LE MANS 24 HOURS: CIRCUIT HISTORIES GUIDE by Jamie Stafford/Wolf Feather FEATHER7@IX.NETCOM.COM Initial Version Completed: October 11, 2002 FINAL VERSION Completed: October 15, 2002 ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ACCOLADE: The Le Mans 24 Hours: Circuit Histories Guide was designated as Best In-depth Guide for October 13, 2002 on the FAQ Contributors Message Board on GameFAQs :-) ============================================== JOIN THE FEATHERGUIDES E-MAIL LIST: To be the first to know when my new and updated guides are released, join the FeatherGuides E-mail List. Go to http://www.coollist.com/group.cgi?l=featherguides for information about the list and to subscribe for free. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== CONTENTS Spacing and Length Permissions Introduction Assumptions and Conventions Brno Bugatti Catalunya (Barcelona, Spain) Donington Park Le Mans Road Atlanta Motor Sports Center (Braselton, Georgia, USA) Suzuka (Japan) Contact Information ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== SPACING AND LENGTH For optimum readability, this driving guide should be viewed/printed using a monowidth font, such as Courier. Check for font setting by making sure the numbers and letters below line up: 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ============================================== PERMISSIONS Permission is hereby granted for a user to download and/or print out a copy of this driving guide for personal use. However, due to the extreme length, printing this driving guide may not be such a good idea. This driving guide may only be posted on: FeatherGuides, GameFAQs.com, f1gamers.com, Games Domain, PSXCodez.com, Cheatcc.com, gamesover.com, Absolute-PlayStation.com, RedCoupe, InsidePS2Games.com, CheatPlanet.com, The Cheat Empire, a2zweblinks.com, Gameguru, cheatingplanet.com, RobsGaming.com, neoseeker.com, ps2fantasy.com, and vgstrategies.com. Please contact me for permission to post elsewhere on the Internet. Should anyone wish to translate this game guide into other languages, please contact me for permission(s) and provide me with a copy when complete. Remember: Plagiarism in ANY form is NOT tolerated!!!!! ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== INTRODUCTION This predecessor to this guide was created due to a personal inquiry, wishing to learn more about the history of the race venues currently used in F1 competition. This guide uses similar information for the race venues included in Le Mans 24 Hours. This is not intended to be a detailed history of all the race venues, but more of a general overview of the circuits. As more information is gained, this guide will be modified and expanded accordingly. The majority of information for this guide comes from circuits' official Web sites. To the extent possible, I will try to update circuit wins as best as I can, although that admittedly is not initially a priority in writing this guide. Those with additional information and/or suggestions should contact me (FEATHER7@IX.NETCOM.COM). Please note that some of the race venues included here have multiple configurations used in Le Mans 24 Hours. ============================================== ASSUMPTIONS AND CONVENTIONS Most race circuits outside the United States (and a very few within) name most corners and chicanes, and even some straightaways. Where these names are known and relevant to the circuit histories, they will be given. These names have been gathered from course maps available on the courses' official Web sites, my memory of how races have been called by American TV sportscasters (Fox Sports Net and SpeedVision, in 1999 2001, and Speed Channel in 2002), and/or from the Training Mode of F1 Championship Season 2000 (corner/segment names are listed at the bottom of the screen). To the extent possible, these names have been translated into English. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== BRNO This 5.403-kilometer (3.377-mile) circuit is also kn0wn as the Masaryk Circuit, and is located near Brno in the Czech Republic. The official Web site provides this excellent location information: Difference in elevation and attractive forest areas were the attributes of the classical Masaryk Circuit where motorcycle and automobile aces raced in 1930-1986. The same character was kept in the project of the modern closed circuit named Automotodrom brno - Masaryk Circuit and located at Kyvalka. The 5,4 km long track is so well positioned in the natural surroundings that it evokes feeling like it had been there always. Forests around the Masaryk Circuit make everyone feel very relaxed whether the racers or visitors and even tourists. Events at Automotodrome Brno include Motojaro and Motopodzim (which allows the average persons to use their own cars and motorcycles on the Brno circuit), Czech Automobile Hill Climb Championship, International Czech Championship of Touring and Formula Cars, FIA GT Championship, FIA Sportscar Championship, FIA European Touring Car Championship, Road Racing Motorcycle Endurance World Championship, International Czech Championship of Touring and Formula Cars, Central European Zone Championship of Touring and Formula Cars, International Cup Racing, Road Racing Motorcycle World Championship (125 cc, 250 cc and MotoGP), Formula 3000 Euro Series, and International Czech Motorcycle Championship, Epilog 2002 (International 6hrs. Endurance race of Touring, Grand Tourismo, Sporting and special cars). Circuit history from the official Web site: More than 70-year-old history of the Masaryk Circuit may be divided into two main eras. The first period belongs to the classical circuit, the history of which began with the first automobile race on Sunday September 28th 1930. The circuit's history is not only long but also very rich and interesting. Breathtaking races on a 29,1 km long track were held on the main road (Brno-Prague) and other local roads before WWII. Motorsport fans going to the Masaryk Circuit nowadays have to drive for a short time on a cobblestone road (hill at Popuvky), which brings the drivers back to the history and let experience the original pre-war track. Today we can only admire the brave knights flying with full throttle at the wheel of Tatras, Z Alfas, Mercedes, Auto Unions ... Yellowish photographs remember the first triumphs of Bugatti cars, the winning hattrick of the Monaco knight Chiron, the rising star and later Formula 1 Champion Farina. Photographers did not miss mad tricks of the 'red devil' Nuvolari, smiles of von Stuck, Rosemeyer, Lang and Caracciola who took the wheel of Mercedes and Auto Union cars. They represented the unbeatable line up of the pre war times. The archives revealed that the first race winner at the Masaryk Circuit was Morgen and the last battle on the endless classical track won Caracciola in 1937. The Masaryk Circuit was shortened to 17,8 kms after the war. The first post-war race was held in 1949 - the legendary Czechoslovak Grand Prix, which was ridden in the opposite direction than the pre-war races. Over 400.000 spectators saw a fantastic victory of Whitehead (Ferrari) from England, while the favourites - Maserati's Farina, Parnell, Bira and Chiron had to retire due to technical problems or accidents. Motorcycle took over the reign at the Masaryk Circuit in 1950. The political regime at that time was not in favour of the automobile sport and it named it 'bourgeois'. Year after year Brno hosted more quality riders. The success of Czech heroes Stastny, Havel, Bartos, Parus, Kostir, Slavicek and Srna riding with Czech made Jawa and CZ bikes caused a rapid growth of popularity. Newly reconstructed 13,9 km long classical circuit hosted the Road Racing Motorcycle World Championship GP in 1965 for the first time. Brno hosted regularly the series until 1982. The organizers were unable to meet the strict FIM safety regulations and though the track was shortened to 10,9 km the GP could not be held there any more. Before the old circuit finished its history in 1986, it still hosted 4 European Championship events and saw the revival of automobile racing. Cars returned to the Masaryk Circuit in 1962 thanks to Formula Junior races, which were followed by new Formula 3 series two years later. European Touring Cars Championship introduced in 1968 strengthened the image of the Brno circuit. Together with the motorcycle World Championship the Touring cars attracted many spectators to the Masaryk Circuit till the last sporting event. There were many recognised drivers racing in Brno -F1 champions Rindt and Lauda from Austria or Hulme from New Zealand. The new chapter in the history of the Masaryk Circuit was started in 1987 when the special closed circuit was inaugurated. The new track was well positioned into the beautiful natural terrain. It was located not even 10 km far from the old pits. The atmosphere of pre-war automobile races remember the narrow roads leading from Zebetin to Ostrovacice where the motorised knights cut the corners in the 1930s. The newly built track brought worldwide connaissance of Brno and the Czech Republic however the architects and engineers ad to dedicate a lot of time and effort to finish the construction. With the new track Brno figured again in the motorcycle World Championship calendar after a four year break. Those who admired Agostini, Hailwood, Read, Saarinen, Ivy, Cecotto, Ballington could find their new heroes at the modern Masaryk Circuit among such stars like Gardner, Spencer, Rainey, Lawson, Kocinski, Doohan, Roth, Bradl, Martinez. Some of the old favourites like Mang or sidecar ace Biland returned to Brno, too. Except year 1992 when the organizers did not agree on financial demands with the new series promoter, the Masaryk Circuit hosted the World Championship series regularly. The Czech Grand Prix became the most important sporting event broadcasted thanks to TV to all continents. Brno organizers did their maximum to keep the series, since 1996 they have managed to rebuild the start/finish area, put on new pit boxes, reconstruct the paddock and prolong the track from 5,394 to 5,403 km. The organizers are very proud of the IRTA Trophy, which they received for the best GP in 1999. In between the motorcycle champs changed. Fans hurry to Brno in order to grab autographs of Rossi, Biaggi, Capirossi, Harada, Elias, Poggiali, Roberts jun., McCoy, Nakano, Jacque and also the Czech heroes Hules and Jakub Smrz. The busy life of the Masaryk Circuit saw also twice the Superbike World Championship, once Sport prototypes World Championship, three times the international German Touring Cars and Formula 3 Championship, which brought to the Brno track such stars like Schumacher, Frentzen, Rosberg, Schneder, Danner, Wendlinger and many other formula 1 stars. Coulthard, Häkkinen and the triple F1 World Champion Stewart were among honorary guests to the circuit, too. The rich programme of the circuit hosted the International Sportscar Championship, German and Swiss motorcycle Championship, Austrian automobile Championship or charming battles of historic Formula 1 cars. The international Czech motorcycle and Automobile championships visit Brno regularly. More and more spectators are attracted by the 6 hrs. Touring and sports cars Endurance race however the number on among car races belongs to the FIA GT Championship. The Masaryk Circuit hosts every year a number of test drives, company presentations, social meetings and also other than motorsport activities (dog sledge competition etc.). See the official Web site (http://www.automotodrombrno.cz/index.asp?sekce=0&jazyk=en) for more information. ============================================== BUGATTI Located 5 kilometers (3.125 miles) from the city of Le Mans, the 4.305-kilometer (2.6756-mile) Bugatti Circuit was built in 1965 and comprises part of the Le Mans circuit. Events held at Bugatti include Les 24 Heures du Mans, FIA F3000, and French Touring Car and GT races. I have been unsuccessful in finding either an official Web site or an official history for the Bugatti Circuit, but have found his (from http://jc.racesimcentral.com/guide/track_bugatti.htm): The Bugatti circuit at LeMans was not a great success. It was run on what was regarded as little more than a car park. One driver even managed to start the Phrase 'Mickey Mouse' which is used much more in modern F1. The drivers of 1967 were so critical of the track that a Grand Prix never returned to the track. A Feature of the track is the low grip nature of the circuit when you make a transition to and from the La Sarthe track onto the Bugatti short circuit. ============================================== CATALUNYA (BARCELONA, SPAIN) The Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona has hosted the Grand Prix of Spain since 1997. The circuit hosts numerous forms of racing, including FIA Sportscar Championship, Spanish Formula-1 Grand Prix, 24 HOURS MOTORBIKE ENDURANCE, 24 HOURS CAR ENDURANCE, Catalunya Motorbike Championship, Spanish GT's Championship, Truck GP, and certainly F1 Racing; Catalunya even holds courses for the preparation of racing officials. Many teams also use the circuit for practice and testing. The circuit has three configurations: Grand Prix (7.563 kilometers, or 4.727 miles), National (4.907 kilometers, or 3.067 miles), and School (2.725 kilometers, or 1.703 miles). F1 winners at Catalunya: Jacques Villeneuve (1997), Mika Hakkinen (1998-2000), and Mika Hakkinen (2001 and 2002). See the official Web site (http://www.circuitcat.com) for more information. Unfortunately, it does not have any historical information on the circuit, nor can I find any such information online. ============================================== DONINGTON PARK The Donington Park venue holds two circuits: the National Circuit and the International Circuit (the latter includes the parallel straightaways behind the Paddock Area). Donington Park is billed as a great place for car testing and launches, and also has days where the average drivers can take their cars and motorcycles to the tracks. The Honda Ron Haslam Race School also used Honda Hornets, CBR600 and CBR900RR Fireblades to train people of all ages and abilities on motorcycles. There is also the public Donington Grand Prix Collection museum, which contains more than 150 grand prix cars from the 1930s to the present. Race events include: Historic Sports Car Club Championships, British Formula 3 and British GT Championships, German Touring Car