BTCC: Donington Park: No Melbourne Loop??

[codename_47]

Dissapointed to learn this year that only the national circuit will be used for the BTCC and supports this year, anyone know why this is??

Last year there was some great biff and barging going on down at the hairpin...wonder why they're cutting it out this year? :confused:

Oh well....looking on the bright side...it'll be slightly less walking for me this year!

[CookieMonster]

Unfortunately, if you go in the entrance nearest the exhibition centre, you still have to walk round the melbourne loop to get to the paddock, or risk getting flattened in the tunnel

[Neil Adams]

always remember that mansell race in the wet in 98? that used the shorter track, it was a corker and there was loads of action at the fast chicane thats the alternative to the gp loop so i'm not that bothered about using this track layout again.

However without the hairpin that is one less place to overtake.

[Andy Metcalf]

The decision was made by Alan Gow. We will have to see what effect (if any) it has on the racing. With the F3's there too it will be interesting.

[PaulSands]

apparently the National Circuit has a better "flow" for Touring Cars and is preferred

[Neil Adams]

i think they may prefer it for set-up reasons the hairpin is quite slow, by using the shorter circuit they can probably used a more balanced set-up? i.e. one set up for the same speed corners with no compromise for the slower hairpin.

[touringlegend]

Originally posted by PaulSands
apparently the National Circuit has a better "flow" for Touring Cars and is preferred

I would agree with that. The hairpins, I assume would put cars like the MG ZS at a disadvantage, we all want some close racing.

BTC Touring cars have never raced on the shorter circuit - last race on it was in 2000.

(BTW is it a coincidence the BTCC decides not to use the short circuit when the DTM and ETCC cars use the Melbourne loop ??)

[redshoes]

The GP loop was used last year. It's more to do with Gow prefering shorter circuits, which is why we don't use the full Oulton Park and only rarely the Brands GP tracks. The logic being that as most of the spectators will be around the Old Hairpin using the longer track means longer gaps between seeing the cars some round each time.

[Sodemo]

This does however remove 3 great overtaking opportunities, Fogarties, Melbourne and Goddards, forcing the drivers to use other corners to pass.

I hear drivers say the National Circuit "Goddards" is harder to overtake into as its still quite a quick corner and is bumpy on the way in...

[Eddie_harasym]

You do get a much better and closer racing using the NC rather than the loop, its amazing how much difference it makes especially to the slower formulas.

[ADnet]

well using the chicane will add a bit of action but maybe its because of the braking problems using the loop threw up. thinking about it they come down the backstrait and hammer the brakes to go through the chicane then hammer the brakes again for melbourne loop then again for the loop onto start/finish strait. on the NC they only brake for the chicane.

[codename_47]

Oh well, I guess the proof of the pudding....and all that....

Glad the legends will be there too though....been enjoying them on Motors this year, be first class to see them in the flesh!

Might go and park myself on the Chicane on the Saturday then, see what action we get!