The Great Corners

[smiller]

If this is a re-post, apologies (I thought that searching for threads with the word "corner" in them would result in 2,000,000 hits....)

Anyway.

Even if you haven't driven them, there are legendary corners that - when watching drivers / riders negotiate them - you think, "fooking hell", close one eye, squint with the other, and think about hiding behind a cushion.

Some may be no more than a memory now, others in use weekly during the year, others on circuits that no longer exist.

My non-exhaustive list, and in no order whatsoever:

Tamburello (the original, prior to Senna's shunt)
Ostkurve (WSB used to use it without the chicane; fast, sweeping, positive-camber right hander)
130R (!!!!!)
Schwedenkreutz (even on GT4 it gives me the willies)
Dingle Dell (straight-lining a chicane at 120+ prior to re-modelling)
Church (140-odd on a BSB machine?!??! Too scary)
Curva Grande (the best corner on one of the oldest tracks in use)
Blanchimont (flat stick. always has been. hopefully always will)
Masta Kink (imagine driving a 917K through a left-right at 170+!!!!)
Southern Loop (fall off here on a bike, and end up in the Tasman Sea)
Waterfall (blind, fast, with a drop off exactly at the apex)
Corkscrew ('nuff said)

If I've missed some (and I know I have), maybe you can fill in the blanks.........

[stifler]

Paddock hill bend. Brands Hatch

Avon rise to quarry corner. Castle Combe

The Mountain. Cadwell Park

The old eau rouge (1960s version)

Pflanzgarten.

The old woodcote

The old turn 1 at interlagos.

The current becketts complex at silverstone.

[GravelBen]

The mountain sections of Bathurst - from The Cutting right through to The Dipper and Forrest Elbow

Edited by GravelBen on Sunday 22 February 06:14

[Derek Smith]

I stood at the pit exit at Spa and the whole glory of Eau Rouge was clear to see. It was stunning, almost like a wall. And this was the 2005 version. It was unfortunate that I had to move before any racing started but even in the stands the drama of it is obvious. I saw a GT40 go through it (in a supporting race) with the rear end seeming to want to be somewhere else. And nearly making it. For me one of the top 5.

Another is Bridge. The cars appear over the rise at speed, the bit of negative G apparent in the twitching, and then, often without slowing, the cars are thrown into the bend. I've seen overtakes there that defy logic, not to mention good sense. Another of my top 5.

What makes a great corner? For me there has to be speed. A driver with committment must have a distinct advantage over one with just a smidgen of sense.

It might be an idea to restrict this thread as if the power that is in F1 reads it he will change such bends into a four lane motorway bend. Let's face it, too much excitement must be eliminated from F1.

I like Clearways because it can catch out the unwary or overconfident. I saw two Mercedes in WSC collide there despite the topic of coversation in the crowd being the danger of the two running so close together through such a dangerous bend. It ruined what might have been an exciting race but the feeling of superiority it gave us over such overconfident drivers almost made it worthwhile. Not sure I could justify putting it in the top 10 but it is such a deceptive, demanding little bend. I think it can just creep into the definition of great.

[stifler]

GravelBen said:

The mountain sections of Bathurst - from The Cutting right through to The Dipper and Forrest Elbow

Edited by GravelBen on Sunday 22 February 06:14

[Hartge210]

stifler said:

GravelBen said:

The mountain sections of Bathurst - from The Cutting right through to The Dipper and Forrest Elbow

Edited by GravelBen on Sunday 22 February 06:14

[Hunttheshunt]

Indianapolis and the Porsche Curves.

[Hugh Jass]

Hartge210 said:

stifler said:

GravelBen said:

The mountain sections of Bathurst - from The Cutting right through to The Dipper and Forrest Elbow

Edited by GravelBen on Sunday 22 February 06:14

[jonnylayze]

The Gate at Wiscombe Park - approach up a pretty straight road about 1 1/2 cars wide, over an off centre hump with a long grassy drop to the left hand side, turn in and flick it through a gateway with trees both sides.

This shot of a mini is taken about 20 yards beyond the exit of the corner.



Its an awesome corner - I have a very flattering picture of me opposite locking through it in my Westfield.

[micron750]

Castle Combe's old Paddock corner before the circuit was changed,it took real balls to take it flat.

Now it has to be Quarry as the entry from Avon Rise is so quick its easy to get it wrong and end up in the wall oops

[smiller]

Remembered another today.

Salzburgring. On the back section, Mick Doohan said there was his favourite corner. The approach is uphill at 190+, right hand kink, over a slight crest. The bike - at that speed - wants to go straight on (gyroscopic forces etc). So. He's forcing the bike to turn right, whilst going light over the crest, with a stone wall on the left, and a huge drop off on his right

[308mate]

GravelBen said:

The mountain sections of Bathurst - from The Cutting right through to The Dipper and Forrest Elbow

Edited by GravelBen on Sunday 22 February 06:14

With special mention for Skyline

[shalmaneser]

Derek Smith said:

I stood at the pit exit at Spa and the whole glory of Eau Rouge was clear to see. It was stunning, almost like a wall. And this was the 2005 version. It was unfortunate that I had to move before any racing started but even in the stands the drama of it is obvious. I saw a GT40 go through it (in a supporting race) with the rear end seeming to want to be somewhere else. And nearly making it. For me one of the top 5.

I've not made the pilgrimage to Spa yet, but certainly intend to do so if only to see this corner. I've only ever had experience of it in racing games, but bloody hell in my game of the moment (Racedriver: GRID - excellent game) it really is quite something hitting that corner flat out.

Hopefully one day I'll be able to do it for real!

[GravelBen]

Actually thinking about corners only experienced in racing games - the first right-hander (drops away over a crest) after the start/finish line at Kyalami then the long, fast, fast, long left-hand sequence following it...

No idea how scary it is in real life though.

ETA: On board with Mansell here, right near the end:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErKae7HDWKY&fea...

Edited by GravelBen on Monday 23 February 08:56

[MikeDH]

I've run up Eau Rouge - not easy! I've also had the privilege of working behind the tyre barriers there, on both sides. It's pretty interesting!

Indianapolis at Le Mans is a good one. That scares me on computer games! Especially when you've driven the normal road, and know how narrow and bumpy it is.

[Muzzlehatch]

micron750 said:

Castle Combe's old Paddock corner before the circuit was changed,it took real balls to take it flat.

Other "flat out if it feels right" corners:
Island Bend - Oulton Park
Goodwood and Church - Thruxton
Klostertal - Nordschleife
Pflantzgarten 2 and 3 - Nordschleife
Jim Clark Esses and Barcroft - Croft
Craner Curves - Donington Park
Bridge - Silverstone
Bomb Hole - Snetterton

[FourWheelDrift]

The recently named Michael Schumacher S (formally the Michelin Kurve), the left right uphill sweep out of the Dunlop hairpin at the Nurburgring. In a quick car if you take that flat out you know it's a good lap. It's where Hamilton suffered the tyre failure in in 07. It's like the first part of Becketts, but you aren't slowing down after going through it.

And one of the few corners to be named in honour of a recent champion that isn't a chicane.

[drakart]

Gooseneck - Cadwell Park. If attacked properly, probably the scariest corner/chicane in Britain

[ph123]

Fuchsrohre or Kallenhard, or Schwedenkreutz come to that.
Pouhon though ...

[hunter 66]

Apparently from an old friend who was a Designer (F1), Senna favorite was Pouhon especially before the tarmac run off