Racing circuits with a great flow and fast corners are usually very popular with sim racers – for obvious reasons. Chicanes, on the other hand, are normally the complete opposite, as they tend to interrupt the flow of a track layout. There are positive examples, however – we have assembled five of them for you.
Often introduced as an afterthought for safety reasons, many chicanes have been added to racing tracks around the world to slow cars down for otherwise dangerous turns, be it due to a lack of run-off area or simply to reduce the risk of accidents happening there. They can be tedious, especially the tight variations as found at Variante del Rettifilo at Monza, for example.
The abundance of annoying, but necessary chicanes make our five examples stand out even more. To clarify: Not all left-right or right-left combinations of corners classify as chicanes here. For the sake of this article, we are taking those into account that have been added to existing track layouts as safety measures – so while Campus at Spa-Francorchamps offers a nice flow, it has been included in the reworked layout of the track from the start, meaning it does not qualify in our case.
Of course, this list is by no means definitive – if you have a different opinion on any of the included sections or are missing one or more from it, let us know in the comments!
2: The Chase
3: Inner Loop
4: Veedol-Schikane
5: Villeneuve
Full Article
Often introduced as an afterthought for safety reasons, many chicanes have been added to racing tracks around the world to slow cars down for otherwise dangerous turns, be it due to a lack of run-off area or simply to reduce the risk of accidents happening there. They can be tedious, especially the tight variations as found at Variante del Rettifilo at Monza, for example.
The abundance of annoying, but necessary chicanes make our five examples stand out even more. To clarify: Not all left-right or right-left combinations of corners classify as chicanes here. For the sake of this article, we are taking those into account that have been added to existing track layouts as safety measures – so while Campus at Spa-Francorchamps offers a nice flow, it has been included in the reworked layout of the track from the start, meaning it does not qualify in our case.
Of course, this list is by no means definitive – if you have a different opinion on any of the included sections or are missing one or more from it, let us know in the comments!
Continue Reading
1: Variante Ascari2: The Chase
3: Inner Loop
4: Veedol-Schikane
5: Villeneuve
Full Article
Variante Ascari
While having already listed one of Monza's chicanes as a less popular example, the Temple of Speed got it right with another one: Originally called Vialone, the high-speed left turn was renamed in 1952 and 1953 F1 World Champion Alberto Ascari's honor after the Italian had died there in a testing crash in 1955. It was not until 1972 that the chicane was added at the spot – at the same time, the first iteration of a chicane was installed at the start/finish straight.
Slightly reprofiled in 1974, the Variante Ascari is still in use today and is considered one of the best chicanes in the world. The left-right-left combination is among the faster ones of its kind, offers a nice flow and a tricky overtaking opportunity. Getting it right is difficult, but finding the correct line and being fully on the throttle in the sweeping right turn of the complex already feels exceptional in any car – especially since it sets up a great run to the Parabolica, which was officially renamed after Michele Alboreto in 2021.
3: Inner Loop
4: Veedol-Schikane
5: Villeneuve
Full Article
Slightly reprofiled in 1974, the Variante Ascari is still in use today and is considered one of the best chicanes in the world. The left-right-left combination is among the faster ones of its kind, offers a nice flow and a tricky overtaking opportunity. Getting it right is difficult, but finding the correct line and being fully on the throttle in the sweeping right turn of the complex already feels exceptional in any car – especially since it sets up a great run to the Parabolica, which was officially renamed after Michele Alboreto in 2021.
Continue Reading
2: The Chase3: Inner Loop
4: Veedol-Schikane
5: Villeneuve
Full Article
The Chase
Despite its lap being considerably shorter, the Mount Panorama Circuit is often regarded as the Australian counterpart to the Nürburgring's Nordschleife: Extremely challenging elevation changes, blindingly quick corners and long straights make Bathurst a staple in Down Under's race track roster.