Masters, Donington Vintage and Historic Car Weekend, Cinzano British Motorcycle Grand Prix, Ford Racing Festival, Mini Racing Festival, MCN British Superbike Championship, BRSCC Car Championship, and British Truck Racing Championship. The official Web site (http://www.donington-park.co.uk/) unfortunately does not include any historical information. ============================================== LE MANS Dating back to 1923, The 24 Hours of Le Mans (Les 24 Heures du Mans) is one of the classics of auto racing. In terms of endurance racing, this is THE race to win to turn a driver's, team's, or manufacturer's name into a household name at domiciles worldwide. Part of the circuit uses the Bugatti circuit, while the rest is run on public roads. The 24 Hours Legend (from http://lemans24hb.free.fr/): All begins on May 26, 1923. By an execrable weather, but with 16 car manufacturer on the starting grid; manufacturer which engage for three years since the difficult challenge, rewarded by the cut Rudge and Whitworth, will be allotted only to the evening of the edition 1925.... First steps of this ' historical ' race, the history retained the 100% french victory of Lagache and Léonard, with a Chenard and Walcker of 3 liters cubic capacity (entirely of series; it was the first criterion of participation required), with the average of 92 km/h. The English sportsmen, completely allured by the formula of competition which then leaves the free field with the gentleman-drivers, will react as of the following year, with Duff and Clement, on Bentley. Lorraine (in 1925 and 1926) will certainly take a shingling revenge, before Bentley does not display its superiority until 1930, Woolf Bamato won three victories for its the first three participations. Then, Italian industry with Alfa Romeo will get going to give a righter counterpart to this Anglo-Saxon domination and during four years (1931 - 32 - 33 and 34). The greatest pilots have now rendez vous each year, in Le Mans. And their competitions delight the spectator... as in 1933, when incomparable Nuvolari surprises Chinetti's Alfa-Romeo, in the final lap, in the Arnage turn, for finally triumphing with a gap of 401 meters. With Jean-Pierre Wimille, France has to join again with success and Bugatti will register two successes 1937 - 39, pulverizing the record at the distance, very close to the average of 140 km/h. The war of 1939 - 1945 will stop the effort of this brilliant French industry, which in addition of Bugatti can count on Delahaye (victory into 38), Delage or Talbot. June 25, 1949 marks for the race a new start : the start was given by the president Vincent Auriol and within a renovated framework (24 Hour old village, grandstands, stands and... track), the name of Ferrari will enter officially the history of the competition. The author of this victory is Luigi Chinetti, still him, which sign its third success there by leaving the wheel only one small hour with its team mate, the english lord Selsdon. Louis Rosier will do however better the following year, authorizing his son only two small turns with the Talbot victorious. From 1951, the large car manufacurer will investing, on the Le Mans notoriety, with increasing budgets and with the best drivers. The names of Jaguar (1951 and 1953), Mercedes (1952), and again Ferrari (1954) will fit little by little in the imaginary popular one, thanks to the 24 Hours impact. One follows the race to the radio, one is caught for Fangio and one cries with the listening of the drama of 1955. In any case, never the public will not have been also numerous with the traditional rendez vous of June ! And numbers British then discover the Old continent by beginning their holidays in Mans and with the triumphs of Jaguar (55 - 56 and 57) and Aston-Martin (59). But the Ferrari period is arrived. In particular with Gonzales and Trintignant, in 1954. However, Commendatore wants more and better; i.e. to impose to the world the quality of the sports cars which leave Maranello. From 1960 to 1965, the 'pulled up horse' will reign as a master on the Le Mans track, as well with the classification scratch as in the GT category or with the index of performance. Olivier Gendebien and Phill Hill will thus pass the threshold of the posterity, and with them all these young drivers noticed by Enzo Ferrari and very honoured to have reached the scuderia : Pedro and Ricardo Rodriguez were these. Whereas Ferrari accumulates the victories, a man decided to succeed to him the 24 Hours prize list. Since 1964, Henry Ford swore himself to gain the match Europe-America, intended definitively to open the large world export market. The commercial and sporting stake is so important than Ford does not even consider the possibility of a failure. In 1966, Ford with McLaren-Amon and Miles-Hulme finish on the same line... in fact the A.C.O. will slice... in favour of the first because they make a best times during qualifications. The following year, Gurney-and Foyt won, with an average of 218 km/h, 'the battle of the century'. P. Rodriguez and L.Bianchi will repeat the following year, before Ickx and Oliver ' do not sanctify forever ' Ford GT 40 with a gap of a few tens meters in front of Porsche of Hermann Larrousse. Porsche then has announced one new era. Notably with the fabulous and still unmatched record of Marko and Van Lennep, established in 1971, with an averge of 222 km/h and a distance of 5.335 km with the mythical Porsche 917. The modern era, it is Matra which will inaugurate it , with a triptych (72-73-74) to which Pescarolo will be nicely associated. Era where French successes (Renault in 1978, Rondeau in 1980, Peugeot in 1992 and 1993) will be made rather rare if one wants to take well into account crushing it domination of Porsche (10 victories in 20 years) and a hierarchy unceasingly hustled since 1986... Jaguar (1988 and 1990), Mercedes (1989) and especially Mazda (1991) will touch the reward of their fidelity before Bernie Ecclestone does not decide, one fine day, that the endurance definitely made the too beautiful share with imagination. The A.C.O. failed to lose until its heart, but it seems today that spring, again, flowers over the 24 Hours of Mans. McLaren, first hatched flower of a new GT category, suggests in any case that the ' 24 Hours ' remain, initially and above all, an imposing festival of the car. See the official Web site (http://www.lemans.org/) of Les 24 Heures du Mans. Visit http://24h-le-mans.maxximum.org/ for the results of all Le Mans races since its inception. See http://lemans24hb.free.fr/ for an EXCELLENT historical overview of Les 24 Heures du Mans, maps for ALL circuits used in the history of Les 24 Heures du Mans, and download features (including video of the 1999 Mercedes CLR suddenly going airborne and a full lap from the pace car). ============================================== ROAD ATLANTA MOTOR SPORTS CENTER (BRASELTON, GEORGIA, USA) With its triple configurations, Road Atlanta hosts numerous racing events, notably the Petit Le Mans. Other events include SCCA Regional and National competition, Historic Sportscar Racing Walter Mitty Challenge, Ferrari Challenge, AMA Superbike 'Big Kahuna' Nationals, WERA National, SCCA Double SARRC Regional, Historic Sportscar Racing Atlanta Historics. WERA Grand National Finals, and SCCA American Road Race of Champions National. The Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School and the Porsche Driving Experience also operate at Road Atlanta. Visit the official Web site (http://www.roadatlanta.com/) for more information. Unfortunately, no history section is available. ============================================== SUZUKA (JAPAN) In operation since at least 1962 and the host of F1 races since 1987, Suzuka Circuit is the host of many forms of motorsport - including F1 and other Formula series, and motorbikes (including MotoGP) - as well as several racing schools. Suzuka comprises two different circuits: the 5.821- kilometer (3.638-mile) International Racing Course (used for F1 events) and the 1.264-kilometer (0.790-mile) Southern Course (which itself contains numerous configurations). F1 winners at Suzuka: Gerhard Berger (1987 and 1991), Ayrton Senna (1988), Alessandro Nannini (1989), Nelson Piquet (1990), Riccardo Patrese (1992), Ayrton Senna (1993), Damon Hill (1994 and 1996), Michael Schumacher (1995, 1997, 2000, and 2001), and Mika Hakkinen (1998 and 1999). Unfortunately, the official Web site (http://www.suzukacircuit.co.jp/) is almost exclusively in Japanese. Many section titles are also given in English (such as Event Calendar, Group Enjoy!, and Circuit Queen), but the only truly-English area is a single page with downloadable files of information for buying tickets to the next Grand Prix of Japan. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== CONTACT INFORMATION For questions, rants, raves, comments of appreciation, etc., or to be added to my e-mail list for updates to this driving guide, please contact me at: FEATHER7@IX.NETCOM.COM; also, if you have enjoyed this guide and feel that it has been helpful to you, I would certainly appreciate a small donation via PayPal (http://www.paypal.com/) using the above e-mail address. To find the latest version of this and all my other PSX/PS2 game guides, please visit FeatherGuides (http://www.angelcities.com/members/feathersites/). The latest version will always be posted at FeatherGuides, while other Web sites may lag behind by several days in their regularly-scheduled posting updates. ============================================== ============================================== ==============================================