RobPhoboS Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 (edited) I wondered what your favourite circuits/layouts are that you've driven (pref in a Z), maybe a top 5 ? These are the main ones I know or know of: Abingdon Anglesey Bedford Autodrome Bruntingthorpe (?) Blyton Brands Hatch Cadwell Park Castle Combe Croft Circuit Donington Park Goodwood Knockhill Llandow Lydden Mallory Park Oulton Park Pembrey Rockingham Silverstone Snetterton Thruxton Woodbridge Edited April 28, 2017 by RobPhoboS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 Anglesey > anything else. /thread Only circuit that betters it is Spa, but that's not UK so doesn't count. Closer to me than Anglesey is mind you! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATTAK Z Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 Anglesey > anything else. /thread Only circuit that betters it is Spa, but that's not UK so doesn't count. Closer to me than Anglesey is mind you! Have you done Cadwell ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brillomaster Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 Yeah, but for the people who don't live in north wales, it has to be Donington Park. keeping it pinned through craner curves and then taking hefty kerbage through the old hairpin is epic. Even more so when the cars in front of you aren't going as fast as you think they are and you're applying a quarter turn of opposite lock just as the car goes light through craners. And a close second is cadwell park - sure its a little narrow, but its such a 3d circuit - the double apex right, down and up the dip, then the never ending right to take you round to the gooseneck, most excellent. top 5 for me are: 1. donington 2. cadwell park 3. oulton park 4. rockingham 5. snetterton still need to do spa, potentially next year i'll make the trip over there. Surprisingly nonplussed about doing the nurburgring though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetpilot Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 The only downside to living on the south coast, pretty much anything is a distance apart from Combe, Thurxton is near impossible to get on and they hardly have any days anyway, but so pleased i have done it both by car and bike, Goodwood is great but timed sessions only so everything else decent is 3.5 hours minimum, maybe with the exception of Brands buy have zero interest in the Indy circuit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 Yeah, but for the people who don't live in north wales, Rubbish, I live further from Anglesey than you do and I still make the effort go there Donny is good fun though, prob my second fav UK circuit. I hate Rockingham though, dull as ditchwater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brillomaster Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 whaaaat! although slightly unrelated, its a really nice venue, the theatre of being inside the oval, good garages, excellent bacon butty to start the day. and once on track, you have a banked turn 1, which is pretty much unique in the UK, then attempt to get it stopped and turned in coming off the banking into the hairpin. And further round the pifpaf chicane good fun jumping the kerbs, and the long left at gracelands is good, really fast turn wanting to carry maximum speed. then get it stopped and turned into the hairpin at tarzan, which even an 8 yr old could get a nice slide on the exit. I always have an enjoyable day at rockingham, despite crashing there twice now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brillomaster Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 and I know I should do Anglesey, maybe i'll be a convert... but with a good half dozen tracks on my doorstep in the midlands, travelling all the way up to Anglesey is a long way. have you done croft? that's a surprisingly good circuit... very picturesque and the second half of the circuit from tower, through the esses and sunny in/sunny out is a really good sequence of corners. again, wish that was closer, needs a special trip for me to go that far north! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 Croft is on the list, looks a lovely place. I just found Rockingham to be devoid of anything interesting, the layout was so flat and the banking just dull. Not been there for many years though, not since the VXR220 went. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevoD Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 (edited) I enjoyed Combe and snet more than rock and silverstone Edited April 28, 2017 by StevoD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 Combe was fun, more fun than I expected given the short round layout. I'd like to go back there again, deffo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brillomaster Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 wasn't that impressed by combe... I suspect part of the problem is the beemer really doesn't like chicanes, and they're always an afterthought. and once you take out the chicanes, well, its a right, followed by a right, followed by a right, and so on... Oulton park gets away with artificial chicanes cos all the other corners are all excellent. give me fast and flowing circuit rather than a tight twisty one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 Agreed. It worked well in a Caterham because it's so light, but I wouldn't take the Bummer there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetpilot Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 Rockingham though, dull as ditchwater. Whilst I enjoyed going there, I found the same with Bedford, not a bad circuit but just so flat and open it just seemed a bit void of character and anything of reference, no corner or series of corners particularly stood out. I would recommend trying to do Thruxton for anyone that hasnt, just to tick a box before it possibly disappears to the average Joe. