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Temporary Street Circuits On Trial

© Amanda Stachowski

What makes temporary street circuits different? Well, for starters, there is less grip (at least at the beginning of the event) than a permanent road course. After all, each year a street circuit must lay down its own rubber, because face it, it's not going to stick around for the next year until it is used again.

Because of this issue of grip, it is important to think of ways to make the cars stick to the track, especially on day one. Softer tires help, but can still lead to trouble because street circuits are usually rougher and have a higher curbing. The tire developers will consider the obstacles at each circuit and decide upon the best compound to suit the individual track's needs. Tires for wet conditions must also be considered.

Another issue facing race teams is the fact that they tend to be narrower than a road course or oval track, which makes passing / lapping slower vehicles more difficult. This can sometimes leave you with more of a 'follow-the-leader' effect than actual racing.

It also makes it very important to start from the front. Because of this, a greater emphasis is places on qualifying, which is already more difficult, because the low amount of rubber on the track at that time. On the bright side, the track will be faster after qualifying and continue to speed up as the weekend progresses, as the tires lose more rubber to the road.

Another problem is the amount of twists and turns, including the commonly seen 90 degree bends. These are included in the circuit for the obvious reason of having to build the track around buildings and other such obstacles. This sort of layout tends to mean there is no time to relax and little time to catch your breath.

All in all, it is because of all these added things to look out for, street circuits can often be a fun challenge to the drivers. Plus, if you are one of the lucky ones who was able to do well under the difficult circumstances, you and your team will feel all the more rewarded with what you've accomplished.

But hey, it's not all about the tires, the turns or the drivers, now is it? What about the fans? Yeah, we count too - especially those of us who are on a tight schedule and can't take that much time off to travel great distances to attend racing events. Street circuits are easy access to fans because they are typically held in the downtown areas of major cities. If you find yourself near a major city, you might just be able to find yourself at a race.

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