It's less than a week to go now until Season 2 of the V10 R-League is underway!
The new format, teams and drivers are set to make this season even more exciting than the first!
There are also new circuits joining the calendar, one of which is the incredible Mugello. Mugello is located high in the beautiful Tuscan mountains and is best known as the home of the Italian Motorcycle Grand Prix.
We're going to outline exactly why Mugello will see so fantastic racing in the V10 R-League this season!
A true rollercoaster ride
Mugello is steeped in history, having played host to motor racing since the 1920s. The modern circuit took its shape in the early 1970s and has remained one of the best tracks in the world ever since.
Mugello is a typical Italian circuit in that it's very high-speed. Average speed here is around 150 mph (240 kph), just like Monza and Imola. What is atypical about Mugello though, is that its corners are also very fast and the elevation changes are huge.
Overtaking isn't hard around Mugello, but in truth, Turn 1 (San Donato) is the only real passing spot. Turn 1 does follow one of the longest start/finish straights in the world though, so the slipstream is very powerful into here.
Passing moves are possible into corners like Materassi (4), Casanova (6) and Scarperia (10), but these rely on a mistake from the car ahead.
For an idea of what lap times will be like, expect them to be sub-80 seconds (one minute, twenty seconds).
Low drag setup is required
If nothing else, you need to be fast down the start/finish straight in Mugello. The corners are where most of the time in a lap is gained, but that's no good if you can't overtake the car in front. If the car ahead gets a good run off the final corner (Bucine, Turn 15), there's no way past if they're running lower downforce.
With all of that in mind, most teams will be opting for downforce on the low side, but not on the level of those we'll see in Monza. In qualifying in particular, the drivers will have to be foot-to-the-floor around the middle sector's high-speed bends. With low wing angles, this simply won't be possible, especially in the race.
Some of the underdog teams may opt for low wing angles in order to beat their more-fancied opponents. However, this is very risky, as although it will work when the pack is bunched up, in clear air, it will be slower.
Strategy
Only the relay and team races remain for Season 2, as the Head-to-head contests are out. Strategy won't change much though, as dives down the inside will still be on the cards going into Turn 1 on the last lap.
Mugello's run down to Turn 1 is far from the be all and end all when it comes to the contest. As long as the driver stick within striking distance going around the back end of the circuit, they've got a great chance to pass going into Turn 1.
This won't be easy though, as the dirty air effect is also powerful, especially around long, winding corners, which Mugello has so many of.
Drivers will have to balance pushing and staying close to the car ahead and preserving their tyres. The undercut or overcut in the relay races could prove crucial to the outcome of these contests.
One thing's for sure though, Mugello will test the cars and drivers to their limits, it's an incredible circuit.
Season 1 highlights
If you want to see action from Season 1, check out the battle between Redline and Williams for the title, which was one of the most entertaining contents that the R-League has seen to date!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_yD7ujpKPE&ab_channel=V10R-League
How to watch
V10 R-League Season 2 kicks off on Monday, 12 April.
Viewers in the UK can watch all the action from the best matchup of the week on BT Sport every Monday, with the remaining matches shown throughout the week!
Fans in the Middle East and North Africa can get all the action through StarzPlay. ESPN will be showing the races to all those in the USA, Canada, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Oceania.
Make sure to check local listings and video-on-demand services for exact times!
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