http://www.speedtv.com/articles/automotive/lifestyle/30275/ Nice! When Ferrari had their F2004 there in the 2004 event, it was simply incredible. There's something about Laguna's bowl shape that enhances the sound. I've been to a number of F1 events and tests, including Fiorano, and I have never heard better F1 sound than at Laguna. It's worth a trip to Laguna just to hear it. Gary
Gary, I was in Montrey for the MotoGP and belive me that the sound was the last thing 50,000 plus people were willing to appreciate. 105F heat 3 hours waiting on a long and disorganized 2 lanes, people fainting, buses going out half empty to get out of that unhospitable hole. That track should be banned from the international competitions circuit. Period. Let them have calssic cars competitions. It sounds more than enough for what they showed us are capable to do.
The article didnt mention what day or time they were going to do this? Anybody know? Ill be at the track all day saturday but not sunday.
Nevermind, found it on the Historics website. http://www.montereyhistoric.com/news/toyota_f1.html Friday Testing, Saturday and Sunday demonstration runs.
Sorry to hear you had such a terrible time at the MotoGP. I loved it. I had a great ride in on my motorcycle, loved the hospitality tent, and had a great ride on the way out. Thousands of motorcycles all moving at a decent clip. Once I was able to get on HY68, there was hardly any traffic. I admit the Saturday qualifying was the hottest day I can remember in Monterey. I only stayed for a few hours at the track and then left because of the heat. But it was easy to get to the motorcycle and ride out.
Had I rode my bike it would been, certainly, much more fun with the motorcycle parking just outside the track, but I flew out of Minnesota and I didn't feel to be on the road for a week long of riding.
Somebody be sure to bump this thread when they air the demonstrations on Speed, i've always wanted to see an F1 car go around Laguna Seca.
Ricardo Zonta's Toyota F1 Charge at the Monterey Historics Written by: RACER staff Monterey, Calif. 8/14/2006 Pretty much anybody within a five-mile radius of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca will get a sonic treat this coming weekend when Ricardo Zonta pulls his TF106, Toyotas 2006 Formula 1 missile, onto the undulating California circuit. And if youre lucky enough to be there, the sight of a state-of-the-art grand prix car launching itself into the Corkscrew or flicking through Turns 9 and 10 will be something you wont forget in a hurry. F1s latest generation of 2.4-liter V8s kick out over 700hp, and rev to an incredible, sense-shattering 20,000rpm. The sound has a brutal, raw beauty like nothing else on earth, and to watch the screaming machine change direction, almost too quickly to comprehend, is to see why F1 is the pinnacle of motorsports. If youre not lucky enough to be on hand, you can still take part in the experience as, in a special to SpeedTV.com from RACER magazine, Zontas impressions of the event will be related in words, pictures and video! Zonta, who won at Laguna Seca in the 1997 FIA GT Championship with Mercedes and is now Toyotas F1 reserve driver, is looking forward to the opportunity, as he told RACERs Jonathan Noble. I think it will take me only three laps to get the confidence for the circuit, smiles the Brazilian, relishing the opportunity ahead of him. OK, well have to work a little bit on the setup for the circuit, but I think that between seven and 10 laps, Ill be on the maximum limit. Its quite a challenging track, he adds. Ive had a lot of fun at Laguna Seca, and its still the American road course that all the guys from Europe and Brazil want to race on. There are a lot of corners where you cannot see the apex, or even the exit of some of them, but that makes it fun. Its also very narrow especially the fast corners its a very different challenge from the other circuits that I drive on. In a Formula 1 car, the fact that were going so fast really adds to the challenge, too. Because there are a lot of gradients and bumps, you can feel the car going up in the air, even under braking. Its nice! Well set the car up for medium to high downforce levels, similar to how wed run at Barcelona, and well have to make the suspension quite soft for the Corkscrew. Top speed? Id guess at around 195mph. Stay with SpeedTV.com throughout the weekend for more of Zontas assault on the overall lap record at Laguna Seca during the Monterey Historics, Aug. 18-20. Click the icon to launch our Media Gallery updated daily. (once the Gallery loads, click "Images" at the top right, then just look for the familiar red and white Panasonic Toyota F1 car.) The Monterey Historics will air this fall on SPEED. Stay tuned! ------------------------- I'm sure it's going to be awesome at Laguna, but I doubt he'll be seeing 195 mph...I would bet 175 - 180. Gary
A couple of us from Adelaide are considering heading over for the 2007 event and i'm wondering if anyone knows the dates and featured marque for next year? Cheers