After climbing up The Mountain and back down again, drivers can finally unleash their cars again coming out of Forrest's Elbow going down the long Conrod Straight – which was even longer until 1986, as the run to Murray's corner was uninterrupted and featured an additional crest. When the World Touring Car Championship wanted to host a round at Bathurst in 1987, the straight had to be shortened to comply with FIA regulations, which state that straights cannot be longer than 2 kilometers. Aussie racer Mike Burgmann lost his life at the second crest in a crash at the 1986 Bathurst 1000.
As a result, this second crest was flattened and The Chase installed. The chicane looks simple enough on the track map: A slight right kink leading into a left-right combination – easy, right? Well, not in a GT3 or V8-powered Australian Supercar flying down the straight at nearly 300 kph. Maximizing the track width to take the kink flat out, then immediately jumping heavily on the brakes – The Chase is a great overtaking opportunity and has become very popular since its introduction. The second part of the chicane is faster than the left turn, leading to faster exits and a complex that fits in nicely with the rest of the track.
3: Inner Loop
4: Veedol-Schikane
5: Villeneuve
Full Article
After climbing up The Mountain and back down again, drivers can finally unleash their cars again coming out of Forrest's Elbow going down the long Conrod Straight – which was even longer until 1986, as the run to Murray's corner was uninterrupted and featured an additional crest. When the World Touring Car Championship wanted to host a round at Bathurst in 1987, the straight had to be shortened to comply with FIA regulations, which state that straights cannot be longer than 2 kilometers. Aussie racer Mike Burgmann lost his life at the second crest in a crash at the 1986 Bathurst 1000.
As a result, this second crest was flattened and The Chase installed. The chicane looks simple enough on the track map: A slight right kink leading into a left-right combination – easy, right? Well, not in a GT3 or V8-powered Australian Supercar flying down the straight at nearly 300 kph. Maximizing the track width to take the kink flat out, then immediately jumping heavily on the brakes – The Chase is a great overtaking opportunity and has become very popular since its introduction. The second part of the chicane is faster than the left turn, leading to faster exits and a complex that fits in nicely with the rest of the track.
Continue Reading
1: Variante Ascari3: Inner Loop
4: Veedol-Schikane
5: Villeneuve
Full Article
Inner Loop
Technically two chicanes, the bus-stop style sequence right before the surprisingly named Outer Loop at the former home of the United States Grand Prix was implemented to reduce speeds going into said Outer Loop (just The Loop before 1992). However, in modern downforce-heavy cars, this is still a rather speedy affair – especially since the second part of the chicane can usually be taken flat out before braking again for the Outer Loop.
As there is not much run-off to the inside, taking too much kerb or losing the car while entering the Inner Loop can end your race in a heartbeat. This makes getting it right all the more thrilling, however, especially with other vehicles around you.
Unfortunately, the Inner Loop has a tragic origin as well: While a different chicane was in place and cutting out part of The Loop, it had last been used in 1970 when NASCAR raced at Watkins Glen in 1991. Approaching The Loop, veteran racer J.D. McDuffie suffered a mechanical failure and crashed heavily, passing away from the accident subsequently. Not even two months prior, Tommy Kendall had severely broken both his legs after a crash in an IMSA race.
2: The Chase
4: Veedol-Schikane
5: Villeneuve
Full Article
As there is not much run-off to the inside, taking too much kerb or losing the car while entering the Inner Loop can end your race in a heartbeat. This makes getting it right all the more thrilling, however, especially with other vehicles around you.
Unfortunately, the Inner Loop has a tragic origin as well: While a different chicane was in place and cutting out part of The Loop, it had last been used in 1970 when NASCAR raced at Watkins Glen in 1991. Approaching The Loop, veteran racer J.D. McDuffie suffered a mechanical failure and crashed heavily, passing away from the accident subsequently. Not even two months prior, Tommy Kendall had severely broken both his legs after a crash in an IMSA race.
