Sideline reporter here: Magny = full blown F1 track, everything up to FIA standards, not on the real calendar due politics and poor hotel facilities. Imola = poor historic reputation due to one black weekend in 94 and again, poor accomodations..And i like to add one more: Estoril, poor hotel facilities, Portugal, Ecclestone hates portugal, i don't know why but something they did 20 years ago.Jerez is there too but this is one that bernie admitted, they got in to a feud, bernie never forgives without substantial amount of money.
All those four tracks are absolutely the best there is amongst the other more legendary European circuits. Some better than what we get.. They should be up there with Monza, Nurburgring and Silverstone... But due to external factors, they are shunned from the calendar. If Spa wouldn't have the amount of prestige and favored by fans, it would've not be on the FIA calendar after 98'.
I should include Paul Ricard but i don't like that track, it's designed to provide telemetry and it shows. It's good that no one suggested that. It's up to standards but once you realize the analyzing purposes, it's not fun ofr racing. From all those that my pick would be Magny, Estoril and Imola. If Imola then the latest Race07 version, 08 because it shows nicely how a beautiful track that has prestige, legend and history can go bad with poor maintenance... Just look at the grass patches between 07 and 08 versions... Fortunately 09 they started a long restoration process and '11 it was beautiful.. They even modified the corners to somewhat logical from what they were left after 94, removing the last chicane in 08 (that is a must!) and smoothed the track and tweaked the curbs... But we don't have that version...
08 Imola is THE bomb there, fast, unforgiving and has natural shapes for overtaking. Magny is always satisfying and guaranteed to work with any class, any weather. Estoril lacks some character, it's really good but doesn't have that legendary feels to it.
All those four tracks are absolutely the best there is amongst the other more legendary European circuits. Some better than what we get.. They should be up there with Monza, Nurburgring and Silverstone... But due to external factors, they are shunned from the calendar. If Spa wouldn't have the amount of prestige and favored by fans, it would've not be on the FIA calendar after 98'.
I should include Paul Ricard but i don't like that track, it's designed to provide telemetry and it shows. It's good that no one suggested that. It's up to standards but once you realize the analyzing purposes, it's not fun ofr racing. From all those that my pick would be Magny, Estoril and Imola. If Imola then the latest Race07 version, 08 because it shows nicely how a beautiful track that has prestige, legend and history can go bad with poor maintenance... Just look at the grass patches between 07 and 08 versions... Fortunately 09 they started a long restoration process and '11 it was beautiful.. They even modified the corners to somewhat logical from what they were left after 94, removing the last chicane in 08 (that is a must!) and smoothed the track and tweaked the curbs... But we don't have that version...
08 Imola is THE bomb there, fast, unforgiving and has natural shapes for overtaking. Magny is always satisfying and guaranteed to work with any class, any weather. Estoril lacks some character, it's really good but doesn't have that legendary feels to it.