Anderstorp has been given a virtual overhaul in Assetto Corsa - what could it look like if it were to host an F1 Grand Prix again?
Plenty of countries have hosted a Formula One Grand Prix over the years, but with 24 races on the schedule nowadays, many are hard pressed to squeeze themselves into the line-up. Finland for example, despite producing three driver's champions, has never hosted a race. One might chalk that up to the Nordic region being too unsuited to what F1 requires to run a race.
But that thought might be a bit too simple, as Finland's neighbouring country Sweden has, in fact, hosted a Grand Prix, with a championship points scoring race held between 1973 and 1978. As Swedish driver Ronnie Peterson rose through the ranks, popularity of the sport was on the up as well, even warranting an event in Sweden.
The track F1 raced at was Anderstorp Raceway, which is not too far from Gothenburg, Sweden's second largest city.
The track has also hosted the likes of World Touring Cars, GT racing and motorcycle racing in the form of 500cc Grand Prix, Sidecars and the Endurance World Championship. Currently, its only real major motorsport event is Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia. It used to have an FIA Grade 2 licence, but that expired in May 2021.
Sim racers might remember Anderstorp from the GTR and Race series, which portrayed the FIA GT series and World Touring Car Championship, both of which had the track on their schedule in the first decade of the 2000s.
What if F1 were to want to return to Sweden, though? After Peterson passed away following a pile-up at the start of the 1978 Italian Grand Prix, interest in his native country went down again, and has not returned since. After Peterson, Gunnar Nilsson was the only Swede to score a Grand Prix win since, and aside from Stefan Johansson and Marcus Ericsson, none of their compatriot drivers have exceeded 10 Grand Prix starts since.
Ronnie Peterson (middle, pictured in 1973) was Sweden's F1 hope in the 1970s, but never won his home race. Image: Markku Lepola via Wikimedia Commons, available for distribution under the CC BY 4.0 deed
Back to the "what if" question at hand, however. Anderstorp would have to be heavily reworked to bring it up to FIA Grade 1 safety standards. Many other former venues have done the same, the most appropriate being Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez which was absent from the F1 schedule between 1992 and 2015. It was redeveloped quite extensively and implemented significant changes compared to the old track, for better or worse.
We need wonder no longer what that could look like in Anderstorp's case, as OverTake community member @AATR has us covered with their interpretation of a modernised Anderstorp for Assetto Corsa!
What is so unique about that? The fact that the pitlane was situated from the Karusellen to Södra Kurvan so they were not in the same places on the track, like a few Formula E circuits. Well now there is no more chance for confusion as this mod has both on the Flygraka, so apologies to all light aircraft pilots wanting to land here.
Starting the lap, you immediately see a change in the form of a new chicane. Whilst the current track has an uninterrupted run down to Norra Kurvan, this modernised layout sees a quick right left flick before then immediately being thrown into the traditional Norra Kurvan. Drivers may have wanted this corner to revert to how it was between 1968 and 1974, when it was a fast sweeper.
But a chicane - like the one used until 1977 - would slow the cars down enough to not have to extend the barriers back. Thankfully, it is not a painfully slow corner that feels tacked on, like what SouthPawRacer would put in one of his 'How to Ruin a Racetrack' videos. In fact, as chicanes go, it is ultra satisfying to negotiate at speed and it sets Norra Kurvan up to be challenging to get stopped for.
The next major difference is the Karusellen, the long sweeping corner that, with more modern single seaters, would result in plenty of dirty air. AATR makes the inspired choice to give it some banking, not ridiculously steep like Sitges-Terramar but enough to make following another car a little bit more manageable. Probably enough to send it on the inside of Gislaved if one is feeling gutsy enough.
This layout changes made to the Anderstorp circuit in this mod. Image: All Along The Racetrack
Now for the final layout change, and the most noticeable as well. Södra Kurvan is a sweeping 90-degree corner much like both Grand Prix Kurvan and Opelkurvan, and considering how short the lap is, three of the same corner can get a tad repetitive. Therefore in its place, a medium speed hairpin that would most likely invite some attempts at a pass.
Then after a quick flick, a heavy braking zone that could set up some audacious last corner last lap passes if the tailing car is close enough, or already side-by-side from the previous braking zone. With how drastic most classic racing facilities have to change if they want to be brought up to FIA Grade 1 standards, it would appear that this layout proposal has not done away with the brilliance of the circuit.
The end result is a track that measures 4.29 kilometres or 2.67 miles, putting it close in length to Zandvoort. So if F1 did return to Sweden and the circuit got these upgrades, it would result in a Grand Prix that would last 72 laps.
If you want to check out AATR's other works, check our their mods page. Along with this modernised Anderstorp, there is also a detailed depiction of what a proposed but undeveloped racetrack in Wales would have looked like had it been completed and gone on to host MotoGP.
Which other historic racing facilities would you like to see modernised for Assetto Corsa? Let us know in the comments below, and join the discussion on our forums!
