Discussion
Am taking my E30 M3 to Castle Combe for the first time and just wondered if someone could talk me through a lap please? I understand it's quite bumpy in places but is there anything else I should watch out for? Also wondered if it is particularly hard on brakes and/or tyres?
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
I can't comment as I haven't driven Combe, but I did come across this Mark Hales guide recently (towards the bottom of the page). It might be helpful.
Try to get tuition as this is the one with Quarry. It can bite if you haven't been talked through it. Obvious I know.
Also, I think it's been resurfaced recently.
Quarry: I usually brake briefly (quite hard) while going up (rhs) Avon rise to wipe off excess speed as this is the end of the fastest part. Then turn in, ride the bump and upon squashing down on the springs brake again and down change ready for the hairpin right.
> All braking done in a straight line and the second brake I'm aiming for the traffic lights beyond the barrier, they are about level with the top of the 'Q' in Quarry.
This is because the car is unbalanced (at turn in) and going light (while riding the hump). I don't want to be on the brakes at either of those points or I'll lock up and spin and go straight on into the barrier. I've seen it a few times, just look at Youtube...
Others may have a different technique but they are also in different cars, some, a lot, lot faster!
The rest of the circuit is by no means benign of course, the other notable corners imo are Tower and Camp...
Edit to add that I forgot how good the Mark Hales vids are
Also, I think it's been resurfaced recently.
Quarry: I usually brake briefly (quite hard) while going up (rhs) Avon rise to wipe off excess speed as this is the end of the fastest part. Then turn in, ride the bump and upon squashing down on the springs brake again and down change ready for the hairpin right.
> All braking done in a straight line and the second brake I'm aiming for the traffic lights beyond the barrier, they are about level with the top of the 'Q' in Quarry.
This is because the car is unbalanced (at turn in) and going light (while riding the hump). I don't want to be on the brakes at either of those points or I'll lock up and spin and go straight on into the barrier. I've seen it a few times, just look at Youtube...
Others may have a different technique but they are also in different cars, some, a lot, lot faster!
The rest of the circuit is by no means benign of course, the other notable corners imo are Tower and Camp...
Edit to add that I forgot how good the Mark Hales vids are
Edited by Oilchange on Saturday 26th March 15:55
To add to the good advice already given, its not particularly bumpy now that it has been resurfaced, but it always has been and still is, lethal in the wet. I've never known a track as slippery as Combe when it rains. Its not exceptionally hard on tyres, but can be on brakes depending on how many laps you do.
after you sir,.......no, no, no, after you. I wish LOL OP this might give you an idea, although I always forget to brake just before Avon rise I suggest you do
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b4oF7fzavk
Edited by 77racing on Saturday 26th March 18:29
You could watch the YouTube clip of Tim Gray's lap below to see how it can be done. I race in the same class as Tim and can't get anywhere near him, but it shows what can be done.
Braking over Avon Rise and into Quarry is very car dependant, so start off braking before the rise and take it from there. Quarry has a reputation for good reason, but the bend isn't really the problem, it is the approach to it. Tim takes a very wide line into Quarry, but as previously mentioned, to do that in a pack will lose you as many places as there are cars behind you and you will be lucky to be able to turn right into the Esses!!
Old Paddock isn't a bend if you can get over to the left after the Esses and Hammerdown is just that. Tower is much quicker than you might first believe, but it is worth staying a foot or so away from the kerb at the apex to avoid the bump. Bobbies is similar to the Esses and the amount of kerb you can take on the exit makes a big difference to the exit speed, but can cause problems with the track limits police. In Tim's video, he is taking maximum advantage and avoided any penalty.
Westway isn't a bend, but you should stay tight to the right and then drift over to the left before braking and turning in to Camp. Camp is my bogey corner and tends to lead me to turn in too early which means I run out of room on the exit and puts me too close to the pit wall, so I recommend a late apex carrying lots of speed, because it sets you up for the flat out dash back down to Quarry.
WRT Combe in the wet, I don't think it is any worse than anywhere else, but if it catches you out, there isn't too much run off anywhere on the outside of the track.
I love the place, it's very fast and challenging, but when you get it right, it can look like Tim Gray's lap.
https://youtu.be/aSB-f50plq0
Braking over Avon Rise and into Quarry is very car dependant, so start off braking before the rise and take it from there. Quarry has a reputation for good reason, but the bend isn't really the problem, it is the approach to it. Tim takes a very wide line into Quarry, but as previously mentioned, to do that in a pack will lose you as many places as there are cars behind you and you will be lucky to be able to turn right into the Esses!!