Continue Reading
1: Variante Ascari2: The Chase
4: Veedol-Schikane
5: Villeneuve
Full Article
Veedol-Schikane
The GP course of the Nürburgring came to life in 1984, replacing the old Start- und Ziel-Schleife and bringing Formula 1 in 1984 and 1985 and again from 1995 to 2007, as well as 2009, 2011 and 2013. Initially, the run to the final turn called Römer-Kurve back did not feature a chicane yet, but rather slight left and right kinks – it did bear the name Veedol-Schikane already, however.
This section was subsequently tightened and then made tighter again ahead of the 1995 European Grand Prix. The original faster version of the chicane is still in use for GT cars, among others, today, and is much different from the slower version that F1 cars used to turn into a few meters ahead of: Aided by an uphill run, braking for the fast left-right chicane can be commenced late, and catching just the right amount of kerb without getting thrown off your line is key to be fast through the Veedol-Schikane.
Depending on the event, drivers have to brake very soon to turn left and onto the Nordschleife, or slightly later to navigate the final turn, now called Hyundai N Kurve, to re-enter the main straight. The chicane is almost impossible to overtake in, but attempts are always spectacular as a result – not to mention the sheer fun of threading the needle at relatively high speeds through there.
2: The Chase
3: Inner Loop
5: Villeneuve
Full Article
This section was subsequently tightened and then made tighter again ahead of the 1995 European Grand Prix. The original faster version of the chicane is still in use for GT cars, among others, today, and is much different from the slower version that F1 cars used to turn into a few meters ahead of: Aided by an uphill run, braking for the fast left-right chicane can be commenced late, and catching just the right amount of kerb without getting thrown off your line is key to be fast through the Veedol-Schikane.
Depending on the event, drivers have to brake very soon to turn left and onto the Nordschleife, or slightly later to navigate the final turn, now called Hyundai N Kurve, to re-enter the main straight. The chicane is almost impossible to overtake in, but attempts are always spectacular as a result – not to mention the sheer fun of threading the needle at relatively high speeds through there.
Continue Reading
1: Variante Ascari2: The Chase
3: Inner Loop
5: Villeneuve
Full Article
Villeneuve
The character of the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari has changed significantly after 1994: Where there used to be a flat out run to the Tosa hairpin all the way from Variante Bassa, the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix showed how dangerous this had become at this point. Not only did Ayrton Senna lose his life at Tamburello, but Roland Ratzenberger became the first fatality at an F1 race weekend since 1982 when he suffered a terrible accident at the right-hand kink preceding Tosa.
Roughly at the site of each accident, a chicane was added as Imola underwent extensive renovations between 1994 and 1995, and while the Tamburello chicane is not a bad one either, the Villeneuve chicane is arguably the more exciting one of the two: Depending on the car, the first left hander of the section is almost flat out, but needs a perfect approach in order to avoid compromising the run through the second part.
Taking enough kerb is also a very important part of this chicane that can gain or lose drivers massive amounts of time, depending on their exit. If you get it right and can go full throttle at the apex of the right-hander already, you can even set up an overtake into Tosa despite the short straight between the two.
2: The Chase
3: Inner Loop
4: Veedol-Schikane
Full Article
Roughly at the site of each accident, a chicane was added as Imola underwent extensive renovations between 1994 and 1995, and while the Tamburello chicane is not a bad one either, the Villeneuve chicane is arguably the more exciting one of the two: Depending on the car, the first left hander of the section is almost flat out, but needs a perfect approach in order to avoid compromising the run through the second part.
Taking enough kerb is also a very important part of this chicane that can gain or lose drivers massive amounts of time, depending on their exit. If you get it right and can go full throttle at the apex of the right-hander already, you can even set up an overtake into Tosa despite the short straight between the two.
Continue Reading
1: Variante Ascari2: The Chase
3: Inner Loop
4: Veedol-Schikane
Full Article
