A FLYING LAP WITH ALEX
WHEATCROFT STRAIGHT TO T1 REDGATE Donington is a track of two halves , but a great track - a lovely track to ride . I will just touch the limiter in fourth , and then go down to second gear for Redgate . As you brake you just let the bike slide a little bit so that the back of the bike goes into the entry of pit lane , just to open up the corner a little bit . The hardest part of Redgate is not to go in too early , as it has a late apex on the run down to Hollywood . You have to start tipping in just before the end of the white line at the pit exit , basically .
T2
T2 HOLYWOOD TO T3 CRANER CURVES You spin so much at the top of Hollywood and there are two little bumps before you change direction . There is a little patch of tarmac on the right hand side , between the top of Hollywood and the left of Craner where the track is flat . I always try to think ‘ right , change direction on the flat part of the track .’ You are going real fast there , like 120mph , so if you change direction well it puts you in a good position for the left of Craner Curves . You have to respect that first rise . in just before the end of the white line at the pit exit , basically .
T3
OFFICIAL PROGRAMME
T1
T11
ALEX LOWES
T11 MELBOURNE HAIRPIN The straight into the hairpin is not a straight at all . It sort of goes around and then you have to make quite a lot of effort to go back to the left so that you are braking upright . Get it stopped , down to first , a little bit downhill and always a good place to pass . And always lots of action ! The exit is quite simple , really because it is uphill , but because it is a first to third gear acceleration the bike wheelies all the way to Goddards .
No circuit on the WorldSBK championship trail , in this year or any other , features such contrasts in its layout as Donington Park . The first tarmac was originally laid down as a classic parkland circuit , complete with manor house in close proximity , between the wars . Revived , and how , by the Wheatcroft family in the 1970s Donington has hosted F1 , MotoGP™ and especially WorldSBK Rounds , for a long time .
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