SimHQ.com - Motorsports Zone - Preview: 2004 European Grand Prix

I will be taking the course during the 2004 season using EA's F1 Challenge '99-'02. To make it more contemporary I will be applying Ralph Hummerich's excellent carset to it as soon as it is ready. I have chosen Ralph's carset as, in addition to him being a thoroughly top notch person, in my opinion his carsets are the best available and it is an honor for SimHQ to have an exclusive WIP version to be able to use for its screenshots. Many thanks Ralph! If you wish to try his 2003 add on please use this link to his page.

A Lap of the Nurbergring (revised 2002)

Coming out of the deceptively fast Coca-Cola Kurve (supposedly 70mph in 2nd gear but usually in 3rd or even 4th a hell of a lot faster!) you accelerate down the start/finish straight with the pits on your right. In 1996 Villeneuve managed a great overtaking move on Michael Schumacher when Schuey got held up by a Minardi. You drop down slightly as you pass under the hoarding descending into the new complex which replaces the infamous Castrol S (the old Castrol S was where a number of start line accidents occurred — the most amusing being Ralf managing to take both his team mate and his brother out in 1997!).

Instead of a simple S you have to break hard for a tight right hander which leads into two left hand turns before a right hander gets you back on the old track again. This section (known as the Mercedes Arena) will be entertaining to watch though there seems little doubt that a few cars will come to grief there during the race. The other effect of this new section will be to increase downforce levels to similar levels as those seen at Hungary or Monaco. Whether this new complex makes startline accidents less likely is open to dispute as breaking harder at the first turn merely means that there will be more cars aiming for the same spot of tarmac going into the corner.

You then accelerate down a short straight (if you look behind the cars here you can see the enormous Mercedes stand) you then sweep round to the left before the right hand Ford Kurve. This is taken at 110mph in 3rd gear. Dropping down the hill you approach the Dunlop Kuehre. This looks something like a goldfish bowl as it is a hairpin surrounded by grandstands and is taken at about 50mph in 2nd gear. Accelerating back up the hill you drop down a gear for a left hander before accelerating down another straight before braking for the RTL Curve. This is quite a tight left hander and is taken at just under 100mph in 3rd gear. It was here that Damon Hill spun off in 1995 ending any chance of his winning the driver's championship that year and also fracturing his leg. You have a short straight before braking down for the Bit Curve. This is a virtual mirror image of the previous corner so is also taken at 95mph in 3rd gear. You then have a lovely long straight (with a slight right hand kink called the ITT Bogen before braking hard for the Veedol Schikane. This is a tight chicane and also the best overtaking point on the track and there is always a coming together there at some stage during the race! It is taken at 100mph in 3rd gear. You then accelerate back up to 5th gear before braking for the Coca Cola Kurve and emerging back onto the start/finish straight.

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