Constant radius test tracks of the world

[WhiteBlue]

A much overread issue of yesterdays WMSC decision was the post season aero testing rule. Until now, teams were limited to straight line shake down tests on airport runways. After the 2009 champions are crowned the teams will also be able to test 8 times on constant radius test tracks.

MARCH 17, 2009
More testing restrictions

The FIA has ruled that teams will be allowed to carry out three one-day "young driver training tests" between the end of the last race of the championship and December 31. Drivers will only be eligible only if they have not competed in more than two F1 World Championship events in the preceding 24 months or tested a Formula 1 car on more than four days in the same 24 month period.

Teams will be allowed to conduct eight one day aerodynamic tests carried out on FIA approved straight line or constant radius sites between now and the end of the World Championship.

from GP.com

How many (banked) test tracks are there world wide to run cars at 200 mph?

You guessed right! I know only one. Nardo in Italy. The track almost certainly will get a lot of F1 visits towards the end of the year or I will eat my old sock.

[Jersey Tom]

Tires will blow.

[Ciro Pabón]

Well, I don't know if Millbrook, in England, can be used for that. I'm not sure if the circle is paved or if it is a "rough road test track", as my summary on the track mentions.

[Belatti]

Tires will blow.

In Argentina we have got the humble test track in Berta Motorsports

http://www.oresteberta.com/servicios_pista.html

[WhiteBlue]

I believe that Millbrook is paved and banked also. It is mentioned as testing track by Chrysler for pickups. The diameter is 1 km compared to Nardo's 4 km. So I reckon it can be used by F1 but at much lower speed than Nardo. Also Nardo would have more clemential weather conditions in November and December.

[yzfr7]

There are some other places around. GM alone has one in (I believe) Michigan and another, smaller, in Brazil, in which I was at 220 km/h, and it was really like no effort at all at the steering. They run a Corvette C5 at some 270 km/h and a Gallardo at 300+ km/h, in this place, so you could do some sort of high speed work in places like these.
Doesn't MIRA has one similar? But I believe you are right that Nardo is the largest, and fastest.

[ben_watkins]

what about that "secret" VW test track where James May drove the Bugatti Veyron at full speed on the BBC show Top Gear? Is that a constant radius track?

[Scotracer]

At Millbrook road cars get well over 200mph so an F1 car would have very little problem.

[SpookTheHamster]

Until I saw this thread, I'd taken 'constant radius tracks' to possibly be flat and tighter, for looking at the aero in the situation of a car cornering. Something more like a skidpad perhaps, rather than the tracks so large they're pretty much an infinite straight line.

[meves]

what about that "secret" VW test track where James May drove the Bugatti Veyron at full speed on the BBC show Top Gear? Is that a constant radius track?

Unfortunately it isn't and it's a crazy long track at Ehra-Lessien in Germany.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&sourc ... 8&t=h&z=12. You could certinly have some fun at those circuits though!

[Pierrauto]

How about this track with a 6,4km high speed track with 1,6km constant radius curves banked up to 37 degree (easy 300kmph in curves) and connected to a vehicle dynamic area of a gigantic dimension (very flat with constant friction coefficient). You can enter this area to make strait line high speed aerodynamic measurements or do it using constant radius line. You can exceed the limit and have enough room to stop on asphalt.
It is located near Montreal, Québec, Canada. Look at it:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s ... 2&t=h&z=15

[Project Four]

I believe that Millbrook is paved and banked also. It is mentioned as testing track by Chrysler for pickups. The diameter is 1 km compared to Nardo's 4 km. So I reckon it can be used by F1 but at much lower speed than Nardo. Also Nardo would have more clemential weather conditions in November and December.

Millbrook is pavement and banked with a circumference of between 1.97 miles and just 2 miles, as it has five lanes. Top speed in lane 5 anything above 90mph. I did drive around Millbrook last year, and the constant speed track is very disconcerting as due the banking each lane has a neutral steer speed, therefore you can sit in the outside lane at 100mph take your hands off the wheel and the car will steer itself around the loop.

Interesting fact if you look at Ciro picture the track in the bottom left of the picture is where James Bond crashed his Aston Martin in the Casino Royale film