The city circuits and their presence in the calendar of the Formula 1 always generate some controversy. For the vast majority of the 20 drivers who will make up the grill of the World in 2017, represent some of the biggest challenges of the year, either by the narrowness of its streets (Monaco), the hardness physical path (Marina Bay) or for the challenge of switching straight to high speed twisty (Baku). By its own nature, yes, such paths usually offer few opportunities for overtaking.
This latter is what has generated rejection for these circuits, especially on the part of a sector of the hobby, that you think are boring and a path that is not conductive to overtaking should not be in the calendar. Others, in contrast, have increased demand that the pilots faced, and the reduced margin of error. But without a doubt, one of the biggest advantages of pursuing a career in a city is the improved accessibility for the amateur with respect to circuits that are far removed from urban centres or in areas with little tradition and assists.
If we talk about pilots, supporters of the races in street circuits, Lewis Hamilton is also at the top of this list. Despite having criticized in the recent past the circuit of Baku, the three-time british, which underwent to a “questions and answers” page of Facebook by your sponsor UBS, considers that the concept of running in the cities is a way of bringing the racing to the spectators, and to reduce the inconvenience of having to travel large distances to attend a Grand Prix: “I’m Not necessarily a big fan of many of the new circuits that we have. Some of them are too far away from the city, and people have to travel very far, as when we go to China. It is a great city with a lot of people, and they’re supposed to be a great trip. It is a great circuit, but I don’t know why it was built so far away. I Think that the future are the city circuits. I hope to add more“, it declared the british, according to pick up Crash.net.
The Mercedes driver is also critical of some of the exotic countries that Formula 1 has gone in recent years, and where the attendances are minimal and reduced to people with high purchasing power. Circuits like Sakhir, Yas Marina, or Sochi suffer to attract a significant number of fans to justify the presence of the Formula 1 in markets relatively dark. In relation to what he says of the city circuits, Hamilton is in agreement with those who believe that the united States is the ideal scenario to have more of a career.
“We have some races in places where, simply, there are no fans. why do demons have races on some of those sites? Are the fans that make the event. When we go to Silverstone, is one of the best races of the year, because it is full: the fans do it, is an event. I think we need to be in sites where there are actually fans who want to have a career. New York would be amazing; the united States are a large part of the world, and we have a Great Prize there, we should have another career“.
Hamilton also noted to one of the possible causes by which potential fans can have a feeling of detachment towards the category. The british pilot recalled that, unlike sports like football, the Formula 1 is a very exclusive for those who practice, and that makes it difficult for the amateur casual can get into the skin of their heroes:
The biggest problem of the Formula 1 and motorsport is that it is very difficult to identify with them. If you want to feel how it is to be Messi, just go to the store, buy a ball and go to a field, or to play in a team. You can’t do what I do, you just can’t. There are only 22 like us in the world, nothing you can do about to what I do. For the people, it is hard to even imagine what the experience is like. Then, we have those races unique by country, so you have to wait a whole year to have this experience again. Is how to go to a concert. You get excited a lot for it, the buzz lasts for a while, and then you forget about it“.
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