Summary

The United States racing industry has, for some time, been dominated by prominent American racing organizations such as the NASCAR series and the Indianapolis 500. Our client, Formula 1, aims to achieve a more significant presence within the United States market. In response to this objective, Dude Engineering, delivered a comprehensive analysis of potential locations suitable for a new Formula 1 racing facility, conducted a detailed evaluation of alternatives, and provided the design for a new, purpose-built Formula 1 racing circuit.

Alternatives

Initially, 1,909 cities were considered as potential hosts for the formula 1 circuit. This group was narrowed through a tiered analysis until a total of five cities remained. These five cities were selected as the official alternatives of the project:

Alternative Criteria and Selection

Each of the alternatives was rated using a set of criteria. Based on these, a score was given to each alternative. The criteria included:.

• Population
• Airport Proximity
• Average Temperature
• Monthly
• Elevation
• Local F1 Interest
• Hotel Capacity
• Average Tourist Spending
• Navigation
• Amenities
• Local Tax

Selected Alternative

Out of all five alternatives, the city scoring the highest based on the analysis was Washington D.C. The city of Washington, D.C. offered several strengths that contributed to a higher score. Some of these strengths included public Formula 1 interest and navigation.

Design Criteria and Design

The track design was completed within the constraints of the design criteria provided by the FIA and city of Washington D.C. Some of those constraints included:

• Track Length
• Track Width
• Minimum Turning Radii
• Minimum Straight Length
• Maximum Longitudinal Grade
• Spectator Capacity
• Access Roads
• Site Drainage

The circuit was designed to run in a counterclockwise direction and can accommodate up to 20 racing vehicles at a time. Spanning a total length of 5.95 kilometers (3.70 miles), the circuit features 16 horizontal curves—comprising of 10 left turns and 6 right turns—with curve radii ranging from 25 to 200 meters. The longest straight’s length is 865 meters. Due to the site's topography, the elevation change across the circuit is just 3 meters. For safety and accessibility, the circuit includes 6 designated emergency access points.

Another component of the design was the spectator grandstands. The primary grandstand, located along the starting straight, accommodates up to 34,692 spectators. In addition, five smaller grandstands provide seating for an additional 6,048 spectators, enhancing viewing variety throughout the course. The structural design of these grandstands was developed using engineering software such as RISA and Enercalc, with materials consisting of reinforced concrete and steel to ensure durability and stability.

Acknowledgements

• Faculty Advisor: Patrick Singleton, PhD
• External Professional Engineer: Josh Jensen, PE
• Senior Design Professor: Austin Ball, PE