Automobilista 2's v1.6 update saw the arrival of three new North American tracks - and while most will know Sebring and Road Atlanta, not too many might be aware of Mosport.
A bumpy airfield circuit, a winding blast through the hills of Georgia (USA, not Eastern Europe), and a Canadian classic - the trio of new circuits added to Automobilista 2 via the v1.6 update as part of the IMSA Track Pack are certainly exciting. And while most sim racers will know Sebring and Road Atlanta, Mosport might fly under the radar for some - and it really should not, in my opinion.
Located northeast of Toronto, Ontario, in what is close to "the middle of nowhere" territory, Mosport is one of those few circuits that have not seen a single layout change throughout its decades-long existence. The track opened in 1961, and it still uses the exact same, blisteringly quick trajectory. Add in some serious elevation change, particularly in the first half of the lap, and you are in for a treat.
Of course, run-offs and facilities have changed over the years, the track has been widened and the crest towards the end of Mario Andretti Straightaway was lowered (thanks to @Emery for bringing that up!), but the fact that the layout itself remains the same is remarkable. Road America would be another example for this, save for the addition of the motorcycle chicane at The Kink - but that did not alter the original layout.
Image: racingcircuits.info
F1's final trip to Mosport happened in 1977, after which the Canadian Grand Prix moved on to Montréal. That did not mean high-level racing would skip the track, though: Sportscar racing continued, and does to this day. Even the World Sportscar Championship ran here, with the 1985 1000 km of Mosport being the final time.
Group C beasts at a relatively small, high-speed circuit like Mosport are exciting, but dangerous.
The race, sadly, was a tragic one. With Group C cars flying around a circuit that was no stranger to serious accidents - look no further than John Surtees, who was lucky to survive life-threatening injuries sustained at a 1965 crash in a Lola T70 - disaster struck early on. Driving a Porsche 962C for Kremer Racing, German Manfred Winkelhock suffered a tire failure when racing through Clayton Corner, crashing into the concrete barrier.
Winkelhock, who was also an F1 driver for RAM-March at the time, sustained head injuries that proved unsurvivable, as he succumbed to them the following day. It took marshals 25 minutes to extricate him from the wrecked 962. A mere three weeks later, Stefan Bellof died in the older-spec 956 at Spa-Francorchamps - a heavy blow to German motorsports, and one that apparently even led to a young Michael Schumacher questioning whether or not what he loved doing was something to continue.
The Moss turns, named so after Sir Stirling Moss, who suggested that instead of the carousel-style hairpin, this two-corner approach would be a bigger challenge instead.
However, sportscars remained even more present. The American Le Mans Series ran at Mosport from 1999 to 2013, and IMSA has had multiple stints, currently racing LMP2 and GTD machinery in Ontario. Today, the NASCAR Canada Series, the Trans-Am Series, the Sports Car Championship Canada and the Canadian Superbike Championship round out the calendar of the circuit.
LMP2 and GTD (so GT3) machinery diving into Turn 1.
At the same time, AMS2's Mosport might not look the part (although maybe a retro version might come - you never know with Reiza), it also fits well on the calendars of three F1 seasons represented in the sim, those being 1967, 1969 and 1974. And somehow, I have a feeling that any of the 1990s IndyCars, called F-USA in the sim, might be a very good fit for the circuit as well.
Of course, you do not have to stick to AMS2 for your dose of Mosport. There are multiple mod versions available for Assetto Corsa in our download section, for instance, and there is an rFactor 2 version as well - although that is nine years old at this point, so your mileage may vary. Older sims like the original rFactor or the first Automobilista also have one or more modded Mosports available - and if you really want to go old school, look no further than Grand Prix Legends, which has the track by default.
What do you think of Mosport? Have you tried it before, and is it even maybe a favorite of yours? Let us know in the comments below!
A bumpy airfield circuit, a winding blast through the hills of Georgia (USA, not Eastern Europe), and a Canadian classic - the trio of new circuits added to Automobilista 2 via the v1.6 update as part of the IMSA Track Pack are certainly exciting. And while most sim racers will know Sebring and Road Atlanta, Mosport might fly under the radar for some - and it really should not, in my opinion.
