COULD F1 USE VIR? RSS Formula Hybrid 2020 Laps at Virginia International Raceway

Fun fact: There have been more tracks in the USA in F1 than any other nation. More than the UK, France, Germany and Italy.
But besides ovals, Laguna Seca and COTA, where else in the USA could F1 visit? Road Atlanta would be a sub-one minute lap, so we need to look elsewhere...
Enjoy! And remember to like and subscribe for more!
Track: www.racedepartment.com/downlo...
Car: racesimstudio.com/
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Motherboard: MSI B450 Mortar Micro ATX
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Pedals: Thrustmaster T3PA Pro pedals w/ Ricmotech Load Cell Mod

[@AidanMillward]

I think it's safe to say, this track is tricky. Did I mention that it's tricky? Cos it is TRICKY...

[@yracpontiferous4846]

Tricky tricky yo here we go

[@f1gamefilms_]

Mattia 🅱️inotto got control of Aidan's car on that last lap

[@AidanMillward]

@@yracpontiferous4846 like that snowboard game on the ps2.

[@AidanMillward]

@Doof Guy SSX, that’s the one

[@LupusAries]

Yeah but does it rock around? 😉 Had to listen to it again great memories......

[@firefightszz]

As a Virginian who lives VERY close to the North Carolina/Virginia border it would be an absolute dream to have f1 come to my state and literally take an hour or hour and a half drive to watch it

[@connormccollough5315]

I live in NC about the same distance away. I go to the IMSA race there very year. It is a beautiful race track.

[@kasper_429]

This! I live about 20-25 minutes from VIR, and it would be amazing to have F1 come here.

[@TheTotallyRealXiJinping]

6:01 What everyone says racing mid-pack the first time after spending years of hating on NASCAR

[@JTeam45]

11:02 At least you spun in a HAAS. So, all is still right with the world, Aidan.

[@thegreenhoodie6587]

You should try Road America, and Road Atlanta both great American tracks

[@3Dsjk]

People in Indycar have wanted to try Road Atlanta for years but apparently the cars are just a bit too fast for the existing run-off areas.

[@thegreenhoodie6587]

@@3Dsjk that's tuff sadly

[@stevemccann8314]

He has a video on road America

[@heretustay]

Being from Virginia, my dad used to take me and my little brother here in the summers to watch the Daytona Prototypes and GT cars race. Always loved this track, and get to appreciate it even more now that its in some great racing racing sims. The skill and speed on show there is so impressive

[@nathansaxonracing]

As someone who has driven around VIR this mod doesn't even show nearly all the elevation change. An F1 car in real life would be absolute insanity.

[@adammiller011]

VIR is my dad's favorite circuit he's ever driven. It's a classic East Coast track with minimum runoff and only grass. It's an incredible track

[@ShogunBBoy]

Aiden, mate, appreciate this video. As someone who lives about 30 minutes from VIR, and an F1 fan since I can really remember, it would be a dream for them to race here. The elevation change and how tricky the track is would I think make for an amazing drive. I think the biggest issue is the grandstands, or lack thereof. Temporary ones could fix that but I’m not sure how it would affect the land itself. Also, being in rural Virginia, I don’t know if they would even bother to consider since it’s in the middle of nowhere. On the plus side, it’s near a kind of major highway for the area, and the residents near it are pretty big racing fans, especially NASCAR. The Burton brothers, Ward and Jeff are from that area, so there’s an established base there. The NASCAR Busch series (essentially the F2 for comparison) actually used to race at South Boston Speedway until about 2000 I think, and fans are regularly attending the local races here and it’s a big identity for the town. Short track racing and small town America go hand in hand here. I can only hope, but, we’ll see.

[@rodrigodepierola]

"where's the apex?" sounded like Southpaw racer.

[@SirDazzyB]

Love the video Aiden. Nice to see my track still being enjoyed! 😊

[@TheGreatCornholio.]

Mazepin could literally spin into the next county

[@anydaynow01]

It would be awesome for you to do a 2020 F1 review of Road Atlanta also, another technical favorite with lots of elevation change!

[@andrewwinslow9315]

Can Confirm. Best Track in the Southeast, and 2nd best in the US behind Road America

[@StuntpilootStef]

From what I've driven in sims the one thing that stood by me the most is that if you go off in a fast bend you'll fall of the edge of the flipping earth. Especially the last corner, it's more unforgiving than parabolica. One wheel wrong and you're dead.

