So I did a track eve. yesterday to shake the car down after Spa issues, did the new GP (Arena) circuit config. A great dry day, met a chap with a black NGT (not often you see them!), apart from that the usual trackday fair.![[FONT=verdana,geneva"]](/forum/styles/default/pcgb/space.gif ". [FONT=verdana,geneva\"]")
The circuit is a really challenging drive now. First change is at Club, which now leads on to the new pits. They've raised the kerbs in the left right chicane bit, which you need to keep off, but its the second bit thats tricky. The final right that leads on to the new pit straight is deceptive, and draws you in to an early apex (which is wrong), then there is abump just after the apex, which can unsettle the back. Its basically the new woodcote, ie. people have already put cars in the wall on the inside! Took quite some time to a get the line right through there. Up to new Abbey, which is about as fast as copse (although I never quite got that speed), it also has a bump just after the apex, which unsettled the car, but there is nothing to hit here! This leads to a Farm Curve, which is flat from Abbey in 4th once you have the line. Its a nice flowing section that leads to heavy brake and a hairpin righthander (Village). As this section is now new, there is very little to judge braking points, which can leave you floundering around wondering where you should be! Village leads to another hairpin (left) called the loop, which is abit fidgety, but leads out on to a lovely sweeping left (Aintree), this needs another careful line so you dont run out of space on the exit, and again for now is very featureless. But satisfying to get right. Then you back on the National straight and of course you arrive at the end much faster that you otherwise would. The new section doesnt have the drama of the Bridge section, but adds quite a lot to the lap, and is a quite flowing in many ways. Of course as its designed for F1 you really have to get the line right and try very hard to feel like you are using all of the circuit - to be honest, I never really got to that point in a 2.5hr open pitlane session. So plenty more to come. The other disadvantage is with such a long lap, you will catch slower traffic at some point, and in the sweeping sections, you 're stuck. However, I thought it suited our cars quite well. Car stood up well, although I'm still not happy with the brakes, will bleed fluid and check pads - its probably all in my head though!
The circuit is a really challenging drive now. First change is at Club, which now leads on to the new pits. They've raised the kerbs in the left right chicane bit, which you need to keep off, but its the second bit thats tricky. The final right that leads on to the new pit straight is deceptive, and draws you in to an early apex (which is wrong), then there is abump just after the apex, which can unsettle the back. Its basically the new woodcote, ie. people have already put cars in the wall on the inside! Took quite some time to a get the line right through there. Up to new Abbey, which is about as fast as copse (although I never quite got that speed), it also has a bump just after the apex, which unsettled the car, but there is nothing to hit here! This leads to a Farm Curve, which is flat from Abbey in 4th once you have the line. Its a nice flowing section that leads to heavy brake and a hairpin righthander (Village). As this section is now new, there is very little to judge braking points, which can leave you floundering around wondering where you should be! Village leads to another hairpin (left) called the loop, which is abit fidgety, but leads out on to a lovely sweeping left (Aintree), this needs another careful line so you dont run out of space on the exit, and again for now is very featureless. But satisfying to get right. Then you back on the National straight and of course you arrive at the end much faster that you otherwise would. The new section doesnt have the drama of the Bridge section, but adds quite a lot to the lap, and is a quite flowing in many ways. Of course as its designed for F1 you really have to get the line right and try very hard to feel like you are using all of the circuit - to be honest, I never really got to that point in a 2.5hr open pitlane session. So plenty more to come. The other disadvantage is with such a long lap, you will catch slower traffic at some point, and in the sweeping sections, you 're stuck. However, I thought it suited our cars quite well. Car stood up well, although I'm still not happy with the brakes, will bleed fluid and check pads - its probably all in my head though!
] ) so the evening was full.
