The AusterlitzRing, the third Dutch circuit

As a kid, I loved drawing fictional race tracks. Sadly, none of those designs have withstood the test of time. They might still be somewhere buried deep within a cardboard box at my parents’ place. However, digging through the many boxes looking for something that might not be there is something I don’t want to put my parents through.

A couple of years ago, I stumbled upon the subreddit “/r/racetrackdesigns”, which is a whole subreddit dedicated to people’s fictional designs for race tracks. At some point, I uploaded a design of my own called the “Circuito di Val d’Arno“. Making this track rekindled my love of creating fictional racetracks.

A fictional world

Last year, I tried to have another go at creating a circuit, which I dubbed the AusterlitzRing – after the village it was to be situated at. However, instead of simply making the design, I wanted to create something more.

I wanted not only to create a fictional design. I wanted to create a fictional world in which this design was a reality. The circuit was to have a believable backstory. However, doing so required a lot more effort than just some squiggly lines on a white background.

The project quickly spiraled out of control and took me over a year to complete. I could’ve finished up a lot earlier, but at some point, the project seemed so insurmountable I had lost creativity, motivation, and desire to finish it.

However, the fact that I’m now posting this, proves otherwise: the project is finished. You can read my fictional history of the AusterlitzRing, over 5000 words in total, in two parts:

The History of the AusterlitzRing part 1 (1945-1974)
The History of the AusterlitzRing part 2 (1975-2021)

I highly suggest reading those articles before you scroll down. However, if you just want to see my view on what a third Dutch circuit would look like, you can view the designs below!

The AusterlitzRing

The AusterlitzRing, satellite view

The AusterlitzRing is a fast, flowing track through the hilly woods of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, just east of Zeist near Utrecht. It has a length of 5.480 meters and a total of 22 turns which are run in a clockwise direction.

The AusterlitzRing, in my fictional history, was opened in 1970 and has seen a number of designs, as seen below.

The (fictional) historical development of the AusterlitzRing

In my fictional history, the first layout was never published. Below, I will detail these versions further. But first, look at this small animation I made to detail the evolution of the track.

Second proposal (1959)

  • Turns: 13
  • Length: 5.950 meter

This is the second design for the race track. The initial first design was very similar, but never left the conceptual stage. There are no surviving documents that detail the initial design.

The track would have featured a fast and flowing layout through the hilly forests of Austerlitz, with just two heavy braking zones (before turn 7 and turn 11). This second design was never built, due to difficulty in acquiring the necessary permits.

First layout (1964)

  • Turns: 16
  • Length: 5.430 meter

The third design features a revised first and third sector which meant a diminished ecological impact. This design was ultimately built and finished in 1970. In the fictional history, it hosted the 1974 Dutch Grand Prix

Second layout (1985-1998)

  • Turns: 18
  • Length: 5.215 meter

This third layout, completed in 1985, changes the final part of the first sector, with turns 4 and 5 ensuring drivers would arrive at turn 10 with less speed. The hairpin was removed in favor of a shorter 90 degree turn, ensuring a better flow of the track.

In my fictional history, this layout hosted the 1986 and 1987 Dutch Grand Prix’.

Third layout (1998-)

  • Turns: 22
  • Length: 5.480 meter

This fourth layout (the third actually built layout) features a revised start-finish straight and pit complex, and a new technical section. Parts of the track were widened to increase overtaking opportunities.

Unfortunately, no F1 race has been organized on this particular layout, but it has become a staple in certain other racing series such as DTM, German F3, and GT World Challenge.

Third layout “B” (1998-)

  • Turns: 22
  • Length: 5.495

This B-layout was meant specifically for motorcycle racing, with an extra chicane between turns 11 and 12 to further decrease the speed at which riders would arrive at the Karoesel section.

This layout has seen a lot of action with the WSBK championship.

Thanks for reading!

Did you like this post? What do you think of the design? Is there something you’d do differently? Feel free to leave a comment below or share this using the buttons on the left. If you want to stay on top of my latest endeavors, you can follow me on Twitter and Instagram. I also occasionally post videos on my Youtube channel if I find the time to do so.

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2 Responses

  1. December 29, 2021

    […] This post is an exercise in creative writing. Everything written in this post is entirely fictional but interwoven with real facts. Not only did this take a lot of research, it took a whole lot of effort in creativity. This is part 1 in a 2-part series. Already read part 1? Go to part 2 by clicking here! […]

  2. December 31, 2021

    […] This post is an exercise in creative writing. Everything written in this post is entirely fictional, but interwoven with real facts. This is part 2. Did you miss part 1? Read it first by clicking here! […]

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