WSBK UK 2023 | Page 61

TRACK DESCRIPTION
T4 OLD HAIRPIN TO T5 STARKEY ’ S BRIDGE Once you get over that first rise , you really dig the bike in and drive hard towards the Old Hairpin . It is a good passing place in the race . I think we are apexing at about 60-70mph there , slower than you think , going in with third gear . The track drops away so much more than it looks on telly , so it ’ s hard to get the bike in there . The key is once you have hit the apex for the Old Hairpin not to run too wide on the exit . Up to fourth and flick the bike on the way into Starkey ’ s , taking a little bit of kerb - but not too much or else it upsets the bike . white line at the pit exit , basically .
T6 SCHWANTZ ’ CURVE You let the bike run all the way out to Schwantz ’ and when you have the gearing just right on a really good lap , you just touch the limiter as you are getting back across the left hand side , before lifting the bike up for McLeans .
T4
T5
T12 GODDARDS HAIRPIN TO WHEATCROFT STRAIGHT Probably the toughest corner on the track because in the braking zone there are two big ‘ kick bumps ’. You come right back to the right hand side of the track , for the famous photo where everyone has their rear wheel off the ground . You always feel you can go in there faster but when you try you always end up going wide . As you flick the bike in it joins the short track tarmac , and there is a bit of a camber change . You have to go in there with 2-3 % margin . And if you go in as fast as you want you won ’ t make the apex . Then you lift it up and drive as hard as you can .
T6
T7
T7 MCLEAN ’ S There are some safety catch fence on the outside of the track there . Pick one of them as your reference , aim towards it and then hard braking and back down the gears . This is a lot harder braking zone than people realise because it is quite short but you need to scrub off a lot of speed because McLean ’ s is relatively slow compared to the corners around it . It is all about picking that perfect apex at McLean ’ s . Tricky corner , because it starts off with a nice positive camber and then ends up completely flat . On the exit there the bike wants to spin and slide a lot .
OFFICIAL PROGRAMME
T12
T9
T8
T10
STARKEY ’ S STRAIGHT TO T9 / T10 FOGARTY ESSES The straight has got a little jump in the middle , so you can ’ t relax too much there . I lean the bike as it wheelies , to stop it wheeling too much , and use a lot of rear brake . The Esses , just like the final corners , is all about hard braking . The second white line on the kerb on the right I am back to second gear for the Foggy Esses . I like to use a little bit of kerb on the left and the right . The right kerb is very bumpy and in second gear the revs are quite high . I do not let it spin too much , and then use all the track on the exit , right out to the white line .
T8 COPPICE One of the most difficult corners on the track because it is completely blind . In the first few laps , even though I have done so many laps around there , you can tip in too early and catch the kerb on the inside . Then you run wide mid-corner . So you need to have the patience to just wait split second before tipping in . The whole bike goes light and then you let the bike run out a little bit , because the exit is so important to give you a run up the next straight . An important corner , also for tyre life .
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