Donington Apex + Turn-in cones

[Burgerbob]

Hi All

I went on my first track day earlier this year at Oulton Park. It was a general open pit lane day where MSVT had marked out the turn-in and apex points with cones, which I found really useful. I also had an hour's tuition.

I'm looking at booking a day at Donington, and whilst I intend to see if I can arrange a 20 minute tuition slot at the start of the day to show me the best lines around the track, I found the cones really helpful.

Do all track day organisers use the cones, specifically at Donington, Javelin and MSVT (the likely organisers for the dates I'm looking at)?

Thanks in advance.

[radical78]

yes on a trackday they usually mark turn in and apex with cones but they are not all ways perfectly placed

[Steve H]

They aren't routinely used at Donny by the circuit unlike (say) Cadwell who put them out for every trackday irrespective of organiser.

Oulton put them out fo their own MSVT events but not for others (it can be done but the TDO would need to do it), I haven't been to a Donny MSVT day yet to know if they do put them out but most organisers don't use them there.

The tuition is a good plan and there's a reasonable number of visual markers that you can be taught there so learning the basic points at Donny is not too bad.

[Track_M3]

Watch something like this over and over, I also print out a map of the circuit and take notes, I still do this as a refresh even after I've been sevel time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW4v6wchRwU&t=...

Also watch pole laps of BTCC cars for example for lines ect

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5kM8DIMwJA

[Burgerbob]

Thanks all. Especially for the links, the Driver 61 guide is excellent, whilst I'm sure no substitute for proper tuition it will be a massive help. The BTCC pole lap - well, if it takes me twice as long to get round then I'll be happy!

[Mark Stevens]

I’ve done over 30 tracks days at Donington I don’t recall ever seeing cones I’m afraid.
It’s a pretty simple track to learn - plenty of practice.

[4.7]

Havent seen cones at Donny, but haven't used all the different organisers that go there. Think many of them would need to be quite an early spot in the periphery of the vision before shifting your gaze right the way over to the other side, way before you get to it - if you get what I mean?!

[HustleRussell]

The sooner you can train yourself to spot ‘natural’ reference points for turn-in, apex and exit, the better.

[Steve H]

There has been a number of changes at Donny with MSV taking over. One of them is that they had floppy uprights on most of the apexes when we were there last week.

Probably just there to keep the punters off JP's grass but they did work pretty well as markers, particularly on some of the blind brows and turns so quite helpful for novices.

[nickfrog]

Steve H said:

Probably just there to keep the punters off JP's grass .

I remember having to sign a disclaimer on the first track day after the new West 8 section at Bedford a few years ago. It said he would charge for damage to the newly seeded grass...