French trackdays
Discussion
Afte years coaching on uk trackdays my trip to France at the weekend was a bit of a culture change :-)
Turn up to circuit and sign on. Same as usual.
See sign behind desk. You don't buy a 'day', you pay per session. In this case 35 euros for the first one and 20 euros per session thereafter.
You are given a piece of paper with your session times on and you give this to the pit exit marshal before entering the track.
Briefing consisted of an A board in the pit lane with the red and yellow flags on and what to do when you see them.
Race cars, road cars, stopwatches, beacons, kids running around in the paddock. Go pros on suction mounts
How did the day run? Fine actually. No red flags or major moments that I saw. Hardly, after you sir when it comes to overtaking but to be honest if you've done an RMA day then you wouldn't have an issue.
To be honest the only thing I didn't like was the behaviour in the paddock - Donut attempts near parked cars and people are not a good idea IMHO ! And the couple of people that did it got shouted at by the others in the paddock.
Anyway here's a lap from the circuit pole mechanique - about 90 mins from marseille
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0gDW-pQb2w&fea...
Do I think that the way UK trackdays are run is over the top? No. I think the controlled way we do things is very good and is far less intimidating for newer drivers. It was fascinating to see common sense left to its own devices however.
Turn up to circuit and sign on. Same as usual.
See sign behind desk. You don't buy a 'day', you pay per session. In this case 35 euros for the first one and 20 euros per session thereafter.
You are given a piece of paper with your session times on and you give this to the pit exit marshal before entering the track.
Briefing consisted of an A board in the pit lane with the red and yellow flags on and what to do when you see them.
Race cars, road cars, stopwatches, beacons, kids running around in the paddock. Go pros on suction mounts
How did the day run? Fine actually. No red flags or major moments that I saw. Hardly, after you sir when it comes to overtaking but to be honest if you've done an RMA day then you wouldn't have an issue.
To be honest the only thing I didn't like was the behaviour in the paddock - Donut attempts near parked cars and people are not a good idea IMHO ! And the couple of people that did it got shouted at by the others in the paddock.
Anyway here's a lap from the circuit pole mechanique - about 90 mins from marseille
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0gDW-pQb2w&fea...
Do I think that the way UK trackdays are run is over the top? No. I think the controlled way we do things is very good and is far less intimidating for newer drivers. It was fascinating to see common sense left to its own devices however.
That sounds worse than I've been on, certainly in terms of briefing at least.... Paddock behaviour has been OK, over taking is by power and speed, not consent.
Kids as passengers, yep, seen that too and not too keen really.
Here's another Caterham at the same circuit, a slightly different event but a great drive and a good watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pi9gvLFNkrQ&fea...
Kids as passengers, yep, seen that too and not too keen really.
Here's another Caterham at the same circuit, a slightly different event but a great drive and a good watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pi9gvLFNkrQ&fea...
I have a local track http://www.circuit-valdevienne.fr/ and have done a couple of track days. It is like what the OP describes.
But i found a few young fellas were trying to drift while i was approaching them at speeds of 120mph plus. I ended up just taking the bend slowly and often lost my rythem.
Club track days are different i found. Very well sorted ,good instruction and of course a nice lunch.
But i found a few young fellas were trying to drift while i was approaching them at speeds of 120mph plus. I ended up just taking the bend slowly and often lost my rythem.
Club track days are different i found. Very well sorted ,good instruction and of course a nice lunch.
magooagain said:
I have a local track http://www.circuit-valdevienne.fr/ and have done a couple of track days. It is like what the OP describes.
But i found a few young fellas were trying to drift while i was approaching them at speeds of 120mph plus. I ended up just taking the bend slowly and often lost my rythem.
Club track days are different i found. Very well sorted ,good instruction and of course a nice lunch.
As you're not 'that' far away from Mornay, ever been?But i found a few young fellas were trying to drift while i was approaching them at speeds of 120mph plus. I ended up just taking the bend slowly and often lost my rythem.
Club track days are different i found. Very well sorted ,good instruction and of course a nice lunch.
Stedman said:
magooagain said:
I have a local track http://www.circuit-valdevienne.fr/ and have done a couple of track days. It is like what the OP describes.
But i found a few young fellas were trying to drift while i was approaching them at speeds of 120mph plus. I ended up just taking the bend slowly and often lost my rythem.
Club track days are different i found. Very well sorted ,good instruction and of course a nice lunch.
As you're not 'that' far away from Mornay, ever been?But i found a few young fellas were trying to drift while i was approaching them at speeds of 120mph plus. I ended up just taking the bend slowly and often lost my rythem.
Club track days are different i found. Very well sorted ,good instruction and of course a nice lunch.
Having a BEC that is fast under breaking and in corners but with no great umph on a straight, I detest the pass-on-a-straight-if-you-can and non-use of mirrors you often find in France. My worst day last year was a Galliardo and a Charger at Magny-Cours Club. LoT days make for a sensible balance.
Fortunately, drifting seems to have become less of a problem now, but gave me a hell of a shock when I started doing TDs in France.
I will be looking to vist Mornay in 2013; I enjoy super-Kart tracks.
On the whole, I prefer the ordered approach of UK TDOs, sensibly applied rules benefit most and only diadvantage the donkeys.
Fortunately, drifting seems to have become less of a problem now, but gave me a hell of a shock when I started doing TDs in France.
I will be looking to vist Mornay in 2013; I enjoy super-Kart tracks.
On the whole, I prefer the ordered approach of UK TDOs, sensibly applied rules benefit most and only diadvantage the donkeys.
Stedman said:
As you're not 'that' far away from Mornay, ever been?
I finally got to Mornay yesterday, it had to be the wettest day since I moved to France 8 years ago. On the really twisty bits, the rain was so heavy, there not enough wind pressure to clear my visor.I look forward to doing it again some day in the dry. The owners are able to change the configuration quickly, so that helps to make things more interesting.
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