Snetterton track-day

[mph]

I wrote the following to give a guide as to the speed/acceleration of the turbo...


From Snetterton on Wednesday, to give you a guide to speed:

(video to be provided shortly by SteveJ once he's encoded & hosted it for me   s:) s:)  )



Riches is the first of the two fast sweepers, entering at around 80mph. Next is Sear, a deceptively sharper corner than it appears, not helped by the large run of generously provided. Needs a sharp brake down to 50mph to avoid the concrete, but with a correct entry can be squeezed to 60. The long back straight is pure power on stuff, running out of revs in 4th at 120mph and needing 5th. A deft brake at the 100m board back to 70mph for the first part of the Esses, before more braking but without unsettling the car to make the right hander, trying not to loose too much momentum, but likely to be down to 50mph. Bomb Hole can be taken flat if you've got the right line due to the favourable camber through the apex, to hurtle you towards the second fast sweeper that is Coram. This favours the brave or insane - the exit needs 4th, so it's a short shift before entry at 75mph (I'm a wimp, could probably trail-in at 85-90..) and accelerating out up to 90mph. Finally its hard on the brakes down to 2nd without snatching the gears and through the tight Russell Bend at 40mph before back hard on the pedal for the pit straight to 110mph and another lap.

[heathstimpson]

Sounds like a fun day  s8) s8)

[Peter Wright]

Sorry I missed the fun
I was there on Tuesday
If you had let me know I could have changed days

How do you rate the circuit ? compared with the others you have visited

Pete   s:) s:)

[mph]

The Wednesday was for regulars or those that hold race licences - I don't know what your experience is but if were going on the Tuesday, it wouldn't necessarily have been a simple swap of days.

Snett: it's a bit flat, as is all converted airfields (Anglesey excepted). Pretty fast too. Riches and Coram provide the serious fun in learning to balance the car from trailing-in to powering-out, along with Sears being goon play time if desired. I'd say it's harder on the car than the driver. It's a bit like Combe but with lots more run off.

You can't compare this to 'real' full-on circuits like Oulton and Cadwell - both of which are fast, technical and have a decent amount of elevation change. Somewhere in between is Donnington which is a great real circuit for beginners and advanced alike.

Anglesey is fantastic, even if miles away - you've only got to look at the number of people that return there to see it has to have something special. A real circuit with elevation, but short and technical. Perfect as a first time track and ideally suited to the '2. Top speed maybe low, but that's not where the fun is and great to practise on.

Knockhill (Scotland) is a bigger and better Anglesey. I was there last weekend (not driving though, boo!) and definitely plan on making a trip up there for it at some point.

Cadwell (I've just arrived back from, again not driving) is not for the faint hearted - seeing the cars clear mountain is scary just watching, let alone driving!

'Must-do' circuit list (in suggested order):

Anglesey
Knockhill
Donington
Oulton Park
Cadwell Park

[juansolo]

Oulton Park is my favorite curcuit.  Some great features like the banked hairpin, high speed blind corners with lots of elevation (aim for the 'OK' in Yokohama on the bridge).  Fast and technical.  Though there are places with limited runoff and like Cadwell Park, it's common to see people bin cars there.  The most rewarding track to drive in my mind.

Donington Park is a second.  Very much a power circuit with great elevation again.  The circuit is pretty much made by the Craner Curves as the car loads up massively as you power through them.  I'm not as keen on it when it's in International mode using the Melbourne Loop.  Goddards, the corner onto the main straight, continues to baffle me.  The loop is a killer of brakes on bigger cars.

Anglesey probably third.  Easy to learn, hard to master.  A deceptively technical circuit with no real straights.  Ideally suited to small light cars.  School is a big ballsy high speed double apex that if you get it wrong will screw up your time for the entire lap.  It also has one of the tightest hairpins out there.

Cadwell is probably the most unforgiving track I know.  It is not for the novice as there is no runoff though the tight and twisty mountain section. followed buy a completely flat out straight and high speed corner.  Bonkers elevation in the mountain section.  Love it.

Croft I initially thought was a bit of a let down.  Totally flat.  However as you gain confidence it comes into it's own.  No blind corners mean safe high speeds.  The faster you get the more rewarding this circuit becomes.  The back section is particulary fun when you start taking it with your foot nailed to the floor.