Silverstone with LOT 28/3
Discussion
LotusElan17 said:
Certainly have, can't wait, although to be honest prefer Brands or Donnington, never driven the Silverstone track so really looking forward to a new experience.
How do you know which you prefer if you haven't driven Silverstone? I really love Donnington but not overly impressed by the Brands Indie circuit, particularly for the price it usually is. I am looking forward to the run off at Silverstone by the looks of things. First time for me there as well.simonk said:
And me.
First time i will have been out on any track apart from bedford!
Simon
Despite me having done numerous TDs, my lack of ability means I am still very much in the move out of the fecking way category so be good to have a few novices for me to try and keep up with!
Look forward to seeing you there.
on 
I for one found Silverstone really intimidating in the morning. Hans Baumhardt, Speedyellow and Lotusnick took me out for pax laps. After that it was a bit hard to get scared by the pathetic speeds I was mustering.
You will all have a great day - just let it be a dry one. Silverstone in the wet is dodgy to say the least.
You will all have a great day - just let it be a dry one. Silverstone in the wet is dodgy to say the least.
Question from Shnozz
How do you know which you prefer if you haven't driven Silverstone? I really love Donnington but not overly impressed by the Brands Indie circuit, particularly for the price it usually is. I am looking forward to the run off at Silverstone by the looks of things. First time for me there as well.
Answer
Well I have spectated at Silverstone on many occasions, been to Grand Prix there, seen in car footage from Formula Ford, Touring Cars and F1 cars, I've driven the track thousands of times on my PS2 (I know its not the same). In my estimation Silverstone is bland and featureless, and I have spoken to many fellow racing drivers who have extensive driving experience of the circuit who feel the same. It is undoubtedly very fast which can be very intimidating, the lack of features gives very little obvious turn in points unlike somewhere like Brands.
I do not wish to put a downer on the track before I have driven it, as I have said I am really looking forward to the new experience but I don't anticipate it will come in my top three circuits, 1 Brands Hatch GP circuit, 2 Donnington (never driven the Melbourn loop) and 3 Oulton Park full circuit. Each to their own, no doubt someone will say Silverstone GP circuit is far better than the others.
Incidentally, most hated circuit has to be Cadwell Park, brilliant drivers circuit if you get it right but literally lethal if you get it wrong, as I know to my cost as I ploughed into the bottom of the mountain earth bank at 90 mph, well at least I survived relatively unscathed, unlike 2 Cobra drivers who were killed in an accident a few years ago.
>> Edited by LotusElan17 on Tuesday 28th February 14:27
>> Edited by LotusElan17 on Tuesday 28th February 15:06
How do you know which you prefer if you haven't driven Silverstone? I really love Donnington but not overly impressed by the Brands Indie circuit, particularly for the price it usually is. I am looking forward to the run off at Silverstone by the looks of things. First time for me there as well.
Answer
Well I have spectated at Silverstone on many occasions, been to Grand Prix there, seen in car footage from Formula Ford, Touring Cars and F1 cars, I've driven the track thousands of times on my PS2 (I know its not the same). In my estimation Silverstone is bland and featureless, and I have spoken to many fellow racing drivers who have extensive driving experience of the circuit who feel the same. It is undoubtedly very fast which can be very intimidating, the lack of features gives very little obvious turn in points unlike somewhere like Brands.
I do not wish to put a downer on the track before I have driven it, as I have said I am really looking forward to the new experience but I don't anticipate it will come in my top three circuits, 1 Brands Hatch GP circuit, 2 Donnington (never driven the Melbourn loop) and 3 Oulton Park full circuit. Each to their own, no doubt someone will say Silverstone GP circuit is far better than the others.
Incidentally, most hated circuit has to be Cadwell Park, brilliant drivers circuit if you get it right but literally lethal if you get it wrong, as I know to my cost as I ploughed into the bottom of the mountain earth bank at 90 mph, well at least I survived relatively unscathed, unlike 2 Cobra drivers who were killed in an accident a few years ago.
>> Edited by LotusElan17 on Tuesday 28th February 14:27
>> Edited by LotusElan17 on Tuesday 28th February 15:06
Thanks for that. Very interesting, and I guess I should put in a few hours on the PS2 to get an idea of where the circuit goes if it larks any obvious markers!
I must say I was impressed by Donnington, the Craners were get it right or shat yourself stuff
PS - I assume that is BlownK you now own? Is it still running the 111S setup? Lovely car that and if it had been for sale a few months earlier I would have been very interested at what seemed a bargain price.
I must say I was impressed by Donnington, the Craners were get it right or shat yourself stuff
PS - I assume that is BlownK you now own? Is it still running the 111S setup? Lovely car that and if it had been for sale a few months earlier I would have been very interested at what seemed a bargain price.
Donnington is my fav UK circuit as well, but Silverstone is a very different sort of place where the difference between Elises and Exiges start to show as the downforce actually comes into play (doesn't really show somewhere like Brands IMHO). Silverstone is a great place to practice being smooth as it's the only way to get a very quick lap.
I don't think it's that bland or intimidating, turn in points are not difficult to find an there are several good lines round each corner as it's a big place. Definately my No 2 UK place... But nothing comes close to Spa....
I don't think it's that bland or intimidating, turn in points are not difficult to find an there are several good lines round each corner as it's a big place. Definately my No 2 UK place... But nothing comes close to Spa....
Shnozz
The comment that Silverstone has no obvious turn in points has come from other racing drivers I have spoken to, the LOT day may well have cone markers for the braking, turn-in, apex and exit points, others with previous experience will be able to advise you on that.
The PS2 F1 and TOCA games are excellant, even F1 drivers have admitted to using them to learn a circuit they have never driven on before, just remember in the real world you haven't got a reset button to make things better after you have ploughed into Bridge tyre wall at 100 mph.
Yup BlownK is indeed mine along with a couple of Elan+2's. BlownK is still running the 111s engine fitted by the previous owner, standard I believe in the region of 148bhp but with Hurricane filter and Janspeed exhaust likely to be in the region of 160bhp. Even with just 160bhp should be a match for most Exiges (well perhaps only the 190 bhp ones) since it has the lighter Elise Motorsport body. I did intend to fit a Honda with a 6 speed sequential gearbox but as my intentions are to race her in the 750MC Roadsports series which precludes anything other than original fitment this has been put on the back burner for the time being. I may just go back to my first love single seaters and use BlownK as a trackday vehicle in which case 300bhp is definitely on the cards.
Speedyellow
I agree that nothing in the UK or the rest of the world for that matter comes close to Spa well maybe the full Nurburgring. Have you actually raced or driven at Spa?, I know I would love to one day, just have to go back to my PS2 for a fix. Driven the full Nurburgring on PG3 on the XBOX360 then watched an in car video of a Porche 963 on the full circiut, the realism of the XBOX version is amazing.
>> Edited by LotusElan17 on Tuesday 28th February 15:08
The comment that Silverstone has no obvious turn in points has come from other racing drivers I have spoken to, the LOT day may well have cone markers for the braking, turn-in, apex and exit points, others with previous experience will be able to advise you on that.
The PS2 F1 and TOCA games are excellant, even F1 drivers have admitted to using them to learn a circuit they have never driven on before, just remember in the real world you haven't got a reset button to make things better after you have ploughed into Bridge tyre wall at 100 mph.
Yup BlownK is indeed mine along with a couple of Elan+2's. BlownK is still running the 111s engine fitted by the previous owner, standard I believe in the region of 148bhp but with Hurricane filter and Janspeed exhaust likely to be in the region of 160bhp. Even with just 160bhp should be a match for most Exiges (well perhaps only the 190 bhp ones) since it has the lighter Elise Motorsport body. I did intend to fit a Honda with a 6 speed sequential gearbox but as my intentions are to race her in the 750MC Roadsports series which precludes anything other than original fitment this has been put on the back burner for the time being. I may just go back to my first love single seaters and use BlownK as a trackday vehicle in which case 300bhp is definitely on the cards.
Speedyellow
I agree that nothing in the UK or the rest of the world for that matter comes close to Spa well maybe the full Nurburgring. Have you actually raced or driven at Spa?, I know I would love to one day, just have to go back to my PS2 for a fix. Driven the full Nurburgring on PG3 on the XBOX360 then watched an in car video of a Porche 963 on the full circiut, the realism of the XBOX version is amazing.
>> Edited by LotusElan17 on Tuesday 28th February 15:08
LotusElan17 said:
The PS2 F1 and TOCA games are excellant, even F1 drivers have admitted to using them to learn a circuit they have never driven on before, just remember in the real world you haven't got a reset button to make things better after you have ploughed into Bridge tyre wall at 100 mph.
no no, I have. I fitted one to the steering wheel on my Elise in case I do stuff it into the armco.
Raced at Spa a long time ago....
And I've tried all the games and sadly just seem to crash..... seem to have much more luck on real tarmac...lol
Oh and the secret with Silverstone and really and circuit you are not familiar with is pick two or three corners, have a good look at them on a plan before you head out to learn the lines and practice them, then just trundle round the rest of the lap having a very good look around but not worrying about exact lines and speeds.... then when you have the first few nailed do the same with the next two or three, again going slow round the rest and slowly round the ones you've just learnt and nail to make sure you have the lines perfect. By lunchtime you'll have a great feel for the place, where the brake points, turn ins etc are. Then go out after lunch and slowly build speed on the lines that are now second nature. This way you stand much less chance of spinning or crashing out, it's not frustrating which leads to errors and it's much easier on the car. Most race drivers do the same thing on test days when they are not used to a new circuit, get best times on the sectors and then work on stringing them all together in the best way.
>> Edited by speedyellow on Tuesday 28th February 15:30
And I've tried all the games and sadly just seem to crash..... seem to have much more luck on real tarmac...lol
Oh and the secret with Silverstone and really and circuit you are not familiar with is pick two or three corners, have a good look at them on a plan before you head out to learn the lines and practice them, then just trundle round the rest of the lap having a very good look around but not worrying about exact lines and speeds.... then when you have the first few nailed do the same with the next two or three, again going slow round the rest and slowly round the ones you've just learnt and nail to make sure you have the lines perfect. By lunchtime you'll have a great feel for the place, where the brake points, turn ins etc are. Then go out after lunch and slowly build speed on the lines that are now second nature. This way you stand much less chance of spinning or crashing out, it's not frustrating which leads to errors and it's much easier on the car. Most race drivers do the same thing on test days when they are not used to a new circuit, get best times on the sectors and then work on stringing them all together in the best way.
>> Edited by speedyellow on Tuesday 28th February 15:30
First time at a new circuit I trundle round with a track map taped to my dashboard to help with visualisation and situational awareness. Once I have that sorted I look for turn in points and then as the speed increases work down the braking zones. Some folks seem to be able to go straight out on cold tyres on a brand new circuit and large it at vmax, not I.
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