Why we love street circuit motor racing
Motor racing comes in many forms, from rallycross to drag racing, but perhaps one of the most challenging both to drive in and to watch is street circuit race.
What are street circuits?
A street circuit is a race track that has been set up temporarily in a town or city by closing off public roads and thoroughfares. They often have the same sort of facilities as a permanent race track, such as stands and the paddock, but may be on a smaller scale.
As the tracks are often narrower than a traditional race circuit, meaning that spectators are closer to the action, crash barriers and additional safety measures are also set up for the event. The Motor Sports Association has a great round-up of the various types of motor sports.
What makes them so special?
As the courses are set up on existing road systems, they can be far more exhilarating both to drive and to watch. In contrast to a traditional race track where a series of repetitive laps of a track are completed, street circuits have more twists and turns and can be much quirkier. This often means that much more skill is required to drive the course, which of course makes them much less forgiving and even the smallest mistake can land you in the barriers.
Spectators can also get up much closer to the action than they can at a lot of other motorsport events and experience a sense of being part of the drama as it unfolds. This closeness, along with the addition of pop-up events and spectacles such as fireworks and music, can create an almost festival feel. If the event is happening in your own town, there can also be a sense of surrealism – you can’t quite believe this is the same street you drive to work on every day!
If Formula 1 is your thing and you are looking to have a great day out watching it, or perhaps want to add it to a holiday itinerary, why not sign up for tickets to the French Grand Prix, including a France F1 Paddock Club experience, through an events company such as https://edgeglobalevents.com/f1-paddock-club/france/?
If you get the chance, why not see what a street circuit race is like for yourself?
