SimHQ.com - Motorsports Zone - Feature: F1 2005 Season Preview

Overview: Fast ultra smooth track that normally leads to boring racing.

Look out for: Overtaking moves at the Adelaide Hairpin.

Overall: Aside from the Adelaide Hairpin the races are often awful - occasionally a decent race but often a procession.

July 11 Britain - Silverstone

Overview: Grand prix comes home!

Look out for: All the drivers doing interviews before the race, listen for who lifts through Copse (the first corner). Exhaustion playing a part after 6 races in 8 weeks including 2 in the U.S.

Overall: The one after Monaco that most drivers want to win.

July 24 Germany - Hockenheim

Overview: Fiddly layout replacing glorious old track.

Look out for: Schuey fans in the stadium section, good overtaking battles.

Overall: Emasculated track a little too like many others on the circuit - still occasional good racing last year.

July 31 Hungary - Hungaroring

Overview: Tight & twisty dusty track leading to close racing but little overtaking. New first corner helps.

Look out for: Zsolt Baumgartner fans!

Overall: Worth going to see in the flesh but not much overtaking other than at first corner.

August 21 Turkey - Istanbul

Overview: Another new track in a tobacco friendly country.

Look out for: "Proper" banked turn, heat exhaustion playing a part

Overall: Good holiday potential but not sure if race will have any character!

September 4 Italy - Monza

Overview: Lots of straights & difficult overtaking means often leading to a processional (if very quick) race.

Look out for: Crashes on the first lap, wonderful car control (particularly evident by those in the lesser teams) through the Parabollica.

Overall: Worth watching qualifying - race can be a bit dull.

September 11 Belgium - Spa

Overview: The daddy of them all - easily the best circuit on the calendar and vying with Le Mans and the Nordschlieff as the best in the world.

Look out for: Changeable weather, overtaking out of Eau Rouge.

Overall: Should be unmissable.

September 25 Brazil - Interlagos

Overview: Bumpy, fast, grimy.

Look out for: Montoya-Schuey style overtaking moves at the end of the pit straight & Montoya's car control through the tight twisty section.

Overall: Good race & worth watching as championship should be being decided around now.

October 9 Japan - Suzuka

Overview: Great track for drivers but few overtaking points.

Look out for: overtaking into the last chicane

Overall: A good track but on early in the morning & racing can be limited.

October 16 China - Shanghai

Overview: Interesting circuit almost too big for F1!

Look out for: A lot of overtaking.

Overall: On just after pubs shut so worth a look with some ales.

Go To Page 5

Click here to go to top of this page.