[@AidanMillward]

In the rf2 version of Snetterton if you go off at Riches and too far off into the grass you respawn in the pits. 🤣

[@sykora4417]

Wow, fun track. I would certainly like to see IndyCar take a crack at it - provided it's repaved because the satellite images of the tarmac didn't look to healthy

[@mikespencer9913]

I’ve been Club Racing this track since it reopened around 2001. The track was repaved a while back. The exit of turns 3 and Oak Tree were widened, but for some reason they didn’t remove the ‘gators’ 🤷‍♂️. Pretty quickly after that the new pavement started breaking down in several places. Lawyers got involved, but the problem areas were repaired before the courts decided who would have to pay for it. That may be what you’re seeing in the Sat view. (Although to be honest, those areas are really tough in the rain!)

[@sterlinghamiltonracing6487]

Its not bad anymore. It was repaved since that satellite photo. It would be very interesting to watch for sure.

[@y_fam_goeglyd]

I'd definitely take this over another bloody street circuit, especially as it's further north. Better for US fans, too. VIR is a proper track.

[@jameshoffa7085]

haha

[@jbeers1234]

Aiden, the last 2 turns before the main straight are called “hog pen”, you guessed it, there used to be an actual hog pen there…

[@kevinfoote3092]

A couple of things from someone who has driven there in club racing and who worked for an IMSA team that won there: 1. It is an excellent track, and very difficult to learn. The only track that I have driven that is close for technical difficulty and challenge is Mid-Ohio. 2. The big issue why there are no major downforce series that go there (Indycar and IMSA DPi/LMP2 specifically) is the concern of them going airborne at the apex curb in the right hand corner at the top of the uphill esses (turn 9). There are pics of GT3 cars taking too much curb there and getting both of their front wheels off the ground. At the speeds a modern prototype would go through there combined with the topography, it could very easily result in a blowover situation. Yes, LMP1 did run there, but they used the Patriot course which lowered the speeds there, and it has also since been repaved and the curbs have been changed since LMP1 ran there. 3. One of the entrances to the track is in North Carolina, so yes, it is close to North Carolina.

[@hmdwgf]

VIR is a fabulous track to drive and watch a race at. I went there once in 2019 for the IMSA GT race and it is as good and as challenging to drive as any track over here. It also has some awesome places to watch.

[@Dirtypacc]

I race VIR, often. It's my favorite track ever, I love it!!!!

[@marklittle8805]

VIR is just so damn technical in an F1 car it would be taxing

[@tdaman97]

I'd love to see modern f1 at Watkins Glen

[@jasonfuller9440]

VIR is strange because it has no grandstands. It's like they just like they dropped it in a field and that was it.

[@iamlarsen7896]

Runoff makes it seem even more like that

[@AidanMillward]

It’s not too dissimilar to Croft, Thruxton or Oulton in that regard.

[@interstate366]

There’s 1 small section of bleachers that feels like it was borrowed from a local high school. I love the track, and it’s my home track, but the paddock is a literal barn. F1 ain’t happening.

[@timothystamm3200]

@@interstate366 In it's current state no. But do you see all those open fields? If they wanted to build it up they could.

[@interstate366]

@@timothystamm3200 honestly, I’d have mixed feelings about that. I like the open nature of the track as it is now. F1 there would be cool, but I’m not sure if I’d like what it would do to the track’s atmosphere.

[@JP_Stone]

Love the love for VIR hopefully the FIA is watching

[@jasonsmini]

This is my home track 😁

[@CobraDBlade]

I had been hoping you would do a video on VIR. Fun fact: Some of the turns' tightness were determined strictly by the turning radius of the bulldozer used to clear the area for the track.

[@MrUwphotography]

VIR is my home track. You finally got it right, before you got it wrong.

[@carouselofcrazychrisb]

Love your videos..long time watcher, first time writer.... thank you for all these videos!!!!!

[@STORMBREAKER_250]

Thanks for posting this video! I just bought tickets for the GT3 race at VIR, so it's nice to get more of a feel for the track!

[@johndaniels4623]

Thanks Aiden for doing this track, I’ve driven this track IRL, and it’s about 2 hours drive from my home. I love that you did this video and thank you.

