Donnington Park for a Newby?
Discussion
Pcgb days are normally very well run and have a good safety record....
Only thing is watch out for fast cars coming down the straight when before first corner.
I would suggest taking some instruction at Donny as I did. I would never have found the faith take take craner as you are supposed to unless there was someone sitting next to me who clearly did not have a total deathwish.
Only thing is watch out for fast cars coming down the straight when before first corner.
I would suggest taking some instruction at Donny as I did. I would never have found the faith take take craner as you are supposed to unless there was someone sitting next to me who clearly did not have a total deathwish.
I would say Donington is fine for a beginner, but you should get an instructor early in the day.
Paul (above) is referring to the Craner curves, a fabulous downhill section that tests your bollox.
I suppose Bedford is the ultimate place for beginners, but it isn't the law that you go there for your first track day. One thing against it is that the GT circuit is 3.6 miles long and takes longer to learn/memorise than Donington National, which is half the length. Plus there are fewer landmarks at Bedford which doesn't help you earn it. It is a little soulless as well, Donington isn't.
Paul (above) is referring to the Craner curves, a fabulous downhill section that tests your bollox.
I suppose Bedford is the ultimate place for beginners, but it isn't the law that you go there for your first track day. One thing against it is that the GT circuit is 3.6 miles long and takes longer to learn/memorise than Donington National, which is half the length. Plus there are fewer landmarks at Bedford which doesn't help you earn it. It is a little soulless as well, Donington isn't.
Probably one of my favourite UK tracks and I have over 1000 laps under my belt.
From the S/F line...
Into Redgates which is wide but beyond 90deg. Be very tight on the left edge of the track and think of your exit as a curve that just gets less and less tight. This is because Regates flows in Hollywood which is a very fast right handers with a short straight before you get to Craner.
Craner is one of the most exciting stretches of track in the world. You turn left, over a crest and go down a hill to the slowest bend on the circuit. The secret is to turn in late and get on the power as you do. If you turn in early, you will run out of track on the right hand side, be trailing the throttle as the grass approaches and will spin off, most likely into the gravel on the left hand side of the track. By staying on the power through the upper section of the hill, you will control the back ends design to come around, as the car gets unweighted. When practiced, you can hold the car slightly out of shape for three quarters of the hill, lifting towards the bottom, allowing the back to come out a bit more, placing you towards the left side whilst scrubbing speed and now straightening up ready for braking. If really good, you will unweight the back under braking and power slide through Old Hairpin, using the concrete on the left.
The left bend is very fast and brings you into one of the most important bends on the circuit for a good lap time. The tendancy is to carry so much speed through the fast left hander that you will be on the right hand side coming up to Macleans, a very slow right hander. Don't. Ensure that your exit puts you in a straight line to your turn in point for Macleans, which will be tight on the left hand side. Get the braking done as you travel towards the turn in point and open this bend out as much as you dare but hold a good smooth line. Getting this corner right can be worth nearly 2 seconds because of the extra speed it will give you on exit.
The next corner is blind but faster than you think. There is no substitute for practice here and pushing your speed each lap to a level you are comfortable with.
After the Dunlop Straight is the Esses back to the start finish. The first section is slightly downhill and your speed through here will increase during the day, as its always faster than it first looks. A word of caution though. The exit to the second S, the left hander, has Armco on the right and a concrete wall on the left. I have seen some very expensive exotica fail to make any impression at all on the concrete wall, as the back has come round and it has smashed into it.
Back to Regates and be mindfull that your brakes will still be very hot after the Esses. This is also somewhere that you might get pad knock off in a car with high mileage wheel bearings. Be ready to double pump if this is possible. I've seen people cross the blue line and use the end of the pit lane exit, to get further left but it runs out as your turn in point approaches and doesn't seem any advantage. Steve or one of the other racers will be answer better.
A really great circuit and despite all of my time there, I will never tire of the feeling of losing all grip as I go over the crest into Cranner, pedal mashed into the carpet 120+ on the speedo.
If your instructors include a Scottish guy, Rob Mac, try and get some laps with him. He is good mate and its his local circuit.
From the S/F line...
Into Redgates which is wide but beyond 90deg. Be very tight on the left edge of the track and think of your exit as a curve that just gets less and less tight. This is because Regates flows in Hollywood which is a very fast right handers with a short straight before you get to Craner.
Craner is one of the most exciting stretches of track in the world. You turn left, over a crest and go down a hill to the slowest bend on the circuit. The secret is to turn in late and get on the power as you do. If you turn in early, you will run out of track on the right hand side, be trailing the throttle as the grass approaches and will spin off, most likely into the gravel on the left hand side of the track. By staying on the power through the upper section of the hill, you will control the back ends design to come around, as the car gets unweighted. When practiced, you can hold the car slightly out of shape for three quarters of the hill, lifting towards the bottom, allowing the back to come out a bit more, placing you towards the left side whilst scrubbing speed and now straightening up ready for braking. If really good, you will unweight the back under braking and power slide through Old Hairpin, using the concrete on the left.
