Category Archives: Race Previews

Malaysia Preview

Posted on November 8, 2016 | Leave a comment

Our third race of the year takes us to the heat and humidity of Malaysia to race Sepang International Circuit.  A purpose built track designed by Hermann Tilke, Sepang was inaugurated in March 1999 and played host to its first Grand Prix in October of that year.

32-sepang

The track is most notable for the two long straights at the start and end of the lap, but much of the track can be raced at high speeds.  The pit straight positions the starting grid towards the back of the straight, leaving plenty of room for the back markers to catch up with those starting higher up.  The first corner will slow everyone down just before the long Langkawi curve that can be taken flat out.

That long stretch leads into the second sector, which starts with a quick right hander followed by a pair of long, slower corners.  Both of these corners feel like they should be able to be taken at higher speeds than they probably should, and there will likely be some drivers caught out in this part of the track.

The final corner of the second sector is a sharp left hander that represents the first taste of what the third sector has to offer.  As the cars weave their way through the track’s final third, they’ll be going left-right-left-right as they try to maximize speed in the run up to the long back straight.  Hit the hairpin just right and they’ll be flying down the pit straight.  Cars that manage a clean first lap will have an advantage if they can opt to forego the pits, but the chances of that will probably be small.

Malaysia takes the place of last year’s night race on the streets of Singapore.  That was an extremely close race with little chance for high speeds due to the tight nature of the circuit.  The two tracks couldn’t be more different despite coming from neighboring countries.

Starting Grid

The starting order will be the reverse order of the individual driver standings, which puts drivers from four different teams on the first two rows.  With Nero at the front and Ice at the back, it’s the first time drivers from the same team have bookended the field.  Nero’s only other start from pole position was in the SBMRL’s inaugural race in Austin in 2015.

  1. Nero (CO)
  2. The Stig (SB)
  3. Captain Slow (SB)
  4. Launch Bornado (RM)
  5. Jaronimus Maximus (ORC)
  6. Danger Wheel (RB)
  7. Jamonito del Verde (ORC)
  8. Mater (RB)
  9. Jaap Snellrijder (RM)
  10. Ice (CO)

The Stig and Captain Slow start 2nd and third after both starting on the front row in Singapore.  Captain Slow won that race, with Nero close behind.

Pit selection is the reverse order of average start position for the team’s two drivers.  That results in:

  1. Red Bull
  2. Regency Motors
  3. Osito Racing Company
  4. Cobalt
  5. Scandinavian Blitz

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Austin Preview

Posted on October 13, 2016 | Leave a comment

It seems like a long time since the first race of the year in Belgium, but our trip to Austin for the United States Grand Prix is just around the corner.  This race will coincide with Formula 1’s trip to the same venue for their 2016 season.

Circuit of the Americas

Circuit of the America’s played host to the SBMRL’s first race last season and it proved to be a tremendous race highlighted by 3 crashes and a few spin outs.  When all was said and done, Jaap Snellrijder took the checkered flag with Mater close behind him.

The track itself has a variety of challenges including sharp hairpins and weaving esses.  The pit straight isn’t particularly long and leads uphill into a quick left hander.  Given that Turn 2 follows closely, cars at the front of the grid will have a distinct advantage here.  Turn 3 is the esses, a fairly forgiving section of track that is unlikely to put anyone out.  Since there shouldn’t be too much trouble through this part of the track, any mistake will cost the driver valuable track position.

The first sector finishes up with the challenging Turn 4, which can really slow cars down.  The momentum that cars can carry out of Turn 4 will dictate not just their approach to Turn 5 but their ultimate speed down the back straight.  Hit this combination just right and there will be ample opportunity to move up the order.  The back straight will see a ton of downshifting on the approach to Turn 6, which can really catch drivers out if they carry too much speed.

