Tracks Thomson Road Grand Prix - Singapore

[Fat-Alfie]

Yes, there are quite a few snippets of information on the web. There is also a short print run book (Snakes & Devils) but I'm not prepared to spend £200+ on a book!

Other interesting links:
http://goodmorningyesterday.blogspot.co.uk/2009/09/edward-williams-remembers-grand-prix-at.html
http://www.togoparts.com/forum/showthread.php?fid=6&tid=50727
http://www.early911sregistry.org/forums/archive/index.php/t-58766.html
http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/october-2008/99/dancing-devil
http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/opinion/f1/forgotten-singapore-grands-prix

 

[Proody]

Thanks for the other sites .
I mean the site primotipo.com has a lot of information about the historical race sports.

 

[Fat-Alfie]

Did some texture work this morning, in between races

Next job is to UV map, bake and texture the timing building on the right.

 

[Fat-Alfie]

Timing building done. I really need to get back to work now

 

[After_Midnight]

Awesome

 

[NightEye87]

Looking awesome!
It looks as if the timing building has hardly any wall thickness. Perhaps it really didn't have any, but it looks a little "flimsy".

 

[Fat-Alfie]

Fair point, maybe it does need beefing up a bit, but from what I have read, all of the "race related buildings" (timing buildings, pits, officials' building) were built each year for the race weekend and then torn down again

Everything seemed to change each year between '61 and '73

The pits were especially "temporary", being made from bamboo poles and corrugated iron roofs

 

[NightEye87]

Haha how awesome is that?
It might just be some timber frame (38×89mm or 2×4" lol) with wooden planks, then, with hardly any insulation (if at all).

 

[Blamer]

I would have gone to the one in the first pic to ask for a beer!

 

[Fat-Alfie]

I know! It's mad to think that Grand Prix races were held here right up until 1973
It had lamp posts, bus stops, telegraph poles right on the edge of the track, no run-off areas, in fact a lot of the track was skirted by 3 foot wide concrete monsoon drains and ditches

"Schuppan was leading Malcolm Ramsay's Birrana when Schuppan's March kicked up some stones, puncturing Ramsay's fuel tank and covering him in petrol. Malcolm soldiered on until the pain of the petrol burning his balls forced him to retire. ”
— Angus Lamont, mechanic for John MacDonald

[Quote from the 1973 Grand Prix, when men were men ]

 

[DutchDevil79]

Amazing stuf. Can't wait for the next beta.

 

[Joseph Maxx]

I know! It's mad to think that Grand Prix races were held here right up until 1973
It had lamp posts, bus stops, telegraph poles right on the edge of the track, no run-off areas, in fact a lot of the track was skirted by 3 foot wide concrete monsoon drains and ditches

"Schuppan was leading Malcolm Ramsay's Birrana when Schuppan's March kicked up some stones, puncturing Ramsay's fuel tank and covering him in petrol. Malcolm soldiered on until the pain of the petrol burning his balls forced him to retire. ”
— Angus Lamont, mechanic for John MacDonald

[Quote from the 1973 Grand Prix, when men were men ]

I guess that's where the expression "great balls of fire" came from

 

[Proody]

A race with a pit stop can not be driven?
The boxes are outside the track.
Or ?

 

[Fat-Alfie]

The pit area was down at the Range Hairpin, just before you turned right back on to the main Thomson Mile straight. I can't find any clear photos of the pit entry but aerial photos and transcriptions suggest that the drivers entered the pits by going straight ahead at the Range Hairpin and then they had to do a U-turn to go back up to the pit area (the little wooden shelters!)

In this photo, the pit area is down in the bottom right of the image (the white line across the road is the pit exit line). So the cars would approach from the top, and instead of going round the 180° bend in the road, they would go straight on along Old Upper Thomson Road, do a sharp 180° turn where the old and new road met, and then go back up to the pits.

I have draw the route I think they took on this topographical map, in green.

This photo also seems to direct the drivers straight on at the hairpin:

I think the paddock area was around here too, on the left as you got to the hairpin. So much guesswork, but hey, at least my version can't be wrong

 

[Proody]

They are definitely race driven without Pit Stop.
Refuel, change tires etc.
The boxes were intended only to repair and prepare the start.

 

[Fat-Alfie]

Sorry, I misunderstood your post

I thought you were saying "How can they have a race if there are no pits?!", hence me explaining where the pits were

 

[ca6]

Did some 15 laps on the track yesterday, great little track in slower cars (drove tuned AE86 and Stage 1 E30 M3) Looking forward to the next update

 

[Fat-Alfie]

Thanks very much. I have had some great races withe the Lotus 25, the Porsche 718 RS D60 and the Honda S800 RSC, so yes, I agree, it is more suited to older or lower-powered cars, which makes the decision to scrap the race in 1973 understandable.

I have even decided not to model the storm drains in the "run off areas" because although historically accurate, they make it impossible to rejoin the race as they just eat you up whole!

 

[mantasisg]

Maybe that is good decision, I have been always fan of punishing things, but maybe some people wouldn't like that kind of a challenge It would be similar to getting a puncture, maybe Kunos are right not adding that.

I'm really looking forward for race version of S800 - it should be awesome.

But I drove 917/30 there a couple of times, it was interesting ! I think track fits any type. Maybe just modern race cars feels a bit weird, but I think modern street and hyper cars fits too.

 

[Fat-Alfie]

Remodelled, baked and textured bus stops, new / old tarmac (only visual for now, but I plan to add slightly different grip level, plus noticeable FFB transition) and people (with temporary texture) - thanks to @LilSki for the tips

So, does anyone have any colour photos of people from 1960s Singapore?