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 Of the few I've driven; Castle Combe, Donington Park, Silverstone and Pembrey I'd say hands down without a doubt Castle Combe is my favourite. It is however the only circuit that I have been on multiple times (double figures) in a range of vehicles including my old mans TVR Cerbera and a Formula Ford. I also drove on it back in the 90's before the "safety revisions" where made on it so I do remember how fast it was before they added the two chicanes (The Esses & Bobbies). Also when I did Silverstone it was in a Lotus Elise and I wasn't able to do the full F1 circuit as there was other events going on in other parts so did a shortened version of the track. Definitely need to get out more on different circuits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 (edited) Croft Cadwell Park Thruxton Rockingham is boring and Silverstone did nothing for me at all. Shame as it is on my doorstep. Wish I had a bike for Donnington. Still to try Anglesey, hear it is good. Edited April 28, 2017 by Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z21 Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 I've driven at Brands, Donington, Silverstone, Snetterton, and Spa (the latter isn't quite the UK but close enough). I think Brands is my favourite, however I am biased as it's less than 2 miles away from home and as a result have done many a track day there. Silverstone really doesn't do it for me, I think you need something properly quick with tons of aero to really appreciate it, however at least if you fall off you won't hit anything, unlike Cadwell which is why I haven't driven there. Personally I find Rockingham rather depressing! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoogyRev Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 I am surprised no one has said the Evo Triangle yet .... joking btw.... you should never race on public roads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobPhoboS Posted April 29, 2017 Author Share Posted April 29, 2017 I think I'm going to try Anglesey or Donington next, maybe Combe as a few of you like it. So far I've done Silverstone (GP + national), Snetterton 300 and Woodbridge, from those I think Snetterton is the most interesting, very technical and the Z can put along nicely. Woodbrige is like a bond villain hide out, mixed surfaces but is handily always on Saturdays and very fair price (I'll go back a few times). Silverstone GP is like z21 said, made for powerful cars with some aero. I like the track, even though it's completely flat but I guess I've been there a bunch of times so it's familiar. And I have been out at Brands GP a few times, which is awesome however my biggest gripe is that the GP circuit prices are an utter rip off unfortunately. I did drive around at Spa a few weeks ago, shared an E92 M3 out there - wow, that is a scary but exhilarating circuit. The best thing about it is that it's near the 'ring, so doing a one then the other would be great again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetpilot Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 my biggest gripe is that the GP circuit prices are an utter rip off unfortunately. Most of the Gp circuits are sadly and Goodwood is the same, i suppose just for its heritage or Festival of Speed/Revival spin off. I would much rather Brands Gp at circa £350+ than Goodwood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z21 Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 Regarding Brands GP prices, they have a limit on the number of days that can use it per year (12 I think) due to noise. Essentially part of the GP loop backs onto a housing estate. Why someone would move in next door to one of the counties oldest race tracks and complain about the noise is beyond me, but as a result of the limitation it's really a case of supply and demand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetpilot Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 Why someone would move in next door to one of the counties oldest race tracks and complain about the noise is beyond me Been discussed a lot, i am in the building industry and understand building noise can be intrusive, its like someone moving in next to a building site and complaining about construction noise, however, at least it seems the councils are sensible and have rules about the noise, i.e between 8-6 Mon-Fri, 8-12 (or 1 cant remember) Saturday, pretty realistic when in essence people will be at work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 I think I'm going to try Anglesey or Donington next, maybe Combe as a few of you like it. I think you should definitely give Castle Combe a go. The circuit is over 50+ years old and is one of the fastest in the country. It has been massively improved upon safety wise for spectators in the last 20 years and resurfaced across the majority of the circuit now making it very smooth to drive on. The only negative about Combe is that there is very little run off on the majority of corners on the outside edge so if you do make a mistake you really do not want to be going off to the outside as you'll end up on the grass and then in the guard rail/tyre wall before you know it. Combe in my Zed here just to give you an idea of what the circuit looks like from the driving seat. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynamic Turtle Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 (edited) Not hugely experienced on track, but I'd rank them in this order: Ring Spa Oulton Brands (indy) Snetterton Pembrey Bedford (full) The Zed feels heavy, slow and out of its depth on everything aside from Snetterton. For some reason the car's gearing, differential and torque profile seems to suit this bike track best. Anglesey needs to be done and I've never been on the Goodwood circuit despite it being relatively close. Edited April 29, 2017 by Dynamic Turtle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave6188 Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 Only been on a few tracks, Cadwell Park and Blyton Park, pretty much because they are both local. Blyton was good in my MX5 because it's more technical with short straights which suited that car down to a tee. Cadwell is the daddy in my opinion absolute awesome track, like a roller coaster, enjoyed every trackday I have done there. Off the car subject but I once done a day at Olivers Mount in Scarborough on bike and that was mental, soooo exhilarating knowing that if you come off your done for hehe, can't beat that buzz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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