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Paging the Donington lot...
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Going to watch the MGP this weekend - first time I've been to either
the racing or Donginton, So...
Do the font have any recommendations on places to sit (grass is fine)
and the best entrances for them?
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Bottom of Craner Curves at the Old Hairpin is good because you can see
them come all the way down the hill and then take the Old Hairpin at
ludicrous speeds.
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Davy's told you what you need to know about access etc. I'd *really*
recommend taking a bike...
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Not an option unfortunately, but anyway.
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As far as places to watch are concerned - Donington is pretty good,
and there's hardly a bad place. Davy's recommendation of the infield
is one of the best, but I'd also suggest the exit of Coppice, as this
is where the MotoGP bikes will be lighting up the rear tyre.
Redgate is not my favourite, but it is one of the main overtaking
points.
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Okay, so if I manage to get in, I should be fine!
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I'm going in the car (I know I know) so that is a factor.
I know the gates open at 6am, but what's a realistic sort of time to
try and arrive to still get parking and potentially a reasonable seat
on the grass?
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I'd arrive very late ... specifically some time on Monday morning. You'd
miss the racing, but the crowds would be gone and you could pick your spot
to watch Eddie and I go round and round (and possibly along and through, in
my case)
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Follow through?
But seriously - Donington is a *superb* circuit to ride at. Difficult
to learn, but you've got all day, and once you get to grips with it it
is fantastic. Are you using the GP or the national circuit? To my
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The GP circuit, I believe.
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mind, the national circuit is much better - the artificial Melbourne
loop added to bring it up to the minimum length for GPs spoils the
whole flowing character of the rest of the circuit.
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I used to prefer the GP circuit when racing the Rotarini as it enabled a
much less powerful machine to get in amongst the faster stuff (if only
temporarily - but not always). The Formula 50 club in those days, had a
strange multi-class race that mixed 125 racers, 250 singles, unlimited
twins (this was before superbike had made Ducatis what they are today)
and even some times 250 LCs. Manic, but given a wet GP circuit meeting
the Rotax-Morini could hold its own surprisingly.
As to watching I seem to recall usually making for the old hairpin
banking.
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Oh.
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Ah, well - it introduces a hairpin, the kind of corner where I can often
manage to comfortably overtake people by turning inside them.
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Two hairpins and a chicane, actually. So, if overtaking people on the
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Of course, yes. I was only thinking of the first hairpin - the second
one's not as tight, is it?
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brakes on the way in is your thing, make hay.
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Not really, I'm rubbish on the brakes; and on my previous track days,
it's always seemed like I'm just about getting the hang of doing some
serious braking when the brakes start to fade, so I have to back off
again.
But the entry to the hairpin at Croft is quite slow anyway, and I'm
happy to tip it inside people once we're at that speed. Not sure if that
ploy will work so well at Donington.
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Never mind, I'm pretty sure such sublties will be lost on me anyway, as my
circuit riding doesn't so much "flow" as "tumble" :)
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Hmmm... remind me to set off in front of you. Waaaaay in front of you.
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Set off too far in front of him and you'll find yourself behind him
too soon. Set off *just* in front of him is the trick.
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I'll bear it in mind, but I'm fairly sure I'm not at much risk of
catching him up in a 15-minute session.
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When I were a lad[1] ... I *always* used to stand[2] between
McLeans[3] and Coppice, just where the track changes in elevation at
the start of the braking zone. Hearing GP bikes bottoming-out their
front suspension is not a usual sound and one I suspect doesn't happen
any more.
From there I could see the bikes through Craner curves, lose them a
bit through the Old Hairpin and pick them up again from Starkey's all
the way to the Dunlop Bridge.
[1] 1980's(ish)
[2] on top of my step-dad's Transit.
[3] another good overtaking place.
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