fantastic! nice write up, I f**king can't wait!!!!!!!!
I had heard its a bloody hard track to learn even club racers find it a challege to get a decent time round it, looks like a grippy track indeed, what was the temperature like midday?
was it enough to have a t-shirt on under leathers or will I need a base layer? was you using tyre warmers?
oh and 20 euros for a jerry can?!?!! bit expensive no? was that for 20 litres?
Around 65F midday although on one day it was a bit warmer in the sun. I was just wearing a T shirt under my leathers and then pulling on a fleece while off the bike. If you're really climbing about on the bike then that's all you need.
I wasn't using tyre warmers so needed at least a lap to get some heat in. If you are using warmers, don't forget to bring an electrical adaptor!
If you can get someone who knows to show you the lines then you'll get on much quicker. There are three long, long right handers (including the one on to the straight) that you have to get right. The technique we were taught was to take them as two corners, making almost a triangle line, with a hard turn-in (helped by shutting the throttle) on an apex about 3/4s across the track. You'll have to see them to work it out.
The first righthander(s) you can take as one, scrubbing off speed as you go through to the left-hander - the slowest and scariest corner on the track (you'll see!).
It is a superbly designed track - get it right and it flows like the river of Babylon. Plus the corners are all medium speed or less and there's loads of run-off meaning there's nothing that's going to hurt too much if you screw-up.
Yeah, the fuel is not cheap (that's for a standard size, army-style jerry can, whatever capacity they are) and Big Kev gives you the old speech about not messing up the hire cars by carrying fuel cans in them when really FE wants its cut.
A lot of people were pissed off that they were charging for fitting tyres you've bought from them when it was advertised as free fitting - 'not on foreign trips' was their excuse. Actually, Kev messed up on the prices of the Dunlops and was obviously trying to claw some back.
But it's hard to begrudge them making a few quid extra when you look at what you get for your cash - hire car (little Hyundai but it did the job and good for handbrake turns), nice apartment to stay in, flights, bike transport, track time, etc. And their margins must be pretty tight.
It's all well organised and run as well, with a briefing every morning and people moved between groups as appropriate.
All in all, I'm well satisfied, had a brilliant time and will go next year if I can afford it. Enjoy!
