed got it the wrong way around - Eau Rouge is most definitely the left kink. Raidillon is the "over the hill" part

You have also got the stability argument in reverse. Going down hill you have less mechanical stability than up hill.

[bhall]

Nope, I made the stability argument, and, as usual, I wasn't thorough.

The downhill instability to which you refer is, naturally, only possible if there's a hill in the first place. The cars here will go up the hill, turn left, and then immediately be going downhill. The destabilizing factors are all the result of the the hill.

If they were traveling downhill toward a corner at the bottom, the cars would tend to become stable at the apex and ever more stable upon the exit uphill.

[FW17]

Nope, I made the stability argument, and, as usual, I wasn't thorough.

The downhill instability to which you refer is, naturally, only possible if there's a hill in the first place. The cars here will go up the hill, turn left, and then immediately be going downhill. The destabilizing factors are all the result of the the hill.

If they were traveling downhill toward a corner at the bottom, the cars would tend to become stable at the apex and ever more stable upon the exit uphill.

So you are saying, turn 1 is BS, it just sets it up for a good turn 2

[raymondu999]

He's saying a hill is better than a valley.

[Pup]

Banking would absolutely ruin this corner. What makes the corner difficult is the fact that it flattens in the middle of the braking zone and then turns downhill at the apex. It will be very hard to get just right, and if you get it wrong then your entire first sector is blown.

It's also one of the few first corners that Tilke hasn't ruined with a turn back.

[FW17]

Banking would absolutely ruin this corner. What makes the corner difficult is the fact that it flattens in the middle of the braking zone and then turns downhill at the apex. It will be very hard to get just right, and if you get it wrong then your entire first sector is blown.

It's also one of the few first corners that Tilke hasn't ruined with a turn back.

What would have made it good is, if it was not a hairpin