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. 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!
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New Circuit Driven: Silverstone Arena
- Thread starter h_____
- Start date
DSCBoy
New member
I raced on it with the FIA GT meeting... and to be honest I don't like it because they've taken away Bridge etc... but I will concede that they've created some good corners.
Although tightening club isn't one of them! We were told by Clerk of the Course just to use all the run-off there as it was impossibly cr*p otherwise!!! So 4 wheels off circuit every lap. But you do seem to hit the bump more if u early apex as opposed to doing the "proper" line.
New Abbey is very quick, dab brakes down to 4th and thru so as H says, very similar to Copse, but if you carry the pace thru Abbey, Farm is only just flat for us with no aero.... car moving around a lot.
Next 2 corners are a waste of everyones time, tyres and brakes. But pretty easy to arrive at Village going to quickly and miss apex.
Aintree is as noted, a nice corner. Requires suitable bravery to carry pace onto the long National straight and the dirt/mud combo on the outside is lethal if you drop outside wheels onto it.
All in all, not terrible but not sure it's a huge improvement and I do wonder if it's been designed so the BRDC members don't have to wander too far from their campsite in order to see the F1 cars...
Cheers
Rick
Although tightening club isn't one of them! We were told by Clerk of the Course just to use all the run-off there as it was impossibly cr*p otherwise!!! So 4 wheels off circuit every lap. But you do seem to hit the bump more if u early apex as opposed to doing the "proper" line.
New Abbey is very quick, dab brakes down to 4th and thru so as H says, very similar to Copse, but if you carry the pace thru Abbey, Farm is only just flat for us with no aero.... car moving around a lot.
Next 2 corners are a waste of everyones time, tyres and brakes. But pretty easy to arrive at Village going to quickly and miss apex.
Aintree is as noted, a nice corner. Requires suitable bravery to carry pace onto the long National straight and the dirt/mud combo on the outside is lethal if you drop outside wheels onto it.
All in all, not terrible but not sure it's a huge improvement and I do wonder if it's been designed so the BRDC members don't have to wander too far from their campsite in order to see the F1 cars...
Cheers
Rick
Hi Rick, I can relate to your comments, BUT it does sound like you were more on the pace than I was. I'm afraid I wasnt happy running over the exit on Club, as I found it a bit dusty. Also your comment about the bump, suggests I've still not got that line right - which is good info. As I read your comments on Abbey, I'm think that I certainly wasnt fast enought through there, again, I've probably not got the line right yet. Again did you not get unsettled by the bump (I wonder if I'm doing something wrong there too). Also I wasnt troubling the dirt on the exit of Aintree, so again, probably not trying hard enough!!! Out of interest, what times where you doing? I have the feeling, that a full on lap is going to be quite quick, I'm sure there is a lot of time to be found if you use all the circuit. Oh and do you think BRDC members camp? I figured they turned up in Bentley Rs and XJRs, after staying a local spa hotel Hugh
Steve Brookes
Moderator
Thanks for insights guys. Sounds like I'd better get an instructor on the forthcoming PCGB trackday to show me the way round.
ORIGINAL: Damen
Steve
I believe the PCGB day will be using the old GP circuit and not the new layout.
Damen
Correct!
Steve Brookes
Moderator
ORIGINAL: Melv
ORIGINAL: Damen
Steve
I believe the PCGB day will be using the old GP circuit and not the new layout.
Damen
Correct!
In that case I can't say I'm too unhappy about swapping the new for a bit of the old Bridge []. I think ChrisW has booked it too. See you there Damen []
Steve Brookes
Moderator
ORIGINAL: madmoog
When is it Steve, I might come along for the ride []
Tuesday 27th July for the PCGB day at Silverstone. I'm also at Rockingham on Saturday 14th August (Bookatrack) - I can get you a discount code for that one if you're interested? []
DSCBoy
New member
Err, didn't notice bump at Abbey... and we didn't really get to the dirt on exit of Farm as you've got to get back to the left so you can't use everything on the exit IMHO. Should be flat for most I'd guess but was def. a little bit of a deep breath which is fun.
BRDC have a great big campsite at "The Farm" which they park 400ft RV's on for the GP... as I said, suspiciously well placed for the new section of track ;-)
Glad to hear there is still opportunities to run on the GP circuit... enjoy it!!!!
And we were doing around 2m18's fyg.... 400bhp, 1250kg on slicks.
Cheers
Rick
BRDC have a great big campsite at "The Farm" which they park 400ft RV's on for the GP... as I said, suspiciously well placed for the new section of track ;-)
Glad to hear there is still opportunities to run on the GP circuit... enjoy it!!!!
And we were doing around 2m18's fyg.... 400bhp, 1250kg on slicks.
Cheers
Rick
Thought it was going to be another "wrong line thing", I have noticed that bump at club is far more noticable in the 964 than a slightly softer (but still race preped 911).
2:18!!!!! Even with 400bhp that's mighty. I can see how I would find anything close to the other 15-20secs Rick.
2:18!!!!! Even with 400bhp that's mighty. I can see how I would find anything close to the other 15-20secs Rick.
I am also booked in for PCGB event and I am pleased that it is on the old circuit. Will the old circuit be dug up one day or will ir always remain as an option. I gather that the new layout is to suit the Moto GP boys which is fair enough but probably not as Porsche friendly?
Ian
Ian
DSCBoy
New member
ORIGINAL: h_____
Its not bad as a porsche circuit, I understand the old circuit will remain. so they can run, national, international, old GP, Arena GP and south circuit, and stowe. Not bad really.
Think they are going to struggle to run International... that's been firmly dug up... National seems to still be there as do old GP, classic GP, some sort of South Circuit and they are working hard on upgrading Stowe to something worthwhile apparently.
Hmm... 2.18 was about 2 secs slower than we needed to be, car very loose under acceleration now we have the full complement of ponies... in fact, so loose at the rear we weren't feeling the bumps apparently!!! I'm guessing our tyres were a lot stickier than yours H, since Michelin despite charging us double the price some of the teams had paid for the same tyres the week before at the Ring seem unable to give us a compound that holds it's ultimate pace for more than 1 lap. We were running steadily around the 2m20.0 mark though even as they faded. We have so little grip that dead tyres doesn't seem to hurt us!
That said, this year the new oils they have to use in the tyres are hitting longevity. At Oulton on the British GT Avons we were seeing a 4-5 sec a lap drop off over the race distance!!!!
Cheers
Rick
Of course International wont be there will it. :-(. Pity.
I think even if we generously said there is 5 secs for the tyres, and 5 secs for and extra 120ish horses, I'm still a country mile away! And having the car ride over bumps is clearly a good thing, I know other cars more softly sprung cars werent experiencing the bump, just the NGT.
I've heard the tyres in the Carrera Cup also Michelin I believe, have caused some issues this year in terms of change of compound causing issues over a full race distance, not quite sure it amounted to 5secs though!
Anyway, sounds like proper fun out there in a full on modern GT car!
I think even if we generously said there is 5 secs for the tyres, and 5 secs for and extra 120ish horses, I'm still a country mile away! And having the car ride over bumps is clearly a good thing, I know other cars more softly sprung cars werent experiencing the bump, just the NGT.
I've heard the tyres in the Carrera Cup also Michelin I believe, have caused some issues this year in terms of change of compound causing issues over a full race distance, not quite sure it amounted to 5secs though!
Anyway, sounds like proper fun out there in a full on modern GT car!
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