[@AlisonCreech]

It would be spectacular, but all the passing would be down the drs zones. For reference, I went to a vintage event some years ago where Larry Connor did consistent 1:32s in his Benetton B191. The Indycars in his group were doing 1:43s. You could hear it all the way from Oak Tree, over all cars, save the ones currently passing by...

[@Mrmayhembsc]

Agreed The USA has so many underrated race tracks

[@apophisstr6719]

This track is pretty fun in Forza, though close racing is definitely tricky because it's quite narrow.

[@minibus9]

awesome video

[@thepolishnz]

finally, a track that you could say, he went so far off track he's in the next county.

[@wonky3854]

Well there's two dots i never linked, the formula 1 guy from youtube and Matt's teammate A.Millward. Small world eh, great content as ever also

[@AidanMillward]

He put a hell of a session at Bathurst, ngl.

[@flyingphoenix113]

America is a weird country when it comes to circuits. If you look at the number and quality of FIA Grade 2 circuits (suitable for Moto GP, WEC, Indycar, etc.), America is probably the best country out there (as much as I love Oulton Park, Cadwell Park, Brands Hatch, Donnington, etc.--America is even better than my beloved UK). The thing is that these circuits are still virtually impossible to turn into Grade 1 circuits, so we're back to the same trilemma of COTA (which has been on the verge of bankruptcy for years and is struggling to keep the track surface up to Grade 1 standards), Indy Road Course (which deserves another go and has historically produced very good racing--05 fiasco aside), or another boring and unwanted street circuit (or, as of now, Miami).

[@djvycious]

Great video as always, Aidan. OT question, but when are you going to do the video of your Canada visit? Would love to see you share your experiences.

[@3Dsjk]

One of the Radio Le Mans commentators said VIR is ‘consequences without catastrophe’. It makes sense when you think that most of the people driving this track are amateurs in expensive sports cars who are pretty likely to spin off at some point; in most areas you have to make it through acres of grass runoff before you get to a solid object.

[@AidanMillward]

But like Croft and Thruxton.

[@hippysplace]

Nice shirt Brother, I live about 2 hrs East of Toronto!

[@anydaynow01]

Yep I had a buddy loose it in a Mustang where you had your off, unfortunately for him he tagged the inside wall, and another buy it in a S2000 at Roller Coaster during a windy day. There was a time (back when there was an oak tree at Oak Tree) where we actually had to drive down into North Carolina and back up into Virginia to get there, that's how remote it is. I don't think it would be too much of a stretch to have F1 here considering the generous runoffs, but I have seen some gnarly flips at Roller Coaster and exiting the Uphill Esses.

[@aerow217]

Mid Ohio Sportscar Course would be interesting, plus also give you another Indy vs.F1 reference

[@DjDolHaus86]

Ooh! Ooh! Big Willow at Willow Springs (probably too short but pretty much the entirety of the mojave desert as a runoff)

[@TeamSquadUltra]

I live very close to VIR and I would love F1 to race there, but it will never happen because the track is in the middle of nowhere

[@tommywilson2984]

Aidan what are your thoughts on Nascar Going to COTA this Weekend

[@AidanMillward]

I don’t watch nascar really so all I can say is 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@andrewwinslow9315]

@@AidanMillward This weekend is gonna be interesting. First time on COTA, full track. 68 laps, 40 cars.

[@marklittle8805]

@@AidanMillward you may want to watch this one .. it is going to be.... interesting

[@BenKuyt64]

VIR is American Mugello. I personally think that Watkins Glen would be immensely fun for modern F1 cars, but doesn't have long enough straights for useful DRS. Maybe in the smaller 2022 cars the racing could be fun there.

[@UrMomsChauffer]

You may want to look into Car and Driver's Lightning Lap Times to get an idea of average expected speed and lap times around this track.

[@cam_e6195]

As your resident American you might be on to something with this one good sir🧐🤝

[@kreggkittredge253]

The satellite 🛰 view just works

[@Wergiftfresch]

I've seen the first ALMS race there and it's been an absolute blast. Loved the track. Felt like a throwback into better times. F1 would just ruin it, so bugger off thank you very much. IMSA fits the track perfectly though.

[@brflynn17]

I kinda wish the prototypes would race there too though not just the gt cars but still a fun race to watch

[@TheJGJR9]

I always felt pain when playing this track on forza 7 enduro hoppers 😂

[@mrbungle3310]

Looks better than those newer Tilke tracks

[@ImInLoveWithBulla]

VIR is a beautiful track. Absolutely top notch in every way. But it doesn’t have stands for 200,000 people and Virginia isn’t giving the FIA several billion dollars a year. So they could never use it. Same for Barber.

