Tilke - Rio, a familiar story ????

[Fish_Flake]

If that diagram is meant to show the long-term plans for Rio, I'd say that there's a lot of promise there. I hope everything pans out like that.

[Schummy]

As I understand the web site www.riogp.com.br there are two layouts: the Permanent circuit, with 3.1 kms (very short but ok for non-F1 events) and the Grand-Prix circuit, with 4.8 kms have a normal F1 length. So I assume the circuit integrity will be preserved (in size).

I think they will use the GP circuit for some major events (maybe it's wishful thinking). I'm not particularly fond of the current Interlagos (I liked the looong old one!) so I would not care if they change GP Brasil to Rio

I think the larger layout is actually not bad at all (IMHO), I like the two long radius coners. I see it with a good flow, particularly if they choose using the curvone at the end of the nice long straight.

I would be tempted to say this new layout (essentially redoing the first half of the lap) is better than the older... and this is a statement that I rarely have done in any circuit before!

[Rominger]

Hello folks,

I found this thread about the Rio race track, and as local fan, let me update on this.

The drivers here are very, very upset with these changes. The reason behind this are this:

1 - If you look closely at the RioGP picture, Post 2007, there is a lot of buildings and a hotel at the top of the picture (a triangle). This area, right now, is under a serious
real state pressure, with lots of condos being build around the area. The race track is being abandoned by the city hall, who claims that area is "counter productive". Claiming 'budget restraints', the city hall cancelled its part of the sponsorship for RioGP this year at the last moment, and, as result, the event was canceled.

2 - The company behind the works of the race track, Rio Sport Plaza, simply doesn´t exist so far. The company is a fantasy name for a group of contractors who didn´t even legalize its situation. So, right now, 2 years before the begining of the PanAm Games, the contract is waiting to be signed.

3 - The spokesman for Rio Sport Plaza, said it was OK to use the bigger track, "If you pay for the rent of that area", since, of course, there is going to be buildings at it which won´t be in use during the auto racing events. Looking at Interlagos story (for those who don´t know, the city hall claimed to maintain the original 7,8km race track, and as it turned out, it never delivered the promise), this is history repeating itself, so we would never have a chance to see any international event here.

4 - They are planning to build a soccer stadium in a city which don´t take full advantage even from its main stadium (Maracana) and with an Olympic stadium being built for 2007, would have already 3 huge stadiums for only 4 big soccer clubs in Rio, which don´t play all the same day at the brazilian championship.

I could go on, and on, but I guess you guys got the picture. Today, June 16th, right now, there is a car rally at downtown Rio to protest against the murder of Jacarepagua. We do not want to have the same fate as Zeltweg. The Brazilian Automobile Federation is also against it and will go to legal court to stop this work.

Our blog is http://sosautodromorj.blog.aol.com.br, it is in portuguese, but I am sure to help with any questions.

If you know anyone from the media to spread this message, we would be very glad with all the help we could get.

[Baritone2400]

WOW! good luck brasil, ive loved thic circuit since the cart days up till now with motogp. such a good circiut what a bad way to "improve"!! what about the race fans???

[Rominger]

If you want to give a hand from any part of the world, sign our petition on line, any help is very welcome:

http://www.petitiononline.com/pan2007/petition.html