[BTCC] rounds 7-9 @ thruxton 2014

[CaptRustyNail]

Was scary looking! Just didnt slow down at all!

Though i'd love to see more of these onboards!

[JimW]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

According to RacingCircuits.net, there was a chicane at Church (then called Anchor) between 1959 and 1966. So really it would be restoring the corner to it's former self.

Fascinating; thanks for this.

Jim

[codename_47]

Lets face it, Thruxton is many people's favourite UK circuit because of its high speeds and it's unspoilt, challenging nature.
The track should remain as it is, it is only a question of suitable run off that is up in the air.

I would vote for a gravel trap tbh. I don't fear them these days like some people seem to.
Worst case scenario, if a car dug in and rolled (which judging from the angle of cars going in during the BTCC meeting, wouldn't have been likely) it'd be a greater way of dissipating the energy of an accident than what we got, a harsh smack into a tyre barrier.
It's not like there's any spectators to worry about in that area or flying debris issues relevant to them.

In the majority of accidents though, a car would go in front on, get slowed down by the gravel and have a much less energetic hit against the barrier.
It's not really a place where you lose it on your own, since it's corner entry, so most accidents can be predicted there I imagine.

The worst case scenario would be FIA tarmac runoff.
It's blighted too many race tracks these days and I really don't think it covers all the permutations of an accident.
Fine if you're in control of a car but not if you've lost a tyre/wheel/brakes/its wet/you're already unconscious, Massa style.

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by codename_47

Lets face it, Thruxton is many people's favourite UK circuit because of its high speeds and it's unspoilt, challenging nature.

That's a bit of a sweeping statement is it not? It's not mine, the place is a dump. Give me lovely Oulton Park any day.

[codename_47]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

That's a bit of a sweeping statement is it not? It's not mine, the place is a dump. Give me lovely Oulton Park any day.

I was talking more about track configuration than the facilities etc.
I have only seen it on TV but I love it.
Conversely being at the track would annoy me because you can only spectate from the final chicane down to about turn 5 IIRC

Also it's pretty ironic that someone named after Donington Park attacks other tracks for being a dump

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by codename_47

Worst case scenario, if a car dug in and rolled (which judging from the angle of cars going in during the BTCC meeting, wouldn't have been likely) it'd be a greater way of dissipating the energy of an accident than what we got, a harsh smack into a tyre barrier.
It's not like there's any spectators to worry about in that area or flying debris issues relevant to them.

I don't think anyone wants to see a car roll to dissipate energy. A high speed roll will send the car airborne - potentially very high off the ground - and beyond the bounds of any safety containment... then we're back to square one... cars hitting trees.

[werner]

Originally Posted by codename_47

The worst case scenario would be FIA tarmac runoff.
It's blighted too many race tracks these days and I really don't think it covers all the permutations of an accident.
Fine if you're in control of a car but not if you've lost a tyre/wheel/brakes/its wet/you're already unconscious, Massa style.

It would not do worse than wet grass. I think a decent patch of Tarmac would give a lot of drivers the chance to rub a lot of speed of, and if the controls of the car still work, avoid an incident altogether by pulling the round thingy in front of them.

[medius]

But any solution needs to work with bike racers in mind, and they hate tarmac runoff with a passion, as it wears through the leathers when sliding across it.

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by medius

But any solution needs to work with bike racers in mind, and they hate tarmac runoff with a passion, as it wears through the leathers when sliding across it.

Which is strange when considering the new Silverstone layout was actually designed with bikes in mind, yet that includes lots of tarmac run off.

[codename_47]

I think the question here is what are we designing the run off for?
Driver safety? Spectator safety? Races continuing without safety car/red flag interruptions? Lack of damage to the engines? Track aesthetics?
Keeping cars from being written off?

It's clear that no one solution can cover all of these bases.

I just have a huge fear that in wet conditions or if a car has a tyre or brake failure, they're going to spirit off to the scene of the tyre barrier at a terrible angle at top speed.
A well maintained gravel trap I think covers more bases.
Yes, if a car goes in sideways it may roll (this isn't a definite if the gravel isn't too deep, in all my years spectating at Donington I have never seen a car roll at the bottom of the craner curves just due to the gravel alone) but at the angle we're talking about at Church, the car is most likely going to go in straight anyway.
If it does roll it will dissipate the energy far better than sliding through the run off and having a high speed sideways impact with the tyre barrier.

And as I've said before, in the days of high safety standards all drivers should be wearing HANS, all cars should have strong roll cages and crumple zones and there are no spectators to worry about in that area either.

For me, Gravel covers more permutations than tarmac, which drivers seem to like because they can use as a track extension and doesn't punish them if they make a small mistake, despite the fact it could lead to an accident with much worse consequences in some other circumstances.