Located northeast of Toronto, Ontario, in what is close to "the middle of nowhere" territory, Mosport is one of those few circuits that have not seen a single layout change throughout its decades-long existence. The track opened in 1961, and it still uses the exact same, blisteringly quick trajectory. Add in some serious elevation change, particularly in the first half of the lap, and you are in for a treat.
Of course, run-offs and facilities have changed over the years, the track has been widened and the crest towards the end of Mario Andretti Straightaway was lowered (thanks to @Emery for bringing that up!), but the fact that the layout itself remains the same is remarkable. Road America would be another example for this, save for the addition of the motorcycle chicane at The Kink - but that did not alter the original layout.
Image: racingcircuits.info
F1 Debut In 1967, Tragedy In WSC
Anyway, back to Canada. Mosport, or Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, first saw Formula One action in 1967, making it F1's first Grand Prix home. The track would alternate with Mont Tremblant for the next few years, but from 1971 onwards, Mosport was the host of the Canadian Grand Prix. The only exception was 1975, where the event was not held at all, supposedly over "a financial disagreement between the track and the Formula One Constructor's Association", as Canadian sports outlet TSN put it.F1's final trip to Mosport happened in 1977, after which the Canadian Grand Prix moved on to Montréal. That did not mean high-level racing would skip the track, though: Sportscar racing continued, and does to this day. Even the World Sportscar Championship ran here, with the 1985 1000 km of Mosport being the final time.
Group C beasts at a relatively small, high-speed circuit like Mosport are exciting, but dangerous.
The race, sadly, was a tragic one. With Group C cars flying around a circuit that was no stranger to serious accidents - look no further than John Surtees, who was lucky to survive life-threatening injuries sustained at a 1965 crash in a Lola T70 - disaster struck early on. Driving a Porsche 962C for Kremer Racing, German Manfred Winkelhock suffered a tire failure when racing through Clayton Corner, crashing into the concrete barrier.
Winkelhock, who was also an F1 driver for RAM-March at the time, sustained head injuries that proved unsurvivable, as he succumbed to them the following day. It took marshals 25 minutes to extricate him from the wrecked 962. A mere three weeks later, Stefan Bellof died in the older-spec 956 at Spa-Francorchamps - a heavy blow to German motorsports, and one that apparently even led to a young Michael Schumacher questioning whether or not what he loved doing was something to continue.
The Moss turns, named so after Sir Stirling Moss, who suggested that instead of the carousel-style hairpin, this two-corner approach would be a bigger challenge instead.
Stock Cars & Sportscars
In the following years, Mosport hosted stock car and GT racing as well, and it was also a mainstay on the Atlantic Championship series, a junior series on the North American open-wheel ladder that ultimately led to IndyCar, and later, CART or ChampCar.However, sportscars remained even more present. The American Le Mans Series ran at Mosport from 1999 to 2013, and IMSA has had multiple stints, currently racing LMP2 and GTD machinery in Ontario. Today, the NASCAR Canada Series, the Trans-Am Series, the Sports Car Championship Canada and the Canadian Superbike Championship round out the calendar of the circuit.
LMP2 and GTD (so GT3) machinery diving into Turn 1.
A Fun High-speed Adventure In AMS2
And while the current crop of Hypercars - or GTP, if you are so inclined - does not actually race at Mosport, that does not mean that we cannot do just that in sim racing. Automobilista 2's hybrid-powered prototypes are excellent fun around the sweeping circuit, and the braking zone into the first of the two Moss turns is quite tricky - but very rewarding if you get it right.At the same time, AMS2's Mosport might not look the part (although maybe a retro version might come - you never know with Reiza), it also fits well on the calendars of three F1 seasons represented in the sim, those being 1967, 1969 and 1974. And somehow, I have a feeling that any of the 1990s IndyCars, called F-USA in the sim, might be a very good fit for the circuit as well.
Of course, you do not have to stick to AMS2 for your dose of Mosport. There are multiple mod versions available for Assetto Corsa in our download section, for instance, and there is an rFactor 2 version as well - although that is nine years old at this point, so your mileage may vary. Older sims like the original rFactor or the first Automobilista also have one or more modded Mosports available - and if you really want to go old school, look no further than Grand Prix Legends, which has the track by default.
What do you think of Mosport? Have you tried it before, and is it even maybe a favorite of yours? Let us know in the comments below!
