Photo: Phillip Island Circuit
The Phillip Island racetrack is one of Australia’s most important motorsport-related locations, and now the 4.4 km (2.7 mile) circuit is getting a major revamp, in order to keep it up to date, and get the racing surface nice and smooth, at a cost of $3 million AUD.
The entire track is getting resurfaced with fresh tramc, which will be made on-site, which is odd considering only 5,000 tonnes are needed, and such operations are usually undertaken for 25,000 tonnes or more. It features a polymer binder which could not have been integrated into the mix otherwise.
This special asphalt will ensure high levels of grip, yet it will also be more robust than the old surface.
Over 35 pieces of heavy machinery, from 70 different contractors were brought to the site, and they were able to lay 5 meters of track every minute.
Track officials are very proud of the new asphalt mix, which they say is ‘secret’. The track’s managing director, Fergus Cameron said: “The asphalt mix will remain our secret Phillip Island recipe [ . . . ] All I’ll say, is it is designed to make the cars and bikes go faster. On a scale of 0-110 on a friction coefficient test the old surface was at 54 or 55 and the new surface is at 78, so the new surface is much grippier.”
This special asphalt will ensure high levels of grip, yet it will also be more robust than the old surface.
Over 35 pieces of heavy machinery, from 70 different contractors were brought to the site, and they were able to lay 5 meters of track every minute.
Track officials are very proud of the new asphalt mix, which they say is ‘secret’. The track’s managing director, Fergus Cameron said: “The asphalt mix will remain our secret Phillip Island recipe [ . . . ] All I’ll say, is it is designed to make the cars and bikes go faster. On a scale of 0-110 on a friction coefficient test the old surface was at 54 or 55 and the new surface is at 78, so the new surface is much grippier.”
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