Anticlockwise tracks
Discussion
Have been pondering why the vast majority of tracks are clockwise in the UK & also the world, yet from what I can gather many high speed bowls (tho Nardo = clockwise I belive) & also the USA ovals Ive seen on TV appear to be anticlock & from old pics it appears Brooklands- our 1st ever purpose made & now sadly butchered & decrepid track was I belive anticlock too.
So UK anticlock we have Bedford GT & West (dunno about the other configs) and Millbrook bowl is anticlock too. Rockingham oval too? Any other UK tracks that I vant think of anticlock? (Yes i know Brands was once many many many yrs ago)
Worldwide as far as I know coz ive driven it
we have Bathhurst & im told Imola & Interlagos also.
So anymore?
Oh and what way is that that Ehra Lessien bowl- famed for the Mc F1 record?
>>> Edited by iguana on Monday 20th September 12:56
So UK anticlock we have Bedford GT & West (dunno about the other configs) and Millbrook bowl is anticlock too. Rockingham oval too? Any other UK tracks that I vant think of anticlock? (Yes i know Brands was once many many many yrs ago)
Worldwide as far as I know coz ive driven it
we have Bathhurst & im told Imola & Interlagos also. So anymore?
Oh and what way is that that Ehra Lessien bowl- famed for the Mc F1 record?
>>> Edited by iguana on Monday 20th September 12:56
Dijon-Prenois apparently has a license to run both clockwise and anticlockwise, although it tends to only be used clockwise. In my view, the US ovals are anti clockwise for a couple of benefits.
1, the cars are LHD so the pilot has more crash structure between him and the wall... theoretically.
2, the weight of the driver is on the inside of the bend . A LHD car can usually generate more lateral force turning left.
Road Racing in the US is derived from European sports car tradition and in its infancy, the most sucessful cars were of British (RHD) design. Most of the road race tracks in the US are clockwise.
m.
1, the cars are LHD so the pilot has more crash structure between him and the wall... theoretically.
2, the weight of the driver is on the inside of the bend . A LHD car can usually generate more lateral force turning left.
Road Racing in the US is derived from European sports car tradition and in its infancy, the most sucessful cars were of British (RHD) design. Most of the road race tracks in the US are clockwise.
m.
Not sure what other tracks run anti clockwise the reason is simple though. The barriers and therefore the gaps within them must go away from the direction of traffic. To make circuits uni directional would require a huge expense.
I guess in most cases the circuit direction has remaind clockwise simply because thats how things were first run on each track, hence why change it.
As for the American ovals, the racing over there evolved in its own environment. I guess it makes more sense to run the tracks in the same direction as each other as much as possible because it makes safety feature planning on each car much simpler.
I guess in most cases the circuit direction has remaind clockwise simply because thats how things were first run on each track, hence why change it.
As for the American ovals, the racing over there evolved in its own environment. I guess it makes more sense to run the tracks in the same direction as each other as much as possible because it makes safety feature planning on each car much simpler.
)iguana said:
i know Brands was once many many many yrs ago
Not so long ago they used to run some circuits backwards for the Eurocar series - including Brands, I think.
Outside the UK, Interlagos, Rio, Avus, Imola, Kyalami and Monjuich are/were all anti-clockwise. Detroit, Phoenix and Las Vegas were anti-clockwise, but Long Beach, Riverside, Sebring, Wakins Glen and the Indianapolis GP circuit are clockwise.
atom290 said:
I ran a trackday weekend at Anglesey on the Saturday and Sunday.
Sat anticlock
Sun Clock
Like 2 different circuits it was great!!!
That sounds like a great weekend.
I have heard of a classic rally thing that did the 'ring one day & then did it the wrong way the next day! now that would indeed be a giggle- if perhaps quite flipping scary!
I walked the ring twice on Consecutive days Firstly the right way the next day the wrong way. Took loads of photos of all the corners for a web page that never happened.
The ring is scary the wrong way, all of the service roads are very open, some with big drops. It would be carnage central to run a trackday that way round.
The ring is scary the wrong way, all of the service roads are very open, some with big drops. It would be carnage central to run a trackday that way round.
!!!!Graham said:Surely much slower entry speed than the usual, though nicely off camber?
I ran a trackday weekend at Anglesey on the Saturday and Sunday.
Sat anticlock
Sun Clock
Like 2 different circuits it was great!!!
Blimey i bet the down hill from radar to school was interesting...
weed said:
In my view, the US ovals are anti clockwise for a couple of benefits.
1, the cars are LHD so the pilot has more crash structure between him and the wall... theoretically.
2, the weight of the driver is on the inside of the bend . A LHD car can usually generate more lateral force turning left.
Road Racing in the US is derived from European sports car tradition and in its infancy, the most sucessful cars were of British (RHD) design. Most of the road race tracks in the US are clockwise.
m.
I understand that most US purpose built sports racers are also rhd for that reason.
Also understand that Aintree where many of the early 50s British GPs were held also was anti-clockwise running.
Yes Aintree famous for the Grand National was one of the premier tracks in the 50s and 60s. There is a 50th aniversary of the first running of the GP this coming November if any one is interested
Yes Aintree famous for the Grand National was one of the premier tracks in the 50s and 60s. There is a 50th aniversary of the first running of the GP this coming November if any one is interested
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