Turn 7 will keep the cars in lower gears, but drivers shouldn’t underestimate the potential it holds to set up a car for the final few corners.  Turns 8, 9, and 10 are all spaced apart just right to tempt higher speeds than may be advised, but taking them too slow will allow others to catch up and pass.  This is the part of the track that saw multiple spin outs in last year’s race, including Nero doing it twice on extremely thin tyres.

In last year’s race, every car took advantage of the pits to, at minimum, put on a new set of tyres.  However, a conservative approach through the first lap could see a car able to skip the pits and gain a position or two.  Of course, any car that drives too aggressively through Turn 10 may not be left with a choice.

STARTING GRID

As is league custom, after the first race of the season the starting grid will be the reverse order of the standings.  That puts Belgium winner Ice all the way at the back of the pack.  Mater, who was the first casualty of Spa, gets the coveted pole position.  It’ll be the 4th time that he’s started at the front.  Nero will start in 2nd place.  The only other time he’s started higher than 3rd was last year’s race in Austin, when he started from pole and finished 5th.

  1. Mater (RB)
  2. Nero (CO)
  3. Jaronimus (ORC)
  4. Jamonito (ORC)
  5. The Stig (SB)
  6. Launch Bornado (RM)
  7. Danger Wheel (RB)
  8. Captain Slow (SB)
  9. Jaap Snellrijder (RM)
  10. Ice (CO)

Pit selection is in reverse order of the team’s average starting position.  That results in selections in this order:

  1. Regency Motors
  2. Scandinavian Blitz
  3. Cobalt
  4. Red Bull
  5. Osito Racing Company

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Belgium Preview

Posted on September 10, 2016 | Leave a comment

After a long summer break, we’re finally ready to start the 2nd season of the SBMRL!  The victors’ time for boasting has come and gone as the also-rans are once again on level ground.  Everyone heads to Belgium in exactly the same state.

4-spa_francorchamps

The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps was originally designed in 1920 using public roads and boasted a length of 9.3 miles.  It hosted its first Grand Prix in 1925 and was one of the fastest tracks in the world.  Concerns about length and dangerous high speed turns led to it being shorted to about 4.3 miles.  It was fully closed to street traffic in the year 2000, something Conan never predicted.

The track opens with a very short trip into the La Source hairpin.  The cars at the back of the grid will take a bit longer to get through, but they’ll be able to carry more speed down the hill into Eau Rouge and Raidillon.  The down-up nature of this extremely quick corner leads on to the Kemmel straight.  Drivers who hit it right will be able to fly through this section, but they’ll be faced with some extreme downshifting at Les Combes.

Les Combes signals the start of the second sector of the track, which is the most technical part of the track.  A series of challenging corners in quick succession will slow the field down dramatically.  The one real shot at some speed is Pouhon, but that speed will need to be curtailed on approach to Campus.  Sector three is then a straight shot to the final Bus Stop chicane.  Once again, the approach will be at high speed and drivers will have to slam on the brakes to stay on course.

Spa is an extremely challenging track that will require drivers to tune their car to their driving style.  Those that elect a more cautious approach may opt for tyres over brakes and gearbox if they don’t plan to approach the end of the straights at high speed.  Those with heavy soles in their shoes will need to account for the massive slowdowns present.

Starting Grid

As it’s the first race of the season, the starting grid will be determined just prior to the start of the race.  Of note is that Spa will be Jaap Snellrijder’s home race, giving him a slight edge over the rest of the field.

Season Outlook

The 2016-17 SBMRL season sees an additional, as yet unnamed, team join the grid to bring the field to a total of 10 cars.  Last year’s champion, Regency Motors, returns both of their drivers and will have their work cut out for them to repeat those efforts.  Jaap kickstarted his driver’s championship with an opening race victory in Austin last year, and never once lost the points lead.

Two additional cars on track may not seem like much, but it’s a 25% increase and the end result will be significantly more congestion.  Teams will likely have a strong desire and/or need to pit both cars, but with the revised pit rules for this season giving fewer opportunities for repairs, split strategies will come into play more often.

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