savyboy

Lol!

I've driven LS maybe 20 (40?) times and the elevation change anywhere other than going through T8/8A (the 'screw) is modest. I leave an ultra-technical track like Reno-Fernley thinking - wow I learned a ton of lessons on how to drive fast and well, same for Barber or Spring Mountain. I'd leave LS thinking, wow, I managed to not hit anything and it sure sucked to have that potato jammed up my tailpipe.

Some folks are nostalgic and think respect should be given simply due to old age. Not me, turn some of these old beasts into museums and let's move forward with modern designs.

Too bad we can't chat it over while enjoying a cold beverage my friend

wanna911

Either way neither of them compare IMO, Road America is just long straight 90 turn, long straight 90 turn, carousel, kink rinse repeat. Not much in the form of elevation change. There is no real flow to Road America, just bring your ponies. Road Atlanta is a big time flow track. Screw up 12 or 1 and you just screwed up all the way to turn 5. There just isn't much to it on the technical side, there's plenty on the challenge and excitement aspect of it though.

COTA has everything you want, tight technical sections that are actually passable in for racers. The tight section in the turn 15 complex was awesome and it's the tightest/flatest part of the track. Watch the onboards and see how it's not just go straight and turn, there are plenty of fake apexes and different lines to explore through there. I do think they did that to make the lap last longer for F1 though. But I still love it because on many of them, patience will be rewarded. On the F1 coverage, they actually said the drivers raved about the layout, something we haven't heard ever from a Tilke track I don't think.

COTA has fast double apex turns which are my favorite, sweepers sharp turns with nearly blind apexes (turn 1). It does not flow like a Brands Hatch or Spa but there is also nothing wrong with some technical sections that don't flow, and this track makes them interesting.

TRAKCAR

I also like the gigantic runoff area's.

85Gold

Right now I will researve judgment on COTA being the best track until I have driven it I am not impressed by nice facilities, though they are nice, for me it is all about the track. VIR ranks as my #1 track of the over 20 tracks I have driven.

Peter

tasman

Not much elevation change at Road America? Must be a different Road America than the one I have been to.

wanna911

Facilities and track are two wholly different things. For which reason I like CMP better than Barber (though they are designed by the same person) but I'd prefer to go to Barber though because it's closer and has nicer facilities and better groups run there generally speaking. But as for enjoyment, CMP for me.

Spa is my favorite track and I haven't been anywhere near it other than video games. I can see most of what I need to in the onboard videos. Every track I've been to has been what I thought it was from studying onboards. Mont Tremblant looks like it would make my list of favorites as well.

This video in 1080p tells me all I need to know, look how wide turn 1 is, it's a lot less sharp than most 90 turns on many tracks we drive on by that virtue alone. The width of turn 11 again makes it not so sharp and very critical for entrance onto the back straight. . Will be a lot of fun tossing the car in there for a speedy exit. Even the complex in the turn 15 area has some character to it. The esses are going to be a real challenge because you can't straight line that, but you are going at higher cornering speeds while being challenged, not rinky dink slow sections. I can see people possibly using more than a little of the curbing up in there too. Track is awesome! (yes I'm officially COTA fanboy)

GT3DE

Tremblant gets boring after a few runs. In Canada, MoSport is where its at. Me, I like the dangerous tracks (pucker factor). MoSport (t4), Road America (kink), VIR (down the rollercoaster all the way to the straight), Sebring (t17).

brake dust

Agree with Savy. Hate watching the ALMS at Laguna. Nothing but full course cautions all race long. That might also a function of IMSA vs. FIA rules. More US circuits need to be upgraded to meet the FIA category one status - which includes ample run off Tarmac areas. Watkins is a perfect example that needs to be upgraded. I don't believe that the WEC could race there due to not meeting track standards

TRAKCAR

WG not up there for you?
I've only had one dry day there and I have a lot to figure out there, but is exiting!

wanna911

I like the speed and transitions of the turns more than the pucker factor. I like fast rolling exits into faster sections where you continually build speed as you exit the turn. Double and triple apexes and turns that aren't overly sharp. I like blind apexes, increasing radius turns, long sweepers.

Vir is just ok to me, I don't like the smoothness of the turn transitions. I'd prefer turn 4 entering the carousel through it down the short straight into the high speed turn 8 onto the back straight into the kink at CMP. That's some serious flow on the back half of that track. VIR keeps breaking the flow with 40-50'ish mph turns that have no character to them (other than oaktree). I do like the entrance onto the front straight, and southbend, but the esses to me are really spoiled by the fact that you decrease speed all the way through them to the exit, which could be 20-30 mph slower than the entrance. VIR just does not flow well to me.

TRAKCAR

Looks so awesone, cant wait to see how late you can brake into T1 and see what happens when the car gets light :-) So much room, not much risk..

Compared to this FF to 1:55, I rather do that with a bit more room.:
BTW, Wanna911, flows plenty nice enough to me :-)

GT3DE

Not my experience, I get faster as I go up the hill. I am flatout under the bridge, shortshift and turn in, then mostly floored all the way up the hill. Nice pucker factor at the top!!!

GT3DE

WG not as good as MoSPort, RA, VIR or Sebring. just too many blue bushes in the way of any mistake. not much pucker factor, just nervousness the whole time.

wanna911

whoah there!!!!! lol.

GT3DE

after you graduate from the blue group, please buy a better video camera.