Track Designer On Mt. Tremblant And The Hurdles It Will Face To Host World Superbike

Track Designer On Mt. Tremblant And The Hurdles It Will Face To Host World Superbike

© 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

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Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Although this is the first time I have heard about a potential WSB race at Mont Tremblant I would like to make a few comments, noting that I was responsible for the re-design that brought the track from its 1960s format to FIA (car) A standard specifications.

While I always thought the track would be great for bikes, when redesigning it, my main focus was for cars, because that is what the owners wanted. At the time they showed no interest in bike events. Consequently there are some issues which may need to be addressed, although most can be handled quite easily.

The first turn cannot be used. It is scarily fast with a huge downhill at the apex. This is why I built a chicane inside the entry, which was used for the recent Superbike race and apparently worked OK.

Most run-offs should be OK but the wall on riders’ right at Turn 11 on the uphill approach to the bridge cannot be pushed back any further (I have already moved it back as far as technically possible). Instead this will require Airfence.

The turn-in to the chicane at Turn 1 needs a lot of Airfence on riders’ left across from the pit exit road and care must be taken to ensure that the median between the track and the pit exit road is kept absolutely flush with both surfaces.

There is a steep bank at riders left on the exit from Turn 8 (a long, 360-sweeper that is a bit too close to track edge). I wanted this moved but it never got done. It can still be moved and/or Airfence added. I am sure that Airfence will also be needed in some other places (Turns 3, 4 & 9) after all, this is one of the fastest tracks in North America.

Other issues. The paddock is only seven acres big, so care will be needed in selecting events. There is, however another paddock behind Turn 10 which is about eight acres, designed for overflow use. Just a bit awkward to coordinate but can work well.

Two foot bridges were designed. One over the pit lane and track near the entry to Turn One, the other before the entry to Namerow Corner. These are easy to install, if they are still available from the source I found.

There is no way the race control, media center, etc., will ever meet FIM WSB standards as they are re-creations of the old 1960s building with small modernizations. Claude Danis and WSB will have to make major concessions if they are to run a WSB event here.

Note that this was a 1960s-designed track which was redesigned with the goals of maintaining the character of the old track but brought up to meet 2000 car safety standards. We kept the shape of almost all the corners but completely reengineered every inch of track. It was not intended to hold major international championship events.

Mont Tremblant is as beautiful as Barber, located in the center of the village and next to a major ski area and large lakes which makes it perhaps the most attractive race venue anywhere in America, and maybe the world. Formerly known as St. Jovite it hosted F1 GPs in 1960 and 1962 and the first ever Can-Am race. It was a big player for a short while then fell into low level use, eventually becoming very untidy and unsafe. It was bought by a car enthusiast about six years ago for his own private use, with no intention of holding any events. He asked me to re-design it so that he could host a major, private invitation historic car event (hence the safety standards and FIA inspection), but chose not to run ALMS or other cars events at first. He has subsequently allowed an annual Grand-Am sports car race along with his historic event and a few club events, as well as, this year, a Canadian motorcycle race. However no recent event has been promoted on a large scale.

There is quite a lot of parking although I do not know how much this has been developed or cleared from the overgrown state it was in when I left the project. Viewing is excellent but will benefit from a few temporary grandstands.

Many drivers, including some international sports car stars, have rated Tremblant their favorite racetrack, and it is both very fast and very challenging. It certainly ranks with Barber for aesthetic impact and with Road America for sheer riding challenge and exhilaration, even if it is quite a bit shorter than RA.

With a bit of work I believe it can be a great bike track, although a bit more on the edge than some newer formats. Good riders will like it but must treat it with respect. Newer riders will need to get more experience if they want to get the most out of it!

Although I spent 18 months in hands on redesign and reconstruction I left the project shortly before it was completed and have not been back since. I have no ongoing involvement in the facility.

Hope this provides some background.

Alan Wilson
Castle Rock, Colorado



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