The left bend is very fast and brings you into one of the most important bends on the circuit for a good lap time. The tendancy is to carry so much speed through the fast left hander that you will be on the right hand side coming up to Macleans, a very slow right hander. Don't. Ensure that your exit puts you in a straight line to your turn in point for Macleans, which will be tight on the left hand side. Get the braking done as you travel towards the turn in point and open this bend out as much as you dare but hold a good smooth line. Getting this corner right can be worth nearly 2 seconds because of the extra speed it will give you on exit.
The next corner is blind but faster than you think. There is no substitute for practice here and pushing your speed each lap to a level you are comfortable with.
After the Dunlop Straight is the Esses back to the start finish. The first section is slightly downhill and your speed through here will increase during the day, as its always faster than it first looks. A word of caution though. The exit to the second S, the left hander, has Armco on the right and a concrete wall on the left. I have seen some very expensive exotica fail to make any impression at all on the concrete wall, as the back has come round and it has smashed into it.
Back to Regates and be mindfull that your brakes will still be very hot after the Esses. This is also somewhere that you might get pad knock off in a car with high mileage wheel bearings. Be ready to double pump if this is possible. I've seen people cross the blue line and use the end of the pit lane exit, to get further left but it runs out as your turn in point approaches and doesn't seem any advantage. Steve or one of the other racers will be answer better.
A really great circuit and despite all of my time there, I will never tire of the feeling of losing all grip as I go over the crest into Cranner, pedal mashed into the carpet 120+ on the speedo.
If your instructors include a Scottish guy, Rob Mac, try and get some laps with him. He is good mate and its his local circuit.
tat said:
Yes, I would say Donington is fine as PCGB divide drivers into three categories; the first being novices.
I thought most of the PCGB days are open pit lane. I guess it won't make much differnce.
Yes, the 2 track days to Doony I went on with PCGB last year were (thankfully) open pitlane. The novices get to do sighting laps for the first hour of the day, or something like that.
I would only ever do an open pit lane event, at any circuit.
Sessions are a nightmare because they instantly become 15/20 minute races, whatever experience group you are in.
Open pit lane means people can come and go, don't have to be ready at a set time (or lose their run for that hour) and it means that people will stay out for as long as they feel comfortable and their car feels OK.
I have been on plenty of 20 minute sessions with people who had brakes that would never last more than 10 minutes. Late in the afternoon, people who are tired, with cars that are tired, feel obliged to go out again, as its 'their session'.
Give me open pit lane any day. More relaxed, safer, more laps for those that have prepped their cars/prepped themselves, much less chance of being stuck at the back of a 10 car crocodile for 10 minutes.
Sessions are a nightmare because they instantly become 15/20 minute races, whatever experience group you are in.
Open pit lane means people can come and go, don't have to be ready at a set time (or lose their run for that hour) and it means that people will stay out for as long as they feel comfortable and their car feels OK.
I have been on plenty of 20 minute sessions with people who had brakes that would never last more than 10 minutes. Late in the afternoon, people who are tired, with cars that are tired, feel obliged to go out again, as its 'their session'.
Give me open pit lane any day. More relaxed, safer, more laps for those that have prepped their cars/prepped themselves, much less chance of being stuck at the back of a 10 car crocodile for 10 minutes.
Raven Flyer said:
I would only ever do an open pit lane event, at any circuit.
Sessions are a nightmare because they instantly become 15/20 minute races, whatever experience group you are in.
Open pit lane means people can come and go, don't have to be ready at a set time (or lose their run for that hour) and it means that people will stay out for as long as they feel comfortable and their car feels OK.
I have been on plenty of 20 minute sessions with people who had brakes that would never last more than 10 minutes. Late in the afternoon, people who are tired, with cars that are tired, feel obliged to go out again, as its 'their session'.
Give me open pit lane any day. More relaxed, safer, more laps for those that have prepped their cars/prepped themselves, much less chance of being stuck at the back of a 10 car crocodile for 10 minutes.
Very well put & particularly relevant for Donnington as the circuit run their own track days which are always run in sessions and the two times I've been has always resulted in carnage. Open pit lane only is the way to go...
Mr Piper, I am going to Donny this Sunday as there is a Trackzone event and you can turn up on the day.
If you want a run round just find a slate grey GT2 sporting lovely new Alcon brakes....
Its my local track....so i can either drive you around or sit with you...
Oh by the way its probably the second best cct for getting away with high speed off's, its wide and they usually use the short cct (cheaper for marshalls) only two places to get hurt.
1. Bottom of craner
2. Start / finish straight near pit entrance
Basically don't push there and you will be fine
If you want a run round just find a slate grey GT2 sporting lovely new Alcon brakes....
Its my local track....so i can either drive you around or sit with you...
Oh by the way its probably the second best cct for getting away with high speed off's, its wide and they usually use the short cct (cheaper for marshalls) only two places to get hurt.
1. Bottom of craner
2. Start / finish straight near pit entrance
Basically don't push there and you will be fine
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