Hethel track day
Discussion
I’ve got the opportunity to do a track day at Hethel next month. It’s a bit of a trek to get there, but is the track worth the effort to tick the box at the home of Lotus? Has anyone been?
I’ve had a look at some videos online and can’t make up my mind - seem to always be plenty of cone slaloms about to slow you to a crawl. Car would be a 718 Boxster S and although no hero, I’ve done a fair few track days before.
I’ve had a look at some videos online and can’t make up my mind - seem to always be plenty of cone slaloms about to slow you to a crawl. Car would be a 718 Boxster S and although no hero, I’ve done a fair few track days before.
I did one a few years ago. It was supposed to be for classic cars, but they let a gang of us 1990s TVR owners in too.
It's a fun track, not like any other in the country. Basically long and thin, right handed 2.2 mile track, but that would be to totally understate its charms.
https://www.lotus-on-track.com/circuit-guides/heth...
You start on the grey lane on this diagram, going to the left towards Graham Hill
From the pit exit there are several interesting sweeping bends, followed by a hairpin right at the end. There then follows a long curving straight that you can take at a decent speed, though for our track day they put in a narrow chicane to slow us down. Towards the end of the straight a couple of bends, followed by a 180 degree turn. Then a reasonable length straight, followed by a right left left right combination to take you around the pits area.
So it tests both the performance of the car and its handling.
On my one I was about an hour late arriving due to a trailer malfunction (wheel came off), but the breifing was still in full swing, because the guy briefing loved the sound of his own voice and decided he had all day to entertain us and there was nothing we could do about it. But we all grinned and bore it because you don't get to do Hethel often.
Yes, definitely worth the trek, and only just beyond Snetterton IIRC.
It's a fun track, not like any other in the country. Basically long and thin, right handed 2.2 mile track, but that would be to totally understate its charms.
https://www.lotus-on-track.com/circuit-guides/heth...
You start on the grey lane on this diagram, going to the left towards Graham Hill
From the pit exit there are several interesting sweeping bends, followed by a hairpin right at the end. There then follows a long curving straight that you can take at a decent speed, though for our track day they put in a narrow chicane to slow us down. Towards the end of the straight a couple of bends, followed by a 180 degree turn. Then a reasonable length straight, followed by a right left left right combination to take you around the pits area.
So it tests both the performance of the car and its handling.
On my one I was about an hour late arriving due to a trailer malfunction (wheel came off), but the breifing was still in full swing, because the guy briefing loved the sound of his own voice and decided he had all day to entertain us and there was nothing we could do about it. But we all grinned and bore it because you don't get to do Hethel often.
Yes, definitely worth the trek, and only just beyond Snetterton IIRC.
I'm there in a couple of weeks time.
I too was uncertain on whether to do it from looking at the circuit map, but a few things made me think it's worth a try at least once, especially this particular day:
a) I own a Lotus, so thought it would be nice to take it back 'home' for a track day.
b) Hethel is actually the closest circuit to where I live in Lowestoft
c) It's on a Saturday, so no need to take time off work. (Unusual for a summer track day)
I too was uncertain on whether to do it from looking at the circuit map, but a few things made me think it's worth a try at least once, especially this particular day:
a) I own a Lotus, so thought it would be nice to take it back 'home' for a track day.
b) Hethel is actually the closest circuit to where I live in Lowestoft
c) It's on a Saturday, so no need to take time off work. (Unusual for a summer track day)
I’ve been there once before and enjoyed it. Interesting sequence of tightening corners. If you have a Lotus it’s also good to see the factory and all the new stuff.
I’m back there on 13th with LoT.
Not sure I would drive the length of the country to do it unless you want to tick it off a list.
I’m back there on 13th with LoT.
Not sure I would drive the length of the country to do it unless you want to tick it off a list.
edoverheels said:
I’ve been there once before and enjoyed it. Interesting sequence of tightening corners. If you have a Lotus it’s also good to see the factory and all the new stuff.
I’m back there on 13th with LoT.
Not sure I would drive the length of the country to do it unless you want to tick it off a list.
I’ll see you there on the 13th then. I’m back there on 13th with LoT.
Not sure I would drive the length of the country to do it unless you want to tick it off a list.
Track is a good mix of challenging corners and a couple of decent straights. In one section the armco is scarily close to the track so needs a little respect.
Not many cars out today so no long red flags. I did 150 miles in the day.
The car park acts as a pit area. it's a bit of a let down, covered in loose chippings and bumpy.
Not many cars out today so no long red flags. I did 150 miles in the day.
