Donington: Monsters of Opposite Lock

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Another trackday, another great sense of relief that I’ve not bankrupted myself by crashing into a Porsche. More than that, though, Donington was a great learning experience.

Donington Park circuit diagram, stolen from www.msport-uk.com
The trackday used the National circuit, missing out the Melbourne loop.
(Track map nicked from www.msportuk.com.)

All other tracks I’ve driven have been fairly flat, former-airfield affairs. Well, with the exception of Rockingham, but even that was pancake-like. Donington, on the other hand, is full of swoops and sweeps just waiting to catch you out. And catch me out is exactly what they did. None moreso than Craner Curves.

I’d been warned by a friend (and former racer) not to lift off at Craner Curves, as I’d soon be facing the wrong way. Well, I didn’t lift off, but I did overestimate the Mini’s ability to take corners whilst simultaneously underestimating the effect of the track’s gradient changes. Consequently, the car oversteered and lurched sideways onto the grass, collecting half a football pitch of turf in the wheels.

The session was even stopped immediately after that, but thankfully it was down to someone else digging themselves into the kitty litter at Redgate. Still, I’d had only about 5 laps and was having to seriously reappraise my abilities behind the wheel. To borrow a phrase from Martin Brundle, I felt I’d ran out of talent just when I needed it. :-/

Thankfully, I didn’t have any further off-track excursions in the remaining 5 sessions. I did, however, learn one hell of a lot—more than I’ve learnt on my previous 3 trackdays put together, in fact. I learnt to show a great deal of respect to gradients and gradient changes. I learnt that putting your foot on the gas in nervy, high-speed situations can actually make an appreciable difference to the car’s stability (for the good, btw). And I learnt that, if you’re not careful over brows, even a front-wheel-drive Mini will oversteer for England. But I can hold it. Just. ;)

All in all, it was an excellent, educational day. And at just £99, fairly cheap too (we’ll ignore the £100+ spent on petrol and the tyre and brake wear!). Next time, I’ll have to give Oulton Park a shot. The gradients there look every bit as mental as at Donington. :)

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