Old Paddock isn't a bend if you can get over to the left after the Esses and Hammerdown is just that. Tower is much quicker than you might first believe, but it is worth staying a foot or so away from the kerb at the apex to avoid the bump. Bobbies is similar to the Esses and the amount of kerb you can take on the exit makes a big difference to the exit speed, but can cause problems with the track limits police. In Tim's video, he is taking maximum advantage and avoided any penalty.
Westway isn't a bend, but you should stay tight to the right and then drift over to the left before braking and turning in to Camp. Camp is my bogey corner and tends to lead me to turn in too early which means I run out of room on the exit and puts me too close to the pit wall, so I recommend a late apex carrying lots of speed, because it sets you up for the flat out dash back down to Quarry.
WRT Combe in the wet, I don't think it is any worse than anywhere else, but if it catches you out, there isn't too much run off anywhere on the outside of the track.
I love the place, it's very fast and challenging, but when you get it right, it can look like Tim Gray's lap.
https://youtu.be/aSB-f50plq0
Best and most instructive in car vid I have seen of a lap of Combe is this one from Nigel Greensall:
https://youtu.be/HxwvCEJPT-s
https://youtu.be/HxwvCEJPT-s
NJH said:
Best and most instructive in car vid I have seen of a lap of Combe is this one from Nigel Greensall:
https://youtu.be/HxwvCEJPT-s
cracking lap that towards the end @ 1:09.57 very nearly took my current GT lap record of 1:09.23 phew still on the books and I,m not out in the chevy at Combe this year. Beware an E30 M3 will Definatly not go round as quick as the video's posted so please take it easy. I would be aiming for a lap time of about 1.13 to 1.15 to see where you feel you are at, in an E30.https://youtu.be/HxwvCEJPT-s
Edited by 77racing on Sunday 27th March 16:40
Note also the braking broken down into multiple phases. The first chicane one I hadn't really thought about until I was sat next to a coach that did it, initial brake, turn in carrying mental speed towards the chicane then up the braking again before hooking the car left (otherwise you would end up spat out on the right after the chicane just like Tiff Needel in all those daft 5th gear laps ). Gains time by using the very wide track section there to carry more speed towards the chicane.
). Gains time by using the very wide track section there to carry more speed towards the chicane.On the subject of wet grip (or lack of it), things have changed a lot since last year. The new surface has bedded in nicely, with wet grip now very good with the exception of the stretch that still has the old tarmac from Bobbies to just after the start/finish. Be aware that this old surface is very slippery when wet.
Fishy Dave said:
On the subject of wet grip (or lack of it), things have changed a lot since last year. The new surface has bedded in nicely, with wet grip now very good with the exception of the stretch that still has the old tarmac from Bobbies to just after the start/finish. Be aware that this old surface is very slippery when wet.
Lol, wet grip? you are aware that they had to cancel yesterdays meeting due to flooding?! A lot of people seem to think its because the infield is now full of solar panels and the natural drainage area has been lost. Quarry exit was flooded and most other corners were too. http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/14387764.M...
pablo said:
Lol, wet grip? you are aware that they had to cancel yesterdays meeting due to flooding?! A lot of people seem to think its because the infield is now full of solar panels and the natural drainage area has been lost. Quarry exit was flooded and most other corners were too.
http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/14387764.M...
Yes, well, the grip is pretty good when the track isn't flooded. http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/14387764.M...
Castle Combe Easter Raceday by Chris Harrison, on FlickrNever seen anything like it at Combe (even with much, much more rain over a longer period). It was obvious even arriving at 8:30am that there was no way any racing should happen at all that day, but they dragged it out until midday because they had one guy with an old knackered pump and 5 metres of hose (he worked bloody hard, to be fair).
No idea if it's down to the solar farm, but it's the first time this has happened since they opened in 1950 and it wasn't even due to that much rain.
I'm not sure if there is a precedent, but even if they had managed to drain the water away, surely they couldn't have raced with the limited run-off in this condition? The mud and trenches from the digger tracks would have made it very difficult for marshals to reach cars.
Edited by ukaskew on Tuesday 29th March 20:17
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