Plenty of countries have hosted a Formula One Grand Prix over the years, but with 24 races on the schedule nowadays, many are hard pressed to squeeze themselves into the line-up. Finland for example, despite producing three driver's champions, has never hosted a race. One might chalk that up to the Nordic region being too unsuited to what F1 requires to run a race.
But that thought might be a bit too simple, as Finland's neighbouring country Sweden has, in fact, hosted a Grand Prix, with a championship points scoring race held between 1973 and 1978. As Swedish driver Ronnie Peterson rose through the ranks, popularity of the sport was on the up as well, even warranting an event in Sweden.
The track F1 raced at was Anderstorp Raceway, which is not too far from Gothenburg, Sweden's second largest city.
The track has also hosted the likes of World Touring Cars, GT racing and motorcycle racing in the form of 500cc Grand Prix, Sidecars and the Endurance World Championship. Currently, its only real major motorsport event is Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia. It used to have an FIA Grade 2 licence, but that expired in May 2021.
Sim racers might remember Anderstorp from the GTR and Race series, which portrayed the FIA GT series and World Touring Car Championship, both of which had the track on their schedule in the first decade of the 2000s.
What if F1 were to want to return to Sweden, though? After Peterson passed away following a pile-up at the start of the 1978 Italian Grand Prix, interest in his native country went down again, and has not returned since. After Peterson, Gunnar Nilsson was the only Swede to score a Grand Prix win since, and aside from Stefan Johansson and Marcus Ericsson, none of their compatriot drivers have exceeded 10 Grand Prix starts since.
Ronnie Peterson (middle, pictured in 1973) was Sweden's F1 hope in the 1970s, but never won his home race. Image: Markku Lepola via Wikimedia Commons, available for distribution under the CC BY 4.0 deed
Back to the "what if" question at hand, however. Anderstorp would have to be heavily reworked to bring it up to FIA Grade 1 safety standards. Many other former venues have done the same, the most appropriate being Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez which was absent from the F1 schedule between 1992 and 2015. It was redeveloped quite extensively and implemented significant changes compared to the old track, for better or worse.
We need wonder no longer what that could look like in Anderstorp's case, as OverTake community member @AATR has us covered with their interpretation of a modernised Anderstorp for Assetto Corsa!
Anderstop Modernised
Immediately, there is a noticeable difference, as the start/finish straight has been moved to the long back straight, which also doubles as an airport runway. Admittedly, it does remove one of the more unique aspects of the circuit, as it used to have its timing line between the now-dubbed Mattssons Kurvan and Grand Prix Kurvan.What is so unique about that? The fact that the pitlane was situated from the Karusellen to Södra Kurvan so they were not in the same places on the track, like a few Formula E circuits. Well now there is no more chance for confusion as this mod has both on the Flygraka, so apologies to all light aircraft pilots wanting to land here.
Starting the lap, you immediately see a change in the form of a new chicane. Whilst the current track has an uninterrupted run down to Norra Kurvan, this modernised layout sees a quick right left flick before then immediately being thrown into the traditional Norra Kurvan. Drivers may have wanted this corner to revert to how it was between 1968 and 1974, when it was a fast sweeper.
But a chicane - like the one used until 1977 - would slow the cars down enough to not have to extend the barriers back. Thankfully, it is not a painfully slow corner that feels tacked on, like what SouthPawRacer would put in one of his 'How to Ruin a Racetrack' videos. In fact, as chicanes go, it is ultra satisfying to negotiate at speed and it sets Norra Kurvan up to be challenging to get stopped for.
The next major difference is the Karusellen, the long sweeping corner that, with more modern single seaters, would result in plenty of dirty air. AATR makes the inspired choice to give it some banking, not ridiculously steep like Sitges-Terramar but enough to make following another car a little bit more manageable. Probably enough to send it on the inside of Gislaved if one is feeling gutsy enough.
This layout changes made to the Anderstorp circuit in this mod. Image: All Along The Racetrack
Now for the final layout change, and the most noticeable as well. Södra Kurvan is a sweeping 90-degree corner much like both Grand Prix Kurvan and Opelkurvan, and considering how short the lap is, three of the same corner can get a tad repetitive. Therefore in its place, a medium speed hairpin that would most likely invite some attempts at a pass.
Then after a quick flick, a heavy braking zone that could set up some audacious last corner last lap passes if the tailing car is close enough, or already side-by-side from the previous braking zone. With how drastic most classic racing facilities have to change if they want to be brought up to FIA Grade 1 standards, it would appear that this layout proposal has not done away with the brilliance of the circuit.
The end result is a track that measures 4.29 kilometres or 2.67 miles, putting it close in length to Zandvoort. So if F1 did return to Sweden and the circuit got these upgrades, it would result in a Grand Prix that would last 72 laps.
If you want to check out AATR's other works, check our their mods page. Along with this modernised Anderstorp, there is also a detailed depiction of what a proposed but undeveloped racetrack in Wales would have looked like had it been completed and gone on to host MotoGP.
Which other historic racing facilities would you like to see modernised for Assetto Corsa? Let us know in the comments below, and join the discussion on our forums!