[@danielbeadle4278]

4:28 casual hidden big bird.

[@tylerfleming467]

My home track!

[@W123KartSport]

NASCAR Corner is named as such because so many NASCAR drivers have binned it thinking to be a standard left hand corner. Even Richard Petty crashed here.

[@aaronaaronsen3360]

I was driving this one just yesterday on Forza 7. Not the full version, but still, very tricky. The elevation changes are really crazy and in a way where you can't see where the next corner is. And of course nothing on the side to look at for a braking reference..

[@jeffreytam7684]

Have you been catching any Jays games recently? Some of them have been real barn burners, especially that last series against the Rays

[@debozebever]

VIR is amazing in the sim (Reiza in AMS and Rf2)!

[@Jgreendyk1]

I have not watched yet. Ran my daily driver at VIR, I can tell you nope. Still going to watch my home track( about 2 hours from my house)

[@patrickracer43]

I would like to see VIR have a NASCAR date, but it probably won't ever happen because it would probably take fans away from both Richmond and Martinsville and probably even Charlotte, although with that being said, people (including myself) would like to see NASCAR return to North Wilkesboro and Rockingham (that's the Rockingham in North Carolina, not the one in the UK)

[@bonerlad]

This is also the track one of the car magazines does their lightning lap comparison

[@ma7mgte]

Car & Driver

[@j.l.lingenfelter8794]

Aidan, try a lap in a proper car like the C7 ZR1. Front engine, RWD, joygasmic fun for all. I hope a SIM lap can = it in real life. As you said "insanely tricky" & that's why American publications keep going back to test / find the best of the best.

[@Ermz]

It'd be over before Mazespin could say wha

[@AidanMillward]

Lol Mazepin bad 😅

[@MCNeoX]

Looking at your pedal bars, it seems your accelerator pedal is calibrated short. It looks like it doesn't reach 100%, or is the gap at the top in the bar normal? Regarding the track: VIR is such an underrated track in my opinion. I love the version in iRacing, where the Oaktree is still alive :D . I've attempted the iRacing Targa Virginia private iRacing special event twice, where they use the super long layout with the infield. Some dubbed it the Nordschleife of North America :D. I'd agree with you that GT3 suits the track best. Maybe something faster in multiclass, but traffic management isn't easy there. Also, there should probably some kind of barrier between the super-fast left-hander before Oaktree and the long straight out of Oaktree. I've seen people going off in the left-hander and ending up on the other side on the track a couple of times in iRacing :D

[@15DEAN1995]

ive driven this track on a forza game i think it was forza 7? i might be because that game was shite but i wasnt a big fan of this track. its definitely a tricky/challenging track but it wasnt much fun to me. the layout youre driving in the video was my favorite and i didnt mind it but the longer layout with the infield after oak tree corner is a massive pain in the ass. i would love to try this track again on a better game because forza 7 has given me such a bad impression of it. (i think VIR had about 12 layouts on forza 7 so it was pretty much the most common track in the game. plus that game has massive stability problems because it would freeza and crash constantly)

[@andrewwinslow9315]

Do Road Atlanta Next

[@DeMichel93]

GT World Challenge America is driving on VIR, there's a chance it will show up in ACC at some point. Hopefully.

[@Flarecobra]

Be interesting to see just how fast a lap Mid-Ohio would bring...

[@TedSchoenling]

Fun fact that most europeans don't realize, our little country is about the same size as your entire continent. so yeah.. we have loads of more opportunity for tracks here...

[@donlucio03]

Hope your cobid situation gets better soon

[@AidanMillward]

Think it’s messed with my lungs, still a bit tired but at least I can get back in the rig.

[@donlucio03]

@@AidanMillward youll get throught this, youre a strong guy

[@MyLonewolf25]

I’d love to see road America but I doubt it would ever happen tbh

[@lamegaming9835]

as a Virginian i approve

[@dadvader6197]

"There have been more tracks in the USA in F1 than any other nation" well that's not like the country is a bloody continent

[@K9RacingAndStuff]

*thinks about 2014 when the Vipers and BMWs were going nose-up off the kerbs in the esses* Christ no.

[@jamesbraun9842]

The track in the introduction was Sebring. so now people don't need to request it.

