TWO SIDES T DONINGTON
The true WorldSBK grandaddy of them all, the Donington Park layout continues to beguile and bewitch riders of all nations. The reason is simple. Its layout since the addition of the tight Melbourne Loop section has two contrasting themes. There is one long, fast and flowing early section, then a much shorter hard braking / slow cornering final loop. There is therefore no‘ perfect’ set-up to be found. Frustrating for the teams, enthralling for us, Donington is simply a solid gold WorldSBK classic. Here is how some top names of now and yesteryear describe their favourite bits of the 4.023km track.
T4 / The Old Hairpin
A hard right after some very strong downhill braking, the Old Hairpin is the classic place to try to pass on the inside, but maybe then lose out again as the other rider cuts back on the exit.
A certain Tarran Mackenzie, he of BSB championship-winning fame like his father Niall, says that the Old Hairpin is his favourite bit.“ I am not a massive fan of Craner, but when you do come left after that there is always a big crowd. It’ s good when you get the Old Hairpin right. And it is a good passing spot. I asked my Dad as well but he said Redgate, because apparently he passed people into Redgate. The trickiest part of the whole track is the last sector, because you cannot set a bike up for both that and the fast, flowing early parts.”
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T1 / T3 Redgate Corner / Hollywood / Craner Curves
The first right-hander of Redgate sees many a rider nibble a bit of the pitlane exit at the end of the Wheatcroft Straight during their final approach. It’ s more important to exit Redgate well, as from then on you are trying to cascade down the asphalt waterfall that is the combination of Hollywood and Craner Curves just as fast as you dare. Sam Lowes describes it thus.“ My favourite bit is down Craner Curves, in the transition after Hollywood to Craner- the right and left. When I was young, in my first time on a proper track, let’ s say, going down there was an eye-opener. I had ridden smaller tracks but first time down there, even on the out-lap … it stuck in my head. I found it quite hard there last year on a World Superbike, but it’ s still my favourite.”
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Can Sam may also answer a question that’ s been bugging many fans for decades? Where does Hollywood truly end and Craner truly begin? He laughed as he said,“ It’ s like a joining word … When you get it wrong, Hollywood never ends because the bike is still trying to go into the old Motocross track, but you are trying to go left into Craner!” |
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48 OFFICIAL PROGRAMME