Creteil

shambles · 16 Dec 2005, 14:44 (Ref:1485340)

Creteil

There is a scenario surrounding it. Imagine Spa. The old one.

It was a legendary place, where hero's were made and some sadly lost. This nesseitated a change in the circuit, so they reduced it in length and it was still great! Much like my Creteil. Used for Formula One as the host of the French Grand Prix, on and off with Rouen and Reims up untill 1974. The circuit was discontinued for Formula One immediately after a crash in the 1974 event, which killed up and coming star Michel De Meurve. The crash which happened at the Pont En Ravin before the great Cimetière corners (Creteil's equivalent to such corners as Eau Rouge, Masta Gink, Gravenoire and Karussel which resonate in many minds at the truly great F1 corners - when men were men). De Meurve, a local talent - was driving his Lotus 76, when he attempted to make a manouvre on Clay Regazzoni in the Ferrari, over the Arête bridge. Alongside Regazzoni - he suffered brake failure, spearing right into the path of Regazzoni who couldn't brake enough in time for the Pont En Ravin. Regazzoni speared into De Meurve, and the Frenchman fell off the hill at the end of the Pont En Ravin - into the Ravine about 50 feet below. The crash barriers did nothing to stop the Frenchman. The car burst into flame - and De Meurve was dead.

The Local Government were appalled - and moved rapidly to ban all racing at Creteil.

There were no events untill 1995.

There had been a hairpin placed just after the exit of Arête Dehors, and just before the run down Plomb. The new Moderne hairpin, is much revered as the best corner of such in the sport, because of the way it climbs rapidly uphill - about 30 foot give or take a few feet on entry and exit.

Obviously - this circuit would take ages for me to explain all the ins and outs of it. But I will point a few things of interest.

The curtailed version of the circuit (95-) - still has some great pieces of track. Champs - is a series of fast sweeps which change direction so quickly it hurts. There is little room for mistake - despite the much improved safety measures. Also the Arête corners, fast downhill lefts - separate the men from the boys.

The final corner Monde is also a great full speed, long left.

On the old version, nothing beats the Cimetière corners. Fast, blind, banked, sweepingly uphill corners, with vast woodland and river areas in the chasm in the middle - nothing like it. There is a mini version at the top of the circuit, at Vigne. Another exciting corner! The La Fuerve corners are also blindingly stunning!

A legendary circuit, which like Spa - aged well.

Something worth mentioning is that the first corner is Cote de Colline.

Also worth mentioning are lengths;

New Circuit: 4.6 miles

Old Circuit: 9.2 miles

Creteil Old (Click Here)
Creteil New (Click Here)

PAUL

nickyf1 · 16 Dec 2005, 16:02 (Ref:1485384)

The bit about the crash would have been good in Grand Prix

Lustigson · 23 Dec 2005, 12:08 (Ref:1489210)

Very cool, Paul. These stories, me like.

Maybe I'll even do an edit of the new track.

Lustigson · 23 Dec 2005, 12:17 (Ref:1489215)

Something like this.

Quite a lot shorter, but more something they would've built in 1991, I think. Not as great as your new track, I must admit.

shambles · 24 Dec 2005, 13:22 (Ref:1489651)

Nice 1 dude

I think the post 1991 circuit I made, would be very similar to the new Spa, you know? Still quite dangerous, but still a mega track - maybe your design could be a short variant? I like it, and it would be a top track IMO for F3 spec cars? What do you think mate?

PAUL

Lustigson · 24 Dec 2005, 13:41 (Ref:1489662)

Well, it depends on how long the track would be. I think it would suit the major series quite well, but your version could be an extention still of mine.

shambles · 24 Dec 2005, 17:10 (Ref:1489727)

Well my edition of the new circuit was 4.6 miles. I envisage it set in a foresty type area, and I'd want the F1 cars and other major series' to take the Arete Corners, they're like Pouhon but just on a gradient, and the final hairpin also, is on a very steep gradient so it would be just that bit different. But I do like your design for sure

PAUL

Lustigson · 27 Dec 2005, 21:22 (Ref:1490741)

I had another go at Cretail. It really is a great track for editing.

I made quite a few changes, as you can see, but I tried to keep the spirit of the circuit intact. And I think I managed to do that quite well.

I made the main straight a tad longer and tightened the first corner. The run from Merle towards the two Egalite corners is a bit shorter, with the second of those turns tighter. From Le Point, I all but removed the first left-right of the Grand Serpent, which makes it quite a bit faster, and, I believe, more challenging.

Then there's the new shortcut from Fortement onto the Arete Dehort, which is pratically intact. At the Pont En Ravin chicane, where that horrible accident took place, I brought the corner forward to provide for more run-off. The exit of the chicane should be faster.

At Cimetiere Un, I installed a fast right-left-right combination, which should be pretty challenging. At Cimetiere Deux, I placed a chicane to slow that part down. The bridge would otherwise have been very fast with almost no room for run-off. Then, the entry to Monde is tighter, adding an overtaking spot, plus making the (banked) left-hander a challengeing corner onto the main straight.

Lustigson · 30 Dec 2005, 14:51 (Ref:1491962)

Is everybody too concentrated on My Tracks Raceway IV to reply to this thread?

pirenzo · 30 Dec 2005, 15:06 (Ref:1491976)

Hehe. Well, I wasn't particularly inspired by this one...

the_royksopp · 30 Dec 2005, 15:15 (Ref:1491985)

I'd say we skip posting in this thread until MTR is finished - otherwise we'll hit the 10000 before we know it.

pirenzo · 30 Dec 2005, 15:39 (Ref:1492004)

I'd rather we didn't just suspend everything for that TR. If we miss 10000, it doesn't matter...