Bedford Autodrome
Discussion
Yep got some good corners, the left right flick midway down the back straight, big stops for the hairpin, and the hero mode final right, which can go very wrong.
Its my preferred track for new drivers, feel safe letting them push on a bit but also big gains to be had if you get it right.
Its my preferred track for new drivers, feel safe letting them push on a bit but also big gains to be had if you get it right.
brillomaster said:
Yep got some good corners, the left right flick midway down the back straight, big stops for the hairpin, and the hero mode final right, which can go very wrong.
Its my preferred track for new drivers, feel safe letting them push on a bit but also big gains to be had if you get it right.
Absolutely agree. It was my first track, and I never felt like I was out over my skis at any point. The earlier observation about the straight being a good passing point is spot on.Its my preferred track for new drivers, feel safe letting them push on a bit but also big gains to be had if you get it right.
For an experienced driver it may not be all that challenging, because it's very flat and well-sighted. Somewhere like Cadwell might be a bit more challenging.
JB! said:
It's cheap and local so gets regular visits from me, great for shaking cars down.
Same, I'm only 30 mins away and pop in there 2 or 3 times a year just to blow the cobwebs off. First track day of the year on Saturday, video below. It's not as bad as some say, GT layout is the longest in the country, the corners at the far end of the track next to the bunding are fast and challenging when trying hard, and there are complimentary hot drinks!

https://youtu.be/xtu1Qijkm-c
Pdelamare said:
JB! said:
It's cheap and local so gets regular visits from me, great for shaking cars down.
Same, I'm only 30 mins away and pop in there 2 or 3 times a year just to blow the cobwebs off. First track day of the year on Saturday, video below. It's not as bad as some say, GT layout is the longest in the country, the corners at the far end of the track next to the bunding are fast and challenging when trying hard, and there are complimentary hot drinks!

https://youtu.be/xtu1Qijkm-c
brillomaster said:
Yep got some good corners, the left right flick midway down the back straight, big stops for the hairpin, and the hero mode final right, which can go very wrong.
Its my preferred track for new drivers, feel safe letting them push on a bit but also big gains to be had if you get it right.
That's a great description!Its my preferred track for new drivers, feel safe letting them push on a bit but also big gains to be had if you get it right.
Hero mode final right it is certainly is, I didn't realise at first you could take so much speed through there! Great fun.
Went for the first time a couple of months back and found the track to be pretty underwhelming, no real sense of peril even in the wet apart from the other drivers, a few which should have been blackflagged for not letting cars overtake safely and spinning out for no real reason.
Would go again but only on a quicker drivers day as when I went half the drivers seemed to not know even the basics, despite having only 190hp I was being held up by cars with over double.
I've been to other tracks where (even on action days) generally the standard of driving is far higher.
Would go again but only on a quicker drivers day as when I went half the drivers seemed to not know even the basics, despite having only 190hp I was being held up by cars with over double.
I've been to other tracks where (even on action days) generally the standard of driving is far higher.
untakenname said:
Went for the first time a couple of months back and found the track to be pretty underwhelming, no real sense of peril even in the wet apart from the other drivers, a few which should have been blackflagged for not letting cars overtake safely and spinning out for no real reason.
Would go again but only on a quicker drivers day as when I went half the drivers seemed to not know even the basics, despite having only 190hp I was being held up by cars with over double.
I've been to other tracks where (even on action days) generally the standard of driving is far higher.
That's down to TDO, not really the track.Would go again but only on a quicker drivers day as when I went half the drivers seemed to not know even the basics, despite having only 190hp I was being held up by cars with over double.
I've been to other tracks where (even on action days) generally the standard of driving is far higher.
It's not really a "peril" place? It's a massive open airfield circuit.
untakenname said:
Would go again but only on a quicker drivers day as when I went half the drivers seemed to not know even the basics, despite having only 190hp I was being held up by cars with over double.
This is my issue with Bedford - with my car (N/A Exige) I'm not particularly quick in a straight line but faster than the majority in the corners - often end up getting held up around the corners but don't have enough grunt to get past down the straights...upsidedownmark said:
To a *VERY* large extent that can be mitigated by dropping back strategically, coming blasting out the corner with a massive amount more speed than them and slingshot stright past. Especially at the little kink between the two back straights.
Exactly how I've done it but takes a little time to get the timing correct, especially if they move over full left after the kink/brake far more than expected....Gassing Station | Track Days | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff