Sidepodcast

Circuit Cup - 2009 Winner, Spa

We reduced the length of the competition by several days, putting two matchups in some of the earlier heats, but it didn't make this Circuit Character Cup any less exciting. Spa-Francorchamps has emerged victorious of all the 2009 circuits (bar Abu Dhabi).

There was only one circuit it could face in the final, and that was Monaco, but the end result wasn't even close as Spa romped away to victory.

Some of the earlier heats were much less obvious, though, and it was a fascinating journey around the globe as we narrowed down the calendar to just one characterful circuit.

How did Spa do it?

It was the initial matchup to end all matchups - Spa and Silverstone meeting in the first round. As soon as the draw was made, the hype began, and we knew it would be a good one. As it turns out, it created some great conversations, but the eventual voting was not that close, and Spa took the victory by over 100 votes.

The Belgian track then had to face off the inaugural night race, but history won out over novelty, and Singapore was also consigned to its fate. A quick semi-final against Monza, and Spa sealed the victory to become the 2009 champion.

It's All About the Fans

We saw a few other tracks make it a fair way through the competition, with both Monza and Suzuka faring well at their respective ends of the matchups. Albert Park was also a popular destination, but the real surprise came in the form of the Hungaroring.

Having been mentioned on a Hungarian site, the polls were bombarded with some Hungarian votes. Whilst some were worried this would skew the competition beyond repair, it only threw the new Nurburgring out of the first round - not a huge loss, I'm sure you'll agree. Plus, it just goes to show how loyal fans can be. Bernie could learn a lot from this.

Statistical Evidence

• Total votes cast: 2,549
• Lowest voted poll: Suzuka v Albert Park (86)
• Highest voted poll: Hungaroring v Nurburgring (518)
• Closest vote: Monaco v Suzuka (11 votes)
• Largest split: Hungaroring v Nurburgring (272 votes)

Thank you to everyone who joined in the fun and took the time to vote. We had almost 1,000 more votes than last year, and that wasn't all on the Hungarian matchup. If you've got any ideas of future Cups we could run, then please feel free to leave them in the comments. Otherwise, we'll simply be looking forward to the race at Spa this year.

Circuit Character Cup - The Final - Spa vs. Monaco

Here we are then - the moment we have all been building up to. This may have been the final that anyone could have predicted from the beginning of the cup, but both tracks have come on quite a journey to make their way to this last round. Who will be victorious and claim the 2009 Sidepodcast Circuit Character title? (There's no trophy.)

Spa vs. Monaco

Spa has fought past several heavyweights throughout this competition, seeing off Silverstone in the first round and Singapore in the second. It has led the way through the top half of the matchups. Monaco had an easy first round, but faced off the challenge of the mighty Hungaroring to make it's way to the final. Make your vote count!

Circuit Character Cup - Semi Final - Suzuka vs. Monaco

Our next semi-final pits the "glitz and glamour" of Monaco, against the unique figure of eight at Suzuka. The winner of this matchup will join Spa in the final.

Suzuka vs. Monaco

Suzuka has made it past two relatively easy tracks, although Albert Park put up more of a fight than Barcelona did. Now it meets it's first real heavyweight of a track in the principality of Monaco. The street circuit itself has fought past Bahrain and the Hungaroring - which is more of a feat than we'd anticipated it to be. Who will be victorious and make it to the final?

Circuit Character Cup - Semi Final - Monza vs. Spa

We're into the semi-finals now, pitting the circuits against each other for a place in the very last matchup of the cup, and that means we're down to one heat in each post. Today we're voting between two European tracks, and I think it might be a tough one.

Monza vs. Spa

Monza has easily seen off competition from Shanghai and Interlagos, but now faces perhaps it's toughest competitor yet. Spa has proved to be popular throughout the competition, even against it's first round opponent - Silverstone. So far, the Belgium track has enjoyed a larger margin over the losing circuits than Monza has, but this could be the matchup that changes all that.

Circuit Character Cup - Round 2 - Suzuka, Albert Park, Hungaroring, Monaco

Our final set of tracks for round two go head to head today, to fight for a place in the semi finals tomorrow. The winners of these two heats will face each other for a chance to fight for the coveted title: Sidepodcast's Circuit Character Cup Winner 2009. Catchy, eh?

Suzuka vs. Albert Park

Suzuka well and truly trounced Barcelona in the first round, gathering over 100 more votes than the ever-present test track. Albert Park's initial battle was slightly closer, but Istanbul was soon knocked out of the competition. How will the two fare against each other?

Hungaroring vs. Monaco

Hungaroring was heading for a certain exit until the fans came in their droves to vote their circuit above the Nurburgring. The track scored a whopping 400 votes. However, Monaco overcame Bahrain with a slightly less, but very similar, margin. Can it face up to the unlikely challenge of the 'Ring?