The car park acts as a pit area. it's a bit of a let down, covered in loose chippings and bumpy.
Thanks for the replies. I’m going to give it a go - nice to tick a different circuit off the list.
There’s a tour of the Lotus factory that runs Mon-Thur (so unfortunately not compatible with a Saturday track day), but there’s a limit of 8 people and at £95, I don’t think I’ll bother!
There’s a tour of the Lotus factory that runs Mon-Thur (so unfortunately not compatible with a Saturday track day), but there’s a limit of 8 people and at £95, I don’t think I’ll bother!
edoverheels said:
Paul_M3 said:
I’ll see you there on the 13th then.
I'll say hello I have an embarrassingly scruffy S1, blue with stripes and a lot of gaffa tape.
I have just found that I need new front pads, they have hardly lasted at all, feels like only a few outings.
Are you just running standard pads?
I did a track day there in June and am returning again this month with LoT. I found it quite challenging as it's designed to put the car through its paces, so it doesn't really flow like many other tracks. But I enjoyed it enough to be returning. Some bits of armco are scarily close!
I've done sprints there since about 2010 and really like it. Particularly if you can go full chat past the pits and into the next 3 bends (the third one is tighter than the previous 2). It is on the not particularly exclusive list of tracks I've ended up in the gravel.
Whenever I've been there there's been a chicane at Windsock.
Whenever I've been there there's been a chicane at Windsock.
Paul_M3 said:
I’ll be in the light blue Exige 410.
Are you just running standard pads?
Pagid RS 42s I think.Are you just running standard pads?
I can't be bothered to replace them now, I have one more track day this year at Silverstone but not until November and so I will hope that my current pads will last and will just bring a half used set of EBCs (which I didn't get on with and so swapped out) as an emergency standby to finish the day and get me home if needed.
I don't know why I am so tight with consumables, I end up running tyres to the carcass even though I have a spare set in the cellar. I think that it must just be the principal?
edoverheels said:
Pagid RS 42s I think.
I can't be bothered to replace them now, I have one more track day this year at Silverstone but not until November and so I will hope that my current pads will last and will just bring a half used set of EBCs (which I didn't get on with and so swapped out) as an emergency standby to finish the day and get me home if needed.
I don't know why I am so tight with consumables, I end up running tyres to the carcass even though I have a spare set in the cellar. I think that it must just be the principal?
Is that the 10th November at Silverstone? If so, I'm booked onto that one too. Although I've been doing track days a few years, I'd only done a limited number of circuits. It will be my first time at both Hethel and Silverstone.I can't be bothered to replace them now, I have one more track day this year at Silverstone but not until November and so I will hope that my current pads will last and will just bring a half used set of EBCs (which I didn't get on with and so swapped out) as an emergency standby to finish the day and get me home if needed.
I don't know why I am so tight with consumables, I end up running tyres to the carcass even though I have a spare set in the cellar. I think that it must just be the principal?
I use Pagid 29's on mine, I really rate them and they seem to have lasted fairly well on the Lotus. I actually stopped doing track days in my previous car because I couldn't justify the cost of consumables any more (it was a heavy car, with expensive tyres and brakes). The Lotus is so light on consumables in comparison that I'm happy to spend the money when needed. I actually can't believe how long the CUP2 tyres last. It's still on the original set from the factory, and it's done 9000 miles in total and around 10 track days. The fronts are less than half worn!
QBee said:
If it wasn't a Lotus I would think you weren't trying 
LOL, I wouldn't believe the lack of tyre wear if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. On previous cars I've ruined tyres in two or three days. I think the combination of the Michelin Cup2 and the Exige seems to result in almost unbelievable wear rates.
I'm certainly not the quickest driver out there (not even close), but I'm not just pootling around at 5/10ths either.
Paul_M3 said:
QBee said:
If it wasn't a Lotus I would think you weren't trying
LOL, I wouldn't believe the lack of tyre wear if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. On previous cars I've ruined tyres in two or three days. I think the combination of the Michelin Cup2 and the Exige seems to result in almost unbelievable wear rates.
I'm certainly not the quickest driver out there (not even close), but I'm not just pootling around at 5/10ths either.
QBee said:
I get similar in my TVR (1100 kg). I can get about 8-10 track days out of a set of Toyo R888Rs, and I am like you, I cannot see the point af driving Cadwell Park or Snetterton as if my granny is in the passneger seat.
Exactly. The thrill of doing 100mph through Coppice at Cadwell, or 90mph around Coram at Snetterton is what makes track days special. Gassing Station | Track Days | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff