https://arab.news/24z9m
- Street circuit in Riyadh is hosting Rounds 2 and 3 of the all-electric series鈥� Season 10 this weekend
- Simon Gibbons: We鈥檙e not in the business of trying to change those streets; we鈥檙e trying to fit racing onto the existing streets
Street races are a beloved, cherished part of motorsport, especially at night beneath the stars and the bright lights of the big city.
It is a big part of why the ABB FIA World Formula E World Championship鈥檚 world-renowned Diriyah E-Prix 鈥� which features back-to-back night races on Jan. 26 and 27 in Riyadh 鈥� has in recent years become so popular with drivers and fans alike.
But when it comes to a street race, says Simon Gibbons, the track designer of the Diriyah Formula E track, the aim is precisely that 鈥� to race on the streets.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not in the business of trying to change those streets; we鈥檙e trying to fit racing onto the existing streets,鈥� Gibbons says. 鈥淏ut in all reality, streets are not designed like big race tracks. They鈥檙e not designed with big run off areas. What they are designed with is pedestrian islands, traffic islands, street lighting, traffic lights 鈥� all the street furniture that is common on normal streets is not ideally what you want around a race track. So, we accommodate the track in a safe and exciting way.鈥�
And track safety is of number one importance when designing a track.
鈥淗ow and where braking and run off is added to the layout is vital, so that if there is an impact, it happens in a safe way,鈥� says Gibbons. 鈥淐rashes happen in motorsport, of course they will鈥� we all actually enjoy seeing crashes 鈥� but what we don鈥檛 want to see are people getting hurt. So, we try to ensure that where there are heavy braking points we鈥檝e got protection by way of barriers or run off, or both, so that point of impact is at a controllable speed.
鈥淔ormula E, as many people are becoming aware, is tight wheel-to-wheel racing because the cars are very equally matched in performance. What you come to expect is only a few meters between cars at any given time.鈥�
That means assessing what the track width can accommodate and the detailed configuration of walls, curves and alignment. And then ensuring it is put together in such a way that it enables overtaking and wheel-to-wheel, side-by-side racing in a safe but hugely thrilling manner.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a really fine balance,鈥� says Gibbons, 55, whose background is in civil and structural engineering, having earned his degree in the subject from the University of Manchester in 1989.
As well as designing the Diriyah track, Gibbons has been to all six editions of the Formula E races held there. He well remembers being asked to conduct the very first feasibility study for a Formula E track in Riyadh.
鈥淲e looked at a number of places in the city and for various reasons, Diriyah was recommended and then adopted by Formula E and the Ministry of Sport as being the chosen location,鈥� says the Englishman.
The fact that Diriyah is home to the At Turaif UNESCO World Heritage site, a symbol of 黑料社区鈥檚 rich culture and tradition, was a factor in the location for the 2.495 km long track, which features 21 turns.
鈥淚t was one of the attractive reasons for coming to Diriyah,鈥� says Gibbons. 鈥淚t has that history 鈥� it was the original capital of 黑料社区 鈥� and it has historic features that give it a tangible feel of what 黑料社区 is about. That was a reason for coming but also a reason why damaging it or changing it simply isn鈥檛 an option.鈥�
There is, however, far more than just historical beauty as to why the area was chosen.
鈥淲e have talked about the track, that鈥檚 paramount to the fundamental needs of racing, but what we mustn鈥檛 forget are the spaces around the track,鈥� says Gibbons, who has also worked on the design of Formula E tracks in places such as Malaysia, London, Montreal and more.
鈥淣amely the pit lane, the paddock, the logistics, the power compound, the television compound, the production compound, the media center, hospitality spaces, fan zones, production compounds and parking. And before you know it, you come to realize that finding a street can be quite easy but finding a street with lots of empty space beside it 鈥� we鈥檙e talking about 200,000 or 300,000 square meters of unused space 鈥� well, that鈥檚 a ginormous operation, and city centers don鈥檛 generally have unoccupied spaces.鈥�
In the initial concept and feasibility stage of selecting a location, Gibbons, who previously worked for Formula One for 10 years before moving into Formula E, insists an understanding of those other essential activities is imperative.
鈥淚n my time with Formula One and Formula E, I鈥檇 like to think that is one of my key skills,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 have that appreciation of all the elements of the event 鈥� not in detail, that isn鈥檛 in my remit 鈥� but I can appreciate a technical understanding of them all and what makes a venue feasible. If those things are not considered until too late, it can be too late.鈥�
When it comes to designing tracks, he adds, 鈥渟pecific races have specific needs.鈥�
The first race in Diriyah, for instance, required a significant amount of civil engineering works, which was a challenge that, with his background, strongly appealed to Gibbons. Civil works were needed for the track, the paddock, the pit lane, as well as what is now the fan village, the Emotion space and the concert area. All the required work took one year to complete before that first race in December 2018.
鈥淲hen we came to Diriyah we thought 鈥榯hat piece of land is unoccupied, undeveloped 鈥� could it be the one?鈥� Then we put a sketch, a layout of a track and what we鈥檇 need for the paddock and those other spaces that we mentioned,鈥� Gibbons says. 鈥淎nd within a year, we鈥檇 created it. I am proud of what has been done. What I love is putting race tracks together and seeing the enjoyment that people get out of it, not only drivers and teams, but also fans and television viewers. That鈥檚 what gives me a buzz.鈥�
Since that first race, however, there has been significant development not only in the Diriyah area but in and around the race track 鈥� Bujairi Terrace and the Ministry of Culture building, for example.
This, says Gibbons, raises further important questions ahead of the upcoming race nights on Friday and Saturday.
鈥淲e need to think of logistics,鈥� he adds. 鈥淎t what point can we close the road? At what point can we cut access to those spaces, and how do we make sure what we鈥檙e doing doesn鈥檛 detrimentally impact those other local stakeholders any more than it has to?
鈥淲hat matters to me is that the work is well planned and works well. When the track is handed over and signed off, I can sit back and watch it being used. And that鈥檚 what I enjoy doing.鈥