Autódromo Las Vizcachas: The Hidden South American Jewel

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Aerial shot of Autódromo Las Vizcachas, Chile.
Deep in the mysterious mountains of beautiful South America lies the historic circuit Autódromo Las Vizcachas; a true Chilean motorsport icon.

The Autódromo Las Vizcachas circuit is located in the region of Puente Alto in the Santiago Metropolitan Region of Chile. It was opened back in 1965 and was in operation for just over 41 years. Sadly, in 2006, the circuit was shut down to give way to a real estate project that overlooked the circuit.


This was not the end of the track, however. Chilean Motorsport fanatics were able to open the track once more in 2012, however, a few weeks before the event was due to take place the local motor club retracted the agreement citing the noise restrictions and damage to the track caused by an earlier machinery festival held on the site. The circuit operates as a track day and instruction day host under strict noise limits and curfews.

The Las Vizcachas Tragedy​

A black mark on the history of the circuit is the tragedy of 1975. Seven spectators and officials lost their lives at the circuit. Numerous marshalls and spectators were injured when the cars of Eduardo Kovacs and Roberto Gómez Barrios came together on the main straight, catapulting each other's cars into the unprotected pit area.

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Autódromo Las Vizcachas - Chile. Image: leomaldonadoh

In the aftermath, Kovacs – a former Chilean national champion – was unfairly blamed and criticised in the media as being responsible for the catastrophe. This tragedy was the beginning of the end for the ex-champion with him eventually stepping back from racing altogether. The circuit closed for the 1976 season whilst retaining walls were built and many other safety additions were combined with the original layout.

Racing settled back to normality, but unfortunately, another tragedy was to take place at the circuit almost exactly a decade later at the same section of the main straight. On September 26, 1987, Formula 3 national champion Sergio Santander was making his way back through the undergrowth after an early spin on oil when he blindly collided with competitor Gonzalo Alcalde on the main straight.

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Drone shot of the circuit in Assetto Corsa. Image: Las Vizcachas Circuit

The two cars locked wheels and speared off the course into the new retaining wall, the same wall that was built after the first major crash back in 1975. The impact was monumental, shaking the very foundations of the circuit control tower that had been constructed behind the new barrier. After a 35-minute battle to free Santander from the wreckage, the Chilean driver was transported to hospital by helicopter but succumbed to his injuries whilst in the back of the ambulance.

Autódromo Las Vizcachas in Assetto Corsa​

This history-soaked racing venue has been brought to Assetto Corsa by the mod creator, leomaldonadoh. A local Chile resident, Leomaldonadoh ran laps at the track himself as well as captured photogrammetry files using a drone to perfectly recreate the circuit for Assetto Corsa.

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Classic Formula 3 car sideways

The circuit is fantastic to drive in its short variant. The tarmac is brilliantly simulated with consistent feedback and bumps simulated. The track surroundings are good, but there are sections of the ground that are very low resolution as you can see in the background of the photo above.

Throughout testing, 1980s Formula 3 cars were used as well as the Metalex MTX1-06 from creators oliverpopple and jurik1984. These cars are fantastic for this short circuit. Whilst the mods are supposed to be European-based, they work flawlessly with Las Vizcachas and some close and riveting racing is easily attainable.

The TGM Supertourismo cars are also a great choice of continentally local machinery for a more modern experience. These fantastic cars have been reviewed already here on OverTake, so make sure to check that piece out if you're interested in these crazy hot hatches.

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Supertourismo VW Golf and Audi A1's.

Overall, the circuit is a fantastic self-made circuit that brings a sprint-like track from South America to Assetto Corsa. Mods like this are the reason that this sim is still so popular amongst sim racers and mod creators. Make sure to check out the creator Leomaldonadoh here on OverTake and leave the circuit a review!

Have you ever visited Autódromo Las Vizcachas? Let us know what you think about the circuit down in the comments below!
About author
Connor Minniss
Website Content Editor & Motorsport Photographer aiming to bring you the best of the best within the world of sim racing.

Comments

Love the old tracks - they have something about them that makes them a lot of fun, especially in club spec cars over top-end stuff.

And an obligatory shout out to Brisbane's (Australia) Lakeside Park (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakeside_International_Raceway) host to F1 races back in the 60's and also ATCC stuff post.

Since ruined by locals moving to an established track, and then complaining about the noise it still lives in Assetto and RF2 amongst others - though not without a few glitches.

"If you can learn to race a motorbike at Lakeside, you can compete at any race track in the world."

— Mick Doohan, 5-time 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix World Champion


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Premium
The photogrammetry makes this track look really unique, love the edges of the road/grass/kerbs, the trees, the mountains...
 
however, a few weeks before the event was due to take place the local motor club retracted the agreement citing the noise restrictions
At this point its a good chance if a circuit closes and its not for running out of money, its because of noise complaints.
 
Raced this track a lot with joy as mod versions to GTR2 and rF1.
Reminded me a bit of Australian track Hidden Valley and proof to me than even an on paper "simple track" can be a challenge when going for the limits.

Haven't yet tried this AC bid, but will definitely have a go!
 
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OK, so now tried the AC version late last night.
(and this content made it really late here :D )

I think its a really nice track job with far more details than the GTR2 and rF1 versions I raced about 10 years ago. Several levels up here. Especially I love the irregularities of the track surface.

It simply slips away many more layers of authenticity, resulting in much more FFB response to react to and not at least; constantly something to accomodate and correct for when exploring the limits.

And with the full version of CSP and its AI tuning capabilities, I've had some really great offline battles in mixed grids based on the Formula Junior 1960 pack ie. a mix of Alba EV100 DKW, Sarkiss Junior HF60, Ultra Junior M62 mixed with the very nice Miker F Junior 60. All single seaters which leave quite a bit for the driver behind the wheel to work with.

