Subtle changes proposed for Manfeild

The most telling changes proposed for Manfeild motor-racing circuit could turn out to be those even seasoned competitors and spectators mightn't easily notice.
That's a view held by experts undertaking a design study into future-proofing and upgrading the Feilding track.
Commissioned by Manfeild Park Trust, the feasibility study is led by Ian Maskell, a circuit design specialist and project manager. He is working in conjunction with consulting engineer, Connell Wagner, also Wellington-based.
Their findings will be reported to the trust board. It is believed to be the most intensive assessment of the track since it was laid out in 1973.
Maskell project-managed development of the Taupo Motorsport Park and led the delivery of the facility for January's A1GP. Connell Wagner was the consulting engineers for the Taupo development and provided engineering design for the FIA 2 track licence required for the A1GP.
Manfeild Park Trust chief executive Phil Abraham said "the intent is to future-proof the circuit for at least the next 15-20 years.
"Manfeild has already been a part of New Zealand motor sport for almost 40 years; we have many exciting plans for the future."
Considerable amounts of private and public capital are invested in circuits and supporting facilities to comply with increasing safety standards and expectations of competitors, sponsors and spectators.
A discussion point is the reconfiguration of the eastern corners, and the hairpin in between, to improve safety but without changing the circuit's unique character.
To do this, the team is looking into the feasibility of creating corners in the same profile and radius inside the existing bends.
This would increase run-offs and separations while preserving the celebrated nature of the track with a view to a long-term life of its licence from the FIA, motorsport's world governing body.
This idea was employed at Taupo, where the only corner left from the original track was completely reconfigured. However the work was so subtle that many racers were none-the-wiser, Maskell said.
Bringing in the corners slightly at Manfeild will necessarily reduce the current 3.03km length, so the study will also consider the feasibility of incorporating a re-commissioned section of the track extension created more than a decade ago.
This would also create a longer, third configuration for major events, Maskell said. The design study will also focus on making the southern track extension a smaller stand-alone circuit, with its own pit-lane, access roads and timing loops.
Re-configuration and upgrading of the existing pit and paddock facilities are also on the design brief, with more pit lane garages and sealed paddock areas the objective.