Post by jfin on Dec 5, 2002 23:12:55 GMT
Hi Guys,
Well a while back I said I would write up a lap of Knockhill. Well here goes. And yes, I do realise I am setting myself up for some stick here .....
OK, Heading up the start finish straight changing up into 4th gear at about the start line, I'm usually in the middle of the track as the "straight" has a slight kink in it. As you head over the hill, you aim the car for the kerb on the outside of the track which gets you on the right line for Duffus. I brake early at Duffus (just after the 100 meter board), changing down into 3rd and turn in just after the 50 meter board, taking a little kerb on the inside and its full power all the way to McIntyres. On the short straight at the exit to Duffus I try not to run too wide as you want to be able to take the little left hander very early and I take all the kerb and more here. Braking at the start of the kerb on the outside of McIntyres and keeping the car in 3rd gear, I attack the corner turning in earlier than I feel is correct, I take all the kerb on the inside, usually just missing the bollard now helpfully posted at the corner. The car will naturally run wide at the exit which in the wet can be a real problem as the exit to McIntyres is usually very slidy. From here its full power all the way to Clarks and I don't feel that you need to be too precise taking Butchers as long as you nail the chicane. Use as much of both kerbs as possible at the chicane just avoiding any tyre wall some one seems to carelessly leave lying around near the entrance these days. The idea is to straight line the chicane as much as possible. Its a blind exit so I always make doubly sure to check the marshalls point on the right just past Butchers to make sure no one last lost it at the exit. You might need to change up into 4th before Clarks depending on the gearbox in the car, but I let the car scream in 3rd. Braking at Clarks for me is at the start of the kerb on the outide but it is pretty much just a dab on the brakes to get the weight of the car on the front tyres. I am never too sure how much kerb to take on the inside as it can throw you very wide but it is very important to carry a lot of speed through this corner for down the back straight. Again, this is a blind corner so I always try to make sure to check the marshalls post which is straight ahead just before I turn in. The entrance to Clarks is my favourite passing place as I seem to be quicker than the guys round about me going through the chicane so I sometimes am able to get up their inside before Clarks. The speedo still works in my car and I can glance at it on the exit to Clarks. I tend to find that I am usually doing about 70 in the dry. The back straight is pretty much just a rush to the hairpin, with me usually changing up into 4th alongside the kerb on the outside of the track at the very gentle left hander. The hairpin is probably most people's favourite overtaking place but assuming you are not in any danger of someone nipping up your inside I brake at the 100 meter board, changing down to 3rd, then 2nd and turning in very late. The hairpin is wide and there are a number of reasonably quick lines through the corner but the kerb at the inside is best avoided as it is very high and really unsettles the car for the run up the start / finish straight. Again, it is very important to be quick through the hairpin (something I'm not good at) as the main straight is roughly one third of a lap. I'm pretty much changing into 3rd as soon as I have come out of the corner when I find I aim for the middle of the bridge to try and straighten out the kink. And thats a lap !
KF & GR, if you want to take that and play around with it feel free, the rest of you I await your comments which I'm sure will all be very positive critisim (not!)
Cheers,
John
Well a while back I said I would write up a lap of Knockhill. Well here goes. And yes, I do realise I am setting myself up for some stick here .....
OK, Heading up the start finish straight changing up into 4th gear at about the start line, I'm usually in the middle of the track as the "straight" has a slight kink in it. As you head over the hill, you aim the car for the kerb on the outside of the track which gets you on the right line for Duffus. I brake early at Duffus (just after the 100 meter board), changing down into 3rd and turn in just after the 50 meter board, taking a little kerb on the inside and its full power all the way to McIntyres. On the short straight at the exit to Duffus I try not to run too wide as you want to be able to take the little left hander very early and I take all the kerb and more here. Braking at the start of the kerb on the outside of McIntyres and keeping the car in 3rd gear, I attack the corner turning in earlier than I feel is correct, I take all the kerb on the inside, usually just missing the bollard now helpfully posted at the corner. The car will naturally run wide at the exit which in the wet can be a real problem as the exit to McIntyres is usually very slidy. From here its full power all the way to Clarks and I don't feel that you need to be too precise taking Butchers as long as you nail the chicane. Use as much of both kerbs as possible at the chicane just avoiding any tyre wall some one seems to carelessly leave lying around near the entrance these days. The idea is to straight line the chicane as much as possible. Its a blind exit so I always make doubly sure to check the marshalls point on the right just past Butchers to make sure no one last lost it at the exit. You might need to change up into 4th before Clarks depending on the gearbox in the car, but I let the car scream in 3rd. Braking at Clarks for me is at the start of the kerb on the outide but it is pretty much just a dab on the brakes to get the weight of the car on the front tyres. I am never too sure how much kerb to take on the inside as it can throw you very wide but it is very important to carry a lot of speed through this corner for down the back straight. Again, this is a blind corner so I always try to make sure to check the marshalls post which is straight ahead just before I turn in. The entrance to Clarks is my favourite passing place as I seem to be quicker than the guys round about me going through the chicane so I sometimes am able to get up their inside before Clarks. The speedo still works in my car and I can glance at it on the exit to Clarks. I tend to find that I am usually doing about 70 in the dry. The back straight is pretty much just a rush to the hairpin, with me usually changing up into 4th alongside the kerb on the outside of the track at the very gentle left hander. The hairpin is probably most people's favourite overtaking place but assuming you are not in any danger of someone nipping up your inside I brake at the 100 meter board, changing down to 3rd, then 2nd and turning in very late. The hairpin is wide and there are a number of reasonably quick lines through the corner but the kerb at the inside is best avoided as it is very high and really unsettles the car for the run up the start / finish straight. Again, it is very important to be quick through the hairpin (something I'm not good at) as the main straight is roughly one third of a lap. I'm pretty much changing into 3rd as soon as I have come out of the corner when I find I aim for the middle of the bridge to try and straighten out the kink. And thats a lap !
KF & GR, if you want to take that and play around with it feel free, the rest of you I await your comments which I'm sure will all be very positive critisim (not!)
Cheers,
John
I'm glad you were away at the same time as me and KF, Charlie - you'd start world war three in this place if we weren't here to keep an eye on you! :laugh: