Taking design for a race

Logically, car designers cannot design cars if they don't know how to drive. The driver's seat is the undisputed font of all knowledge when it comes to understanding how much better it can perform and how best it can overcome challenges.

This is marginally different, and takes on an extra dimension when the road morphs into a racetrack. Designing a race car is a meticulous task that involves dozens of designers, engineers and mechanics — over hundreds of hours — and a special breed of professionals to design the tracks that the car will take on.

Any professional race driver will concede that a ‘great feel' is one of the key ingredients of success and that it is something that can neither be rented nor bought. The only way to acquire — and provide it — is the experience gained from being a racer and as a result most of the world's most acclaimed racetrack designers are former racers.

Alan L Wilson is a prolific designer who has built almost 30 global race tracks, represented the US in car and motorcycle racing, and owned a team prior to entering the world of design. His partner at Wilson Motorsport Inc., Desiré Wilson, is one of the world's most accomplished female drivers with 120 race cars in 17 countries under her belt. Derek Daly competed at the highest levels on the track before he founded Derek Daly Design with the aim of restoring character and building challenges into racetracks. Mechanical engineer Clive Bowen raced karts for Great Britain and ran his own Formula One team before he set up Apex Circuit Design Ltd. He was commissioned to be the motor sport consultant to HOK Sport London in 2002 and designed the $100 million (about Dh367 million) Dubai Autodrome circuit. The project includes a Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), FOM homologated Category 1 race circuit, a CIK Category A homologated 1.2km kart circuit, and multiple commercial ventures all integrated into a 270 hectare site. The six different configurations are designed to allow three racing circuits to operate simultaneously, safely, and independently from each other, presenting users with unparalleled options. He still includes motor sport among his favourite pastimes.

Hermann Tilke, the former German auto racer, is responsible for the design of the Yas Marina Circuit, venue of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He talks about it with immense pride. "I think visually it is my best circuit. It is spectacular, we had a lot of fun designing it, and it is a circuit we will always be proud of." Planned as an Arabian rendition of Monaco, the 21 corners of the circuit twist through a man-made island off the Abu Dhabi coast, passing by the marina, and through the interiors of the Yas Marina hotel.

Thus, with first-hand experience comes an intrinsic understanding of the many written and unwritten rules of a race facility.

Operational needs

A race facility must not only broadly address various functional needs such as maximised efficiency and reduced overheads but also individually address all regulatory guidelines established by sanctioning and certifying bodies.

Design principles

Apart from meeting international standards, specific needs, and safety guidelines, race facilities must feature strong or special characteristics — such as a high raceability factor or overtaking potential — that will create inherent value and build customer loyalty.

Design and layout of new circuits for international events have to be approved even before construction commences.

In the case of permanent circuits inspections are conducted more than 90 days earlier so that there is adequate time to implement changes.

User appropriateness

Modern motor sports encompass a staggering range of user groups — often with contradictory needs — and tracks have to incorporate unique and widely differing specifications that vary between smooth flowing layouts, sharp multiple corner tracksand technical corners

Licensing and certification

The design, operation and maintenance of racetracks is governed and licensed by various international bodies such as the FIA, the (FIM) and the FIA World Motor Sport Council.

Multiple purpose

Racetracks must address and incorporate the many needs of owners, promoters, competitors, spectators, sanctioning bodies, insurers, sponsors and the media. Besides, a single facility is often called to play concurrent roles for a wide range of events,functions and activities.

Safety adherence

The reputation of a track is built on meeting diverse needs with layouts that enable operations at the highest levels of safety while being able to pose challenges and provide adventure.

Cost consciousness

Although it is remarkably easy to spend a fortune on buildinga modern race facility, owners look for designs and layoutsthat minimise the costs of construction, ongoing operationsand maximise profitability. Ideally a race facility must havea fully sustainable environment.

Form and function

While the facility must be user-friendly to a wide range of customers, it must be able to meet the operating requirementsof diverse racing and related activities.

Today's multipurpose facilities must integrate often conflicting requirements in its concept, design and construction to provide seamless and cohesive elements under one roof.

Construction guidelines

Racetrack designers have to work with engineers, architects, contractors and several subcontractors — who have little or no specific experience — and need to provide them with clear, concise and detailed plans that enable each group to maximise their input, at the lowest cost and in the shortest time possible. Not only is the involvement hands-on, but it must be supported by back-up services.

Emergency response

Apart from demanding safety requirements, racing facilities have to incorporate various emergency response facilities including observation posts, effective communications, and medical management systems with all necessary human and physical resources. One of the three configurations — the complete F1 track — stretches 5.55 kilometres and comprises 21 turns (12 left and nine right turns) with an estimated lap time of one minute forty seconds. It runs in an anti-clockwise direction. The second and third configurations of the track are shorter at 3.15 kilometres and 2.36 kilometres respectively, and can run independently of each other, making it possible to hold two events simultaneously.