Circuit Character Cup - Round 2 - Monza, Interlagos, Spa, Singapore

It is time for us to head straight into round 2, otherwise known as the quarter-finals. We're continuing the double matchup per post until the semi finals, meaning all those going through will be decided over the course of the weekend. Let's get straight into the voting.

Monza vs. Interlagos

Monza beat off the competition in the first round by a huge margin - 119 to Shanghai's 11. So did Interlagos, who faced off against the unpopular Valencia. Now, the Italian track meets the long-time season closer Brazil. I have no inkling how this one might go, so get voting and I can find out!

Spa vs. Singapore

We all thought the first round competition between Spa and Silverstone would be huge, but in fact, Spa beat the British track fairly easily. Having faced off such a heavyweight, the Belgium track now takes on the streets of Singapore, which still seems to be riding on it's night race novelty.

Circuit Character Cup - Round 1 - Hungaroring, Nurburgring, Bahrain, Monaco

We are now into the final heat of round one (isn't it nice how the first round went by so much quicker this time?), and our final two matchups. This time we're pitting the two 'Rings against each other, and it's another case of old versus new.

Hungaroring vs. Nurburgring

The Nurburgring no longer has a permanent seat on the calendar, finding itself stuck in a timeshare with Hockenheim. Although the track has been slashed from it's former glory, there's plenty to make it stand out. Can you say the same about Hungary? Only one way to find out.

Bahrain vs. Monaco

Bahrain never seemed like a likely candidate for holding a Grand Prix but of all the new additions to the calendar, it is holding it's own nicely. A baby of a track compared to Monaco, though, which has a place throughout the history books.

Circuit Character Cup - Round 1 - Suzuka, Barcelona, Albert Park, Istanbul

We've got the hard work out of the way now, although I thought yesterday's matchups might have been a bit closer than they were. Nevertheless, we're moving on to the third heat of the first round.

Suzuka vs. Barcelona

Suzuka played host to the Japanese Grand Prix for year after year until Fuji decided to get in on the act as well. With plenty of history under it's belt, the circuit has plenty to offer. However, Barcelona is a staple for the testing calendar meaning most drivers know it like the back of the hand - does that add to it's character?

Albert Park vs. Istanbul

Hosting the first race of a new season is an honour, and even though Bernie likes to mess around with start times and dates, Australia certainly holds it's own in terms of providing great, if chaotic, racing. Meanwhile, Istanbul has done much to promote the sport in Turkey, and hosts one great corner - but can a circuit be judged on one corner alone?

Circuit Character Cup - Round 1 - Silverstone, Spa, Singapore, Sepang

Our first two matchups are complete, and now we move on to the second day of voting - a day with all the 'S's. This is the one that everyone has been waiting for, and it's only day two, which is slightly worrying!

Silverstone vs. Spa

Our first poll today pitches two heavyweights against each other - circuits with huge amounts of character each. But which one has the most? Silverstone was the site of the first ever Grand Prix back in the 50s, but has been losing favour with Bernie ever since. Spa features a couple of the corners that most drivers would put on their all time favourite list.

Singapore vs. Sepang

Singapore has the benefit of the novelty factor as it hosted the sport's first ever night race in 2008. However, it wasn't a complete success with a few improvements to be implemented this time round. Meanwhile, Sepang has been a staple of the early fly-away races, but can often be overshadowed by the season opener.

Circuit Character Cup - Round 1 - Monza, Shanghai, Interlagos, Valencia

Following on from the success of the first Character Cup, we are making things a little less personal by looking at the circuits themselves rather than those who drive on them. The matchups have been selected in a highly technical fashion (out of a hat) and the process can be viewed here.

From an admin point of view, there are 16 circuits, each from the 2009 calendar. We have dropped Abu Dhabi, as it hasn't yet been built, let alone had a chance to display what character it has. In this first round of matchups we will feature two battles - a total of four circuits. Each round will be up for 24 hours, with the poll being closed in time for the next round to appear - and that should be at 9pm BST each evening.

We'll be whittling the circuits down to crown the one with the most character, and you can follow the progress on the wiki. (Props to RG for creating the page almost seconds after the initial video was released.) Without further ado, let the voting commence.

Monza vs. Shanghai

This first matchup is a case of old versus new, as Monza has been a mainstay on the F1 calendar since the very beginning, whilst Shanghai appeared only in recent years. Whilst Monza may not have the facilities of the supposed state-of-the-art Chinese venue, there is a lot to be said for making your fans feel at home.

Interlagos vs. Valencia

It's impossible to write this little blurb about Valencia and Brazil whilst still remaining impartial. I am 100% certain which way the vote will swing on this one, and that would be the case even if the 2008 races at both venues weren't still reverberating around our minds.