Dan
05-21-2009, 09:09 PM
I wrote this to help a new Spec Miata racer in his first run at BFR in a few weeks.
Cross the SF line in 4th and pick up the brake markers for Turn 1.
T1 - Brake late, down into 3rd, trail brake a little and get on the gas 100% before apex. Kerbs on exit are usable but a little loose sometimes. Run down to T2 is nothing special....keep a little right wheel in coming out of T1 to get back to the right of the track smoothly.
T2 - Flat out in the dry...you can use the kerb like crazy on the inside. Makes a cool noise when you drive over it. I have to shift halfway through....be careful to make a clean shift as the car is a little loaded. Scary in the wet...stays damp after the rest of the track dries out too.
T3 - Carousel. You don't have time to get all the way over left for braking so you brake across the track. Down to 3rd while braking. Turn in and then play with lines...I use a kind of double apex using the end of the first kerb as the first and then trying to find a balance with the gas all the way down.
T3A - You come out of the carousel and stay flat on the gas through the little right left chicane then hard on the brakes for T3A. You are still in 3rd so no shift needed unless you are behind/passing slow traffic then 2nd can help. Late apex the right hander then just shortest distance through the left. Get over to the right ready for T4.
T4 - Needs respect as the tires are very close on exit. I just lift - no brakes. Some say they take it flat. They have bigger ones than I do. All the kerbs suck - apex and exit. If you hit the exit kerb - just ride it out. Many people spin to the infield trying to get it off the kerb.
T5 - Very long left hander. Turn in at the middle of the exit road on the right at entry. Apex at the kerb and let the car unload a little before upshift to 4th. Let the car use lots of track on exit - you have plenth of grip but it is better to maximize power going to acceleration.
T6 - Very hard brakes....around the 2 for me. Down into 3rd. Corner is very important for laptime. Lots of camber, lots of grip. Apex kerb is high and upsets the car if you get up on it. It is a very loose surface if you use the kerbs on exit. The following right hander (the silo turn) is flat - but make sure you get an apex so you don't run out of room on exit. Upshift to 4th on the way down to the kink.
T7 - Go through the kink right flat out and then brake hard. Downshift to 3rd. Don't use the kerb as a braking area - it sucks for grip. Late turn in and get on the gas early. Lots of room on exit - the fast guys use it every lap - but it is bumpy.
Upshift at redline and do it all again.
Look out for passes/passing at T1, T3, T3A, T6 and T7.
T1 is my preferred spot to make a move. T3 and T6 are very doable also. T3A and T7 take balls if you want to pass here. Big ones. Good for passing back markers though.
My best to date is a 1m25.4 I think.
Cross the SF line in 4th and pick up the brake markers for Turn 1.
T1 - Brake late, down into 3rd, trail brake a little and get on the gas 100% before apex. Kerbs on exit are usable but a little loose sometimes. Run down to T2 is nothing special....keep a little right wheel in coming out of T1 to get back to the right of the track smoothly.
T2 - Flat out in the dry...you can use the kerb like crazy on the inside. Makes a cool noise when you drive over it. I have to shift halfway through....be careful to make a clean shift as the car is a little loaded. Scary in the wet...stays damp after the rest of the track dries out too.
T3 - Carousel. You don't have time to get all the way over left for braking so you brake across the track. Down to 3rd while braking. Turn in and then play with lines...I use a kind of double apex using the end of the first kerb as the first and then trying to find a balance with the gas all the way down.
T3A - You come out of the carousel and stay flat on the gas through the little right left chicane then hard on the brakes for T3A. You are still in 3rd so no shift needed unless you are behind/passing slow traffic then 2nd can help. Late apex the right hander then just shortest distance through the left. Get over to the right ready for T4.
T4 - Needs respect as the tires are very close on exit. I just lift - no brakes. Some say they take it flat. They have bigger ones than I do. All the kerbs suck - apex and exit. If you hit the exit kerb - just ride it out. Many people spin to the infield trying to get it off the kerb.
T5 - Very long left hander. Turn in at the middle of the exit road on the right at entry. Apex at the kerb and let the car unload a little before upshift to 4th. Let the car use lots of track on exit - you have plenth of grip but it is better to maximize power going to acceleration.
T6 - Very hard brakes....around the 2 for me. Down into 3rd. Corner is very important for laptime. Lots of camber, lots of grip. Apex kerb is high and upsets the car if you get up on it. It is a very loose surface if you use the kerbs on exit. The following right hander (the silo turn) is flat - but make sure you get an apex so you don't run out of room on exit. Upshift to 4th on the way down to the kink.
T7 - Go through the kink right flat out and then brake hard. Downshift to 3rd. Don't use the kerb as a braking area - it sucks for grip. Late turn in and get on the gas early. Lots of room on exit - the fast guys use it every lap - but it is bumpy.
Upshift at redline and do it all again.
Look out for passes/passing at T1, T3, T3A, T6 and T7.
T1 is my preferred spot to make a move. T3 and T6 are very doable also. T3A and T7 take balls if you want to pass here. Big ones. Good for passing back markers though.
My best to date is a 1m25.4 I think.