Formula One: Valencia poses technical challenges, all eyes on Lewis Hamilton, the Red Bulls and Michael Schumacher
It is exciting, it is beautiful and it is indeed one of the best additions to the circuits of Formula One in recent years. The cars are heading towards the European Grand Prix for the next race of the season. The thrilling circuit of Valencia is to host the race for the third time since its first race in the year 2008. The circuit has always fascinated the drivers as well as the fans due to its construction and its geographic values. The circuit is a mix of street and road therefore provides an amalgam of thrill and excitement, with its narrow streets, slow turns and the long straights that offer high and low speed sections. The most exciting part is the bridge that it encompasses which has bumpy and uneven paths.
The layout of the track is similar to what the drivers had experienced earlier this year in Shanghai and Bahrain, most of the track covers the long straights where high speeds can be reached. However, the track could be very tricky because teams have to find the right kind of setup considering speed and down force.
Well most of the drivers think that the most exciting part of the race begins after turn seventeen and continues till the last and twenty-fifth turn. The most challenging part is when the cars enter turn twenty-five where the speed has to be kept low. However, at the end of the twenty-fourth turn the speed has already reached up to 300 km/hr.
Again like the circuit of Bahrain, this circuit demands a lot from brakes. The tricky track could turn tough if the brakes are not handled with a lot of care. There could be turns when the brakes are to be used swiftly therefore the break cooling system has to be very good so teams prefer to use larger break cooling ducts.
At this track the car to be used has to be great in its balance. As it is a mixed circuit one has to make quick adjustments between acceleration and brakes. One has to have a very good grip at the slow turns to keep the car stable after the speedy long straights.
Another important thing to remember is the fact that a long part of the track runs by the shore side and the strong winds off the shore also disturb the balance of the cars immensely. This is a big challenge for the cars as well as the drivers to be able to keep their lines while fighting the winds as well.
As this is a mix of the temporary and purpose built circuit hence one knows that the track would gradually evolve. The cars gain momentum with each passing lap therefore the track requires a very high quality of tyres to cope with track demands.
The track also serves-up a variety of hair pins and chicanes on its slow moving turns therefore the engine is used here in the stop–start trend. The speed remains high for around more than half of the track with the simple straight roads. Therefore one does not demand a lot from the engine.
Overall the track could not be counted among the toughest tracks of the world however it is going to be a race worth watching due to many more reasons. One of these is the announcements made by Ferrari and Red Bull regarding the advancements in their cars
Moreover, the McLaren fans, especially the Lewis Hamilton fans need to watch it as Lewis might be able to get his third consecutive win of the season. Furthermore it would be a nail biting race for the Red Bull fans as the team would try to get back to their top position as they lost it in the last race. Above all it is time to see if Micheal Schumacher would be able to get back to his form after the disappointing performance earlier this month in Canada.
Two more days to go before the red lights go out at Valencia.
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