Has anyone driven Donington Park ?
Discussion
A great circuit. Take it nice & steady ad don`t worry too much about what other people are doing out there, just go at your own pace.
The Craner curves are memorable, as you turn left down the hill make sure you make the apex on the left and as you turn in allow the car to settle down, don`t try and tighten the corner up. On the exit towards old hairpin don`t worry about forcing the car over to the left hand side of the circuit. That`s why most people spin and it`s a high speed spin !
Have fun
Henry
Donnington is a great track, although its one of the few i've been on! Craner curves is amazing, plenty of people bottle it though and lift off which I feel makes the situation worse. I personally keep it floored and I feel it keeps all 4 tyres connected with the tarmac!
Could never get Coppice right though, always turned too sharply or started sliding :s
Could never get Coppice right though, always turned too sharply or started sliding :s
Seany88 said:
Donnington is a great track, although its one of the few i've been on! Craner curves is amazing, plenty of people bottle it though and lift off which I feel makes the situation worse. I personally keep it floored and I feel it keeps all 4 tyres connected with the tarmac!
Could never get Coppice right though, always turned too sharply or started sliding :s
Could never get Coppice right though, always turned too sharply or started sliding :s
To spare a new year`s eve repair don`t try and run flat from Redgate - Hollywood - Craner. You won`t be able to. Like Eau Rouge at Spa it`s one of those corners that "real men" take flat "real world" (with a data logger attached so you can`t tell fibs) don`t - depending on the car of course. The reality is at best a lift as you turn into Craner from the small kerb on the right hand side which appears as the car continues it`s exit (flat out) through Hollywood then once you`re happy the car is settled power through the Craners.
Obviously if you aren`t flat out exiting Redgate and don`t hold your foot flat through Hollywood then you will approach Craners slower. I would still advocate making sure the car is fully set and that left hand apex clipped before opening up all six barrels.
Have fun and keep it on the tarmac.
Henry
kickstart said:
It is a great circuit and I will be out there in a nice GT3 on the 29th. As many people will tell you when wet or even damp the circuit gets very slippery which I have been told relates to aviation fuel getting deposited on the track.
Have fun
Any chance of a high speed passenger ride ? It will be nice to know what i need to aspire to!
Hi Smiffack993,
click on this link and bring up the pdf for the national circuit, it will help to make more sense of what has been said. Donington is one of the best circuits in the country and once you get the hang of it the circuit really flows.
www.donington-park.co.uk/maps/
Don't worry about how fast you can go or aspiring to a quick lap, just enjoy, get the feel of the car and build your speed slowly. The chances are it will be slippery and the added fuel dropped from the planes flying into east midlands airport does not help. Avoid the grass as when its wet and you hit the wet grass it will increase your speed.
That all said you'll have a great time and here are a few tips.
As you exit the pit lane you'll head to Redgate, apex the corner late ie. if you think of the corner as a 90 degree right hander then you need to be touching the inside curb on your right after the 45 degree mark. If its wet or damp stay of the kerbs as they too will be slippery. You'll then head to down Hollywood and into the Craner Curves. Hollywood is like a threepenny bit right hander and drops down hill and it is blind and the left shown as Craner on the map is the important one to apex to avoid running wide on the exit. Go slower through Hollywood to make sure you get the apex at Craner. You cannot take it flat even in the dry with a standard 993. You'll feel the right to left weight change and don't be afraid to dab the brakes after the right before going for the left just to settle the car before you turn in.
Old Hairpin is deceiveing and looks a lot tighter than it is with quite a lot of room on the exit, bring the car back over to the right hand side of the track to take a lateish apex into the left hander called Starkeys and again for the left into Schwantz Curve. Get you brakeing done with before you take the right into Mcleans which is another very late apex. Coppice is a double apex right hander that you approach from Mcleans and you need to be tight on both apex's on your right and then you can afford to let the car run a little wide onto the Dunlop Straight.
Don't worry if you miss your braking point for the Chicane as you can head straight on and make a U turn. ie don't panick and try and make the Chicane if you are carrying to much speed. Again late apex the right and then the left onto the start finish straight.
Follow the general principle of slow in and fast out, get your braking done with before each corner and be smooth and gentle with both steering, brakes and accelerator. As I have said to a good mate of mine on track days the accelerator is not an on off switch with just these two positions. I've won a fair few races at Donington Park in 911's over the years so I know a little bit about what works. Be safe and enjoy Graeme
click on this link and bring up the pdf for the national circuit, it will help to make more sense of what has been said. Donington is one of the best circuits in the country and once you get the hang of it the circuit really flows.
www.donington-park.co.uk/maps/
Don't worry about how fast you can go or aspiring to a quick lap, just enjoy, get the feel of the car and build your speed slowly. The chances are it will be slippery and the added fuel dropped from the planes flying into east midlands airport does not help. Avoid the grass as when its wet and you hit the wet grass it will increase your speed.
That all said you'll have a great time and here are a few tips.
As you exit the pit lane you'll head to Redgate, apex the corner late ie. if you think of the corner as a 90 degree right hander then you need to be touching the inside curb on your right after the 45 degree mark. If its wet or damp stay of the kerbs as they too will be slippery. You'll then head to down Hollywood and into the Craner Curves. Hollywood is like a threepenny bit right hander and drops down hill and it is blind and the left shown as Craner on the map is the important one to apex to avoid running wide on the exit. Go slower through Hollywood to make sure you get the apex at Craner. You cannot take it flat even in the dry with a standard 993. You'll feel the right to left weight change and don't be afraid to dab the brakes after the right before going for the left just to settle the car before you turn in.
Old Hairpin is deceiveing and looks a lot tighter than it is with quite a lot of room on the exit, bring the car back over to the right hand side of the track to take a lateish apex into the left hander called Starkeys and again for the left into Schwantz Curve. Get you brakeing done with before you take the right into Mcleans which is another very late apex. Coppice is a double apex right hander that you approach from Mcleans and you need to be tight on both apex's on your right and then you can afford to let the car run a little wide onto the Dunlop Straight.
Don't worry if you miss your braking point for the Chicane as you can head straight on and make a U turn. ie don't panick and try and make the Chicane if you are carrying to much speed. Again late apex the right and then the left onto the start finish straight.
Follow the general principle of slow in and fast out, get your braking done with before each corner and be smooth and gentle with both steering, brakes and accelerator. As I have said to a good mate of mine on track days the accelerator is not an on off switch with just these two positions. I've won a fair few races at Donington Park in 911's over the years so I know a little bit about what works. Be safe and enjoy Graeme
If it rains it gets very slippery up at Mcleans and Coppice.
The first bend is always tighter than you think
Watch the weight moving around the car if you're trying to get over to the left ready for the old hairpin after the craner curves.
You can go through the old hairpin much quicker than you think! Just get the thing turned in and sweep through.
enjoy
The first bend is always tighter than you think
Watch the weight moving around the car if you're trying to get over to the left ready for the old hairpin after the craner curves.
You can go through the old hairpin much quicker than you think! Just get the thing turned in and sweep through.
enjoy
RobM77 said:
If it rains it gets very slippery up at Mcleans and Coppice.
The first bend is always tighter than you think
Watch the weight moving around the car if you're trying to get over to the left ready for the old hairpin after the craner curves.
You can go through the old hairpin much quicker than you think! Just get the thing turned in and sweep through.
enjoy
Totally agree about the "hairpin" - it ain't! You can carry a lot of speed through there. Lovely fast track, plenty of runoff, you'll love it!The first bend is always tighter than you think
Watch the weight moving around the car if you're trying to get over to the left ready for the old hairpin after the craner curves.
You can go through the old hairpin much quicker than you think! Just get the thing turned in and sweep through.
enjoy
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