June 19, 2012

F1 on TV!: Europe 2012

After a brief sojourn to North America for the Canadian Grand Prix, it's back to Europe for the second of the F1 Circus "home" races.  This time we find ourselves in Valencia, Spain for the so-called Grand Prix of Europe.  Let's take a look at the track map:

Welp, there's no beating around the bush: this track sucks.  There's yet to be a good race at this so-called "street circuit" that runs around the harbor the America's Cup defense used a few years back.  Except it has none of the hallmarks of a street track: the road is wide and smooth, the warehouses are far from picturesque, even the turns in the technical section are more like a standard Tilke abomination than a street race.  Forget about passing, because he Mickey-moused the whole darn thing... prior to the 2011 race, there were only four known passes in three races.  It's telling that the most memorable features of past races is Mark Webber's impromptu flight and Kamui Kobayashi holding up the entire field (earning his nickname "Gandalf" in the process).  In other words, an accident and no passing.  Sound like a good track to you?  Yeah, me neither.  Well, the bridge crossing is photogenic at least.

If you like catchfencing, at least.  Well, we'll take what we can get, and hope for rain.  One good thing, I suppose: in 2011, we had no retirements from the race, meaning all 24 cars finished... a F1 first.

Just think, this is one of the NATIONAL broadcast races, too.  Good call, FOX.  Well, at least we've got the Legendary Announce Team doing their usual coverage.  Here's the schedule:

FRIDAY
3a-430a: P1 streaming
7a-840a: P2 live on SPEED
SATURDAY
4a-5a: P3 streaming
7a-830a: Quals, plausibly live, on SPEED
SUNDAY
1030a-11a: Pre-race show, tapedelayed on SPEED
11a-1p: 2012 Grand Prix of Europe @ Valencia, tapedelayed on FOX
1p-130p: Post-race, tapedelayed on SPEED (after race, time may vary)

This is how we here at F1U! will willingly spend our Sunday.  Yay us!  See ya then!

Posted by: Wonderduck at 06:38 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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1 I've no experienced eye for these things so I often don't know what it is about a track (just from looking at the "map") that you like or dislike.

This one, however, just looks... random. Is that just my n00b's eye view?

Posted by: GreyDuck at June 19, 2012 08:52 PM (Buiw/)

2 Street circuits often give that impression, GD, since they usually have to use existing roads.  What you're seeing with this track is a circuit that actually has purpose-built sections (Turn 1 through 14) mixed with actual streets (everything else).  That's probably why it looks random to you.  And everybody else, for that matter.

Oh sure, the purpose built parts are used as roads during the rest of the year, but they basically didn't exist before the race came along. 

Posted by: Wonderduck at June 19, 2012 09:27 PM (jC8a0)

3 Increased overtakes in 2011?
Did drs do anything?

Posted by: carnett at June 21, 2012 09:22 PM (cuntQ)

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