Track Focus – Fengtai R/C Model Area
Track Name – Fengtai R/C Model Area
Host – Car Modelling Association of China
Country – China
Location – Beijing Fengtai
Direction – Anti-clockwise
Surface – Asphalt
Having successfully hosted the 1:12 World Championship indoors in the Fengtai Science, Technology and Sports building, the Touring Car Worlds moves outdoors to another part of the Fengtai Sports Center which centres around the 2008 Beijing Olympics Softball stadium. They say first impressions last and on arriving at the track one cannot but be impressed. Obviously putting some of their Olympic experience to good use on entering the facility you immediately get the feeling this is something a bit special. Situated next to the offroad track that was built to host the 2013 1:8 Offroad FEMCA Championship, the unique aspect of the 9th running of the 1:10 Electric Touring Car World’s is that the surface and layout has never been driven on prior to the opening round of free practice. Originally built in September of last year, the track got new asphalt last month in preparation for China’s first hosting of an IFMAR World Championship, it expected to host its second next year for 1:10 Offroad, and with no teams or drivers having run on it before it has added a extra element to this year’s title.
Arriving to a security check, where you pass through a scanner, you then enter the massively long pit area. 120-metres long and all glass down the right hand side about half way down is the door to the track and impressive driver stand structure which houses everything needed to run a World Championship event. Such is its size that on the same floor as where the drivers stand for their races there is a press room on one side with race control mirroring it on the opposite side. Two stairways up to the top floor keep the flow of drivers, officials and press flowing without disturbance to racers. One nice touch of these and the 1:12 event is a drinks area just off the pit area for racers where they can get complimentary juices, tea, coffee and bottles of water. For lunch, a huge marquee has been erected across the street with this also set to be used for Saturday night’s award ceremony.
In terms of the track, which is over looked by a 300 + seater grandstand, it covers an area 68-metre long by 38-metre deep. Featuring 16 turns, the layout is defined by steel dividers with the infield painted blue. Commenting on the layout as he watched the first heats of practice, reigning World Champion Naoto Matsukura said, ‘It’s a good layout, I think I will like it’. Designed by Lung Chuan Lee from Tawian, who has designed many tracks in China include the Fengtai R/C Model Area offroad track, Matsukura feels the layout maybe a little tight. He also pointed out that the curbing is nice and low in some areas but quite high in others and with a straight edge on the inside of the higher ones he said if you go off you will be stuck inside the curbing.
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