Site logo

These Are the Five Most Grueling Race Courses on the Planet

NEWS STORY
18/04/2019

Motor racing isn't for the faint of heart.

Whether we're talking F1, rally, or even motorcycles, every flavor of racing requires a special combination of focus and grit - and maybe just the right kind of insanity. Not everyone comes equipped with the desire to hurtle themselves around in a metal contraption at great speeds.

But we certainly love the ones who are.

Obviously, the course has much to do with the difficulty and danger posed by any race event. As courses come in all shapes and sizes, these factors vary widely.

So let's take a walk on the wild side by taking a peek at five of the most challenging race courses in the world.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway - Indianapolis, United States

The former home of The Formula One World Championship from 2000 to 2007, Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a tricky 2.5-mile rectangular oval that's been the scene of a number of high-profile crashes over the years. The track's barrier walls are notorious for pinning drivers, which poses a significant risk to those ejected from their cars in otherwise routine missteps.

To accommodate F1 racing, the track was modified into a more conventional street course layout, and Steel and Foam Energy Reduction Barriers (SAFE Barrier) technology was introduced in 2002. With SAFE barriers, kinetic energy is absorbed over a long portion of the wall, reducing the impact to cars that collide with it.

24 Hours of Le Mans - Le Mans, France

The granddaddy of endurance races, the legendary 24 hours of Le Mans has been held annually since 1923. The course, officially called Circuit de la Sarthe, blends public roads and race track sections to form a grueling sprawl that requires copious amounts of stamina and resolve from the daring drivers who compete.

Catastrophes have been part and parcel of Le Mans over the years, prompting organizers to adopt a number of safety measures. Since the early 1990s, each competing car must be piloted by a team of at least three drivers. No driver can be behind the wheel for more than 240 consecutive minutes or over 14 hours of the race duration.

The prestige and challenge of Le Mans attract drivers from various classes of racing - including F1 - with Juan Pablo Montoya, Pastor Maldonado, and Felipe Nasr all starting in recent years.

The Isle of Man TT - Isle of Man

A little license is taken here, as the Isle of Man TT is a superbike motorcycle event, but the 113-year-old race deserves mention. Competing riders battle the harrowing 37.73-mile-long Snaefell Mountain course of twisty urban streets and mountain roads at speeds exceeding 200 mph. The format is a time-trial consisting of one week of practice sessions and one week of racing.

The Isle of Man TT is largely considered the most dangerous motorcycle race in the world, requiring riders to evaluate how to ride the course well in advance of the competition. Since the inaugural race in 1907, there's only been one year on record without a casualty.

Macau Grand Prix - Macau

A big-tent festival of both automobiles and motorcycles, the Macau Grand Prix is a menacing annual trek through the streets of this special administrative region of China. Competitors have little margin for error as they navigate the course's narrow roads, hugging turns and jockeying for position.

The Macau Grand Prix was introduced as a sports car series in 1954, with open-wheel and touring vehicles joining the field by 1972. Motorcycles were first included in 1976. The race's notable F1 alumni include a remarkable cohort led by Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, Mika Hakkinen, David Coulthard, and Takuma Sato.

The Baja 1000 - Baja California, Mexico

Staged yearly since 1963 on the Baja peninsula south of California, the Baja 1000 is an off-road rally boasting a range of dirt-ready vehicles, from rally cars and trucks to dirt bikes and ATVs. Courses span from 600 to 900 miles long (depending on the event) and cover rocky, barely-passable terrain.

In addition to the threatening natural obstacles and arid desert heat, the human element poses a challenge to Baja 1000 racers and riders. Spectators have been known to set booby-traps or otherwise dangerously manipulate portions of the course. These various types of track sabotage have led to accidents and an elevated level of caution among competitors.

LATEST NEWS

more news >

RELATED ARTICLES

LATEST IMAGES

galleries >

  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images
  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images
  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images
  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images
  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images
  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images
  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images
  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images
  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images
  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images
  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images
  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images
  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images
  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images
  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images
  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images
  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images
  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images
  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images
  • Pitpass.com latest F1/Formula 1 images

READERS COMMENTS

 

Sorry, comments are disabled for this article

Share this page

X

Copyright © Pitpass 2002 - 2024. All rights reserved.

about us  |  advertise  |  contact  |  privacy & security  |  rss  |  terms