[@nicktrappe]

Can someone pls tell me which mod is used at the beginning of the video (red bull)? Looks stunning

[@matthewtighe6500]

Mid Ohio used to hold IRL and CART races and Indy still races there. Also American lemans, MotoGP and many others. It’s out in rural Ohio, which may be an issue for F1. Thoughts?

[@lamegaming9835]

the thing is this track is 2 hours from greensboro its a 3 hour drive from where i am :(

[@Eibarwoman]

If it wasn't so remote, I'd say it would belong in F1. It has the Motegi issue for fans.

[@jamesbraun9842]

That's the problem in the states. If it's built close to a city the residents will bitch about it being too noisy. If the place gets removed they will complain about too many people moving into their once great town. Unless it's in the south or Mid West where racing is popular.

[@AidanMillward]

Road America is probably the only one of these “rural” tracks in the US that’s not too far away from major cities. It’s what? 2hrs drive from O’Hare? I guess Sonoma isn’t too bad to get to from San Francisco either but I’m not too familiar with the area beyond Flight Unlimited II.

[@raphaeltam3096]

what is the mod at the start for the red bull car called?

[@Exponaut_R-01]

VIR is one of those tracks I love....but *hate* driving on because I like my prototypes too much.

[@wife9571]

it’s quite fun in radical sr3s in rf2. overtaking is tricky but the ai tends to leave the door open into 4, and they lift too much through 10 so setting up a move into oak hill is very doable. but the pack spreads out pretty fast after a couple laps and after that the races can get processional. over one lap it’s difficult not to make mistakes but very satisfying to put a good lap in. i’m sure it’s an absolute blast IRL

[@williamstephens9945]

Surely it's not trickier than the tricky triangle? 😂

[@herrerasauro7429]

While an amazing track, I guess it's a little too busy for F1 with back to back small high speed corners which would turn the race into a procession. I agree with the sentiment that for slower cars which rely less on aero grip the layout is amazing, but for F1 I think it would be dull.

[@donathandorko]

That track looks amazing, interesting and fun, which is why F1 would never go there.

[@Frostfly]

This is one of the best IMSA tracks....which is far better racing then Formula 1 anyway.

[@JohnSmithShields]

Is it possible to request Kyalami?

[@AidanMillward]

I already did it.

[@andrewwinslow9315]

Hope your Blue Jays do better than the Leafs. Can't wait for Leafs Elimination day in about 2 weeks

[@AidanMillward]

Being a Bruins fan, I hope the Leafs get fucked.

[@andrewwinslow9315]

@@AidanMillward Ahhhh, Good. I saw the Jays Jersey and assumed leafs fandom.

[@haryosoo]

Do Mid Ohio next, please...

[@blekenbleu]

F1 cars lack suspension travel and ride height to handle Mid Ohio's current track surface.

[@haryosoo]

@@blekenbleu is it that bumpy?

[@Glibzer]

watkins glen? lime rock?

[@BoxCarRacer-notthebandsorry]

Thumbnail should've said "GrHaas Everywhere"

[@AidanMillward]

Depends on how you pronounce it. I say it with a hard A instead of saying graaaaahhhss. I was born better.

[@SturdivantRacing126]

11:13 proof that F1 car should just have foot clutches. ;) jk

[@qbrt]

It looks like your accelerator isn't getting to 100%.

[@sadwingsraging3044]

Point **squirt** Hang on

[@Vadjong]

Is it better than Zandvoort, though?

[@AidanMillward]

Catching Covid was better than Zandvoort.

[@Vadjong]

@@AidanMillward🎯

[@JohnSmithShields]

@@AidanMillward don't hold back, give a proper heartfelt response....

[@AidanMillward]

@@JohnSmithShields I would, but I get tired easily these days 😅

[@McPlayer8t]

I gotta be honest I hated this track in Forza, I need my run-offs. 😅

[@jimbot.4539]

Or they could just go to Road America without Europeanizing it first.

[@bigredracingdog466]

F1 would ruin VIR. It has great sightlines for spectators, but F1 would turn it into a valley of catch fences and barricades like Watkins Glen has become. No thanks.

[@gigadonis8684]

What about the Nurburgring in Bidens backyard... The *patriot* course

[@beaukane]

Yea, Americans think it would be great to race there, I’m not American and I think this is a horrible track. To answer the question” Could F1 use VIR” yes. Yes they could. Should they use VIR, no definitely not.