I'm addicted! :inlove:

And now my Patreon subscriptions popped up with a lot of news with reminders about other AC content I mustn't miss either.

I have noticed on other forums and in YT threads complaining reports that the world of simracing is going down. I couldn't be more disagreeable.

In my world, our niche genre is in a better place than ever before.

And as the Jack of all Trades simmer here, switching back and forth between sims with new content, improved sim engines, improved graphics, mods, add on tools, combined with very limited time, I just take what comes in as it flows. And the flow seems almost overwhelming to me .

I'm not saying AC is perfect speaking the core sim part.

I, myself was one of those grumpy heads, coming from pure ISI engines (apart from SRW, iRacing, a bit of Codies F1 and older legacy sims), being one of the first movers in AC now +10 years ago, and critizising AC to the ground, especially the many GT cars feeling artificially too "heavy" and slow in corner taking, as non-agile in AC than what one suspects in relation to reality, especially with awkward feeling of wheel travelling and suspension, this inclusive a single of which I've had the privilege to make real world comparison and where the GTR2 mod bid here was bulls eye, even with the far older ISI sim engine.

But modders can really do a lot to improve the imersion of being closer to real life.

So, I would really like to see how Kunos is gonna make AC2 catch up to where AC stands now.

My silent wish for AC2: Don't fix if ain't broke.

And then just a pious wish from here that AC2 concentrates on a completely updated base model for tire development during races and especially in rain, so that you don't have a weird feeling of "fake rain races".

In any case, a track work job like this can change a lot in terms of the perceived authenticity, apart from thorough car mod works in first place, of course. Now just a test with keyboard driving in VR with above mentioned combo. Here I have the same confidence-inspiring feeling as the best mods in rF1 and GTR2.

Kudos, @leomaldonadoh !
 
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At this point its a good chance if a circuit closes and its not for running out of money, its because of noise complaints.
Unfortunately, this is a worrying trend in general.
One of my local tracks, of which in fact is the national one, has been given a pile of much stricter noise requirements during past 15 years. Leading to shorter races (typically limit for a max of 15 min races as a maximum if there is just a little engine sound with authenticity) and well helped along the way by whimsical construction matadors who build new residential houses closer and closer to the tracks.

Ofcourse this is not news but been a part of track history since early days.
I just sense that politically it has been violently accelerated after the big change to hybrid and electric cars. And the forces to defend the tracks are getting weaker, hence the process accellerating.

This being the main reason why I don't miss a "yes" when invited as a spectator, either by distant family member, being a petrol head too, or via teasers by the venue themselves.

I don't know whether the future for motorsport tracks will look brighter in a new world powered by electric racing cars. But I have zero interest in that world to be completely honest.

Well, that was a sidestep.

About the Autódromo Las Vizcachas, reading about its discontinuity, gives me exactly the same feeling as when I read about the fate of Riverside after a decade of living in blissful ignorance, having watched a 1987 Nascar Race on TV and being on my to-do of tracks to visit, before reading about its fate, which struck my heart deeply when realizing way belated late 90ies (vague informations on the internet by the time).

This is where sim racing becomes very relevant and that here you can dive into the past and honor our motorsports history, as the modder have done so excellently here :inlove:
 
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Not to be too critical, but this track looks like it's half way finished.
The google maps texture comes trough everywhere.
Curbs don't have proper textures.
Road surface is good.
 
Not to be too critical, but this track looks like it's half way finished.
The google maps texture comes trough everywhere.
Curbs don't have proper textures.
Road surface is good.
It's the last part I applaud :)
I.e. the parameter that counts in relation to the core sim part as well as the FFB response (at least with my T300RS-GT wheel) and the challenging quties I've unleashed on the track so far.
As I mention, it's several levels above my sim experience in previous track mod bids for GTR2 and rF1, and a track I now, having fully raced the AC version, understand the popularity of in South America back in the day.

And should add that since this OT article was released, this mod have had further updates with descriptions.
So I assume that what you're looking for will slowly come along the way :)

Personally, however, I can easily distract from the lack of visual optimizations, now that the core sim experience is such a great pleasure :inlove: (however, adding CSP grass fx, surface fx, particles fx, extra fx, csp graphics adjustmens and so on can still make a difference on the near vision immersion as observed on my strictly flatscreen racing, so far).

Off the track:
I observe this article has not received that much of a response. Presume the reason is that several users on this forum are primarily interested in the most well-known European/North American courses and the well-known motorsport tracks on a global level, and observe nose wrinklong when something out of their normal scope is presented.

I myself, the past 20 years have "fallen into the pot" with South American tracks after I as a young man during mid 90ies had stray thoughts about Juan Miguel Fangio's background and that, although he chose to move to Europe to challenge his career capabilities, that I thought more closely about the fact that, after all, there must've been at lest some kind of breeding ground and not entirely motorsport's outback. And after exploring early South American track mod bids in GP2 (apart from the F1 tracks Buenos Aires and Interlagos), but especially from F1C99-02 and onwards, there has been several bites in the net. Especially historically.

Wouldn't say I directly value South American tracks higher than the traditional motorsport regions like Europe, North America, Australia/NZ or other regions, but spent quite a bit of time on it in F1C99-02 and GTR2 track mods and came back hard to it when Reiza really hit the track with Copa Petrobras de Marcas, Game Stock Car Extreme (and the large mod crowd) and AMS1 and the easy possibility here to convert my collection of South American rF1 track mods to AMS1 and race them in VR for the first time, as is also possible here now in AC - which I have on my next to-do.
 
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i remember going to a track day here like 5 years ago, nice ambient, cool track, cool cars, good stuff, thanks for this!
 

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