Formula One: Hermann Tilke on designing a F1 circuit The man so many F1 fans love to hate talks about his hopes for the 2018 season There are some […]

The man so many F1 fans love to hate talks about his hopes for the 2018 season

There are some jobs that you’d think it would be impossible to hate. Ice cream tester, supersonic jet pilot, professional sportsman, that sort of thing.

Most motorsports enthusiasts would put ‘F1 circuit designer’ somewhere in that ‘most desirable occupations’ list. Give us a blank sheet of paper and a few Sharpies and we could all make a better fist of it, surely.

The fact that we aren’t doing it probably generates jealousy of the ones that are, and that may in turn explain why it’s fashionable to have a pop at Hermann Tilke. His Aachen, Germany-based company has been the creative force behind the design of more than 70 tracks worldwide, including most of the modern-era F1 circuits.

The i newsletter cut through the noise Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription.

Tilke’s response to criticisms of his track layouts is disarmingly straightforward. Like everyone else, he’s constrained by money – and sometimes by the kind of frustrations that will be all too familiar to those of us who might have fancied the odd home improvement project.

“It is easy to criticise, and impossible to make anything 100% right,” he says, “but there is always a reason for what we do, and the budget is always one of the limiting factors.

“I’ve had people say: ‘Why can’t you make the straight 100m longer?’ Because we don’t own the land!”

Tilke’s answer to the question of whether there’s any input on track design from top-level drivers is equally honest. His theory on how to make F1 races more interesting might not go down too well in the posher trackside motorhomes.

“Of course, we talk to them,” he says. “The problem is always that we try to make a track difficult for drivers, but we have the best drivers in the world, and in Formula 1 the best technology.

“There are three elements to the racing – the car, the driver and the track – and two of those are close to perfect. If you gave the Formula 1 cars to amateurs, you’d have more exciting races.”

Some observers have queried the switch to smooth asphalt for F1 track run-off areas, rather than the old gravel traps. Shouldn’t the drivers have to pay a heavier price for their mistakes?

“Asphalt is safer, for cars at least,” begins Tilke. “You can shorten run-off by a third compared with gravel, and when a spins, it stops very quickly. If a car goes into gravel at high speed, they can skip over it and you don’t slow down when you’re flying.”

Then Tilke cites another reason, and again it’s one that’s more real-world than you might expect. “I know people say that if there is only gravel, it is more of a penalty if you go off, which is true.

“But if you have a private track day and somebody goes off in their Porsche or AMG, then they are likely to be paying for new parts. €7000 is an expensive spin.”

In other words, F1 tracks aren’t just used for F1 races. It’s all commercial. If you’re into trackdays you might have cause to be grateful for the disappearance of gravel.

Finally, we ask Tilke if he is still a Formula 1 fan – and to let us know who his favourite drivers are in 2018.

“I’m an absolute fan. I always will be. I’m an international guy – I always say I’m a German by accident – but I still like the two German drivers, Sebastian [Vettel] and Nico [Hülkenberg]. I hope they do well.”