CJ's Locost Circuit Guide

This guide's a bit different from those elsewhere on the web as it's supposed to be useful to the driver and team. It's not a step-by-step guide to the circuits, more a useful resource to anyone who's due to race/spectate there. The information is basic at the moment but I'll be updating it on an ongoing basis.

Mallory Park

• Camping Potential - Not much grass in the pits and very stony (need mallet for pegs). Above the ground so shouldn't get water logged.
• Toilet/Shower Facilities - Seperate drivers changing room in the paddock - which was nice ;)
• Paddock - Mostly sloping tarmac with areas of rough gravel
• Catering - Decent selection of independent catering vans and a bar/restaurant building. One of the best breakfast's around!
• Pit lane - Good, next to assembly area, view from Devils elbow to half way round Gerrards
• Best place for watching the race - Either the bank just down from Shaw's hairpin or Gerrards for action. Mallory is in a natural amphitheatre so allows you to see pretty much the whole track.
• Fun for driver - A fairly basic circuit, almost an oval with a hairpin added on. Takes some balls to keep it flat round Gerrards and Shaws can be fun. Don't lose it at the Devil's Elbow though or you'll end up in the pitlane wall! Then again, lose it at Gerrards and you could end up in the lake!
• Good local hotels -
• Good Points - Great viewing, friendly
• Bad Points - Paddock is inside the circuit so you have to get there early and leaving before all the racing ends can be a problem.

Donington

• Camping potential - Didn't camp as it was snowing remember, but as I remember no grass area's near the pits.
• Toilet/shower facilities on site - Showers available.
• Paddock - fairly level tarmac
• Catering - Restaurant/café. You pay what Donnington wants you to pay!
• Pit lane - Good but a fair way from the assembly area , you can almost see the start if you stand on one of the pit garage seats. Access interesting. F4 muppets tend to practice their best Paddington stares as you walk through `their' pit garage, view from the start of the start finish straight to just after Redgates
• Best places for viewing the race - The top of the stand opposite the pit lane isn't bad alternatively, by the spitfire monument which gives you a good view of Craner and Starkeys. Bound to see someone fall off there!!!
• Fun for the driver - Great circuit with a bit of everything for the driver. Flooring it down the off-camber Craner Curves into the Old Hairpin can be a bit hairy. Watch out for Goddards it's slower than you think.
• Good local hotels -
• Good Points - Easy to get to. Modern facilities.
• Bad points -

Oulton Park

• Camping potential - Not much grass near pits. Soft ground.
• Toilet/shower facilities on site - Didn't find any but, didn't look that hard either!
• Paddock - Fairly level tarmac
• Catering - Restaurant/café and a few independent vans in the spectator areas. In true Octagon fashion it's a bit pricey but very clean and new.
• Pit lane - Good access, next to assembly area, you can only really see the start finish straight though
• Best places for viewing the race: Somewhere around the Foulston chicane probably but it's a bit of a trek. On the bank overlooking Knickerbrook gives a wider perspective with plenty of action at the chicane.
• Fun for driver - Very good. Druids is another 'commitment' corner and the rolloercoaster ride into lodge sees quite a few people falling off. Bit of everything here.
• Good local hotels -
• Good Points - Great to watch at.
• Bad points - Not good to fall off at!

Cadwell Park

• Camping potential - Lots of area to camp in and out of the pits, soft unstoney ground, on a high level so should be alright in the wet.
• Toilet/shower facilities on site - Showers available.
• Paddock - Mixture of grass and rough tarmac
• Catering - Restaurant/bar and a couple of vans
• Pit lane - short circuit: forget it you have to filter down the hill to the start line, Mountain circuit should be much better
• Best places for viewing the race - get in your car or whatever and drive round to just below Charlies. Up on the hill by the Gooseneck should ensure some action too.
• Fun for driver - Fantastic. Up hill and down dale! The Gooseneck is a bit of a bum tightener at first but great fun when you get used to it. Try and get airborn up the Mountain too!!
• Good local hotels -
• Good Points - really pretty circuit with plenty of variety
• Bad points - A bit out of the way and can involve a lot of walking but still more than worth the effort

Snetterton

• Camping potential - Lots of grass near the pits (Locost pits that is as they're a million miles out), soft ground that drains well.
• Toilet/shower facilities on site - Octagon owned so modern toilet blocks abound although they're not always open!!! Showers available.
• Paddock - tarmac (unless you're a Locost racer in which you'll be in the boonies outside it)
• Catering - Bar/Restaurant
• Pit lane - See Donnington
• Best places for viewing the race - Definitely Russel which is the chicane before the start/finish straight. There's a toilet block there too!
• Fun for driver - A fast circuit with some good straight bits. The Esses can easily catch you out, understeer prevails round Coram, make sure you get Russel right or you'll suffer all the way to Sear!
• Good local hotels -
• Good Points - Fairly Interesting track if a bit flat.
• Bad points - Always seems to involve biblical type rain

Pembrey

• Camping potential - Camping like pits, low level and very wet (under water) when its been raining (everytime Locost goes there then).
• Toilet/shower facilities on site - Showers (the bathing kind as well as torrential downpours!).
• Paddock - some tarmac, a lot of potentially muddy field
• Catering - Bar/Restaurant and a van or two
• Pit lane - A bit far from the assembly area but good otherwise, more track visible than usual
• Best places for viewing the race - On the bank above Paddock Bend
• Fun for driver - not a bad circuit but is as flat as a witch's tit! Very difficult to get braking points right as there's very little in the way of trackside markers. Quite quick though. Watch it through Dibeni though!
• Good local hotels - Some decent B&B pubs in the town
• Good Points - an awful lot better than it's reputation
• Bad points - the hairpin just after the pit straight (I believe they are changing the circuit though), it's in Wales (only joking!!)

Silverstone

• Camping potential - Lots of grass just behind pits, soft ground not stony.
• Toilet/shower facilities on site - What, don't you have a fleet of motorhomes with your team? ;) I believe they are available.
• Paddock - tarmac or grass, big and bigger! Copse runway is a good bet on a busy day
• Catering - Yes but ridiculously expensive
• Pit lane - Once you've got over thinking you're Patrick Head or Adrian Newey it's average - no view at all. See Donnington
• Best places for viewing the race - you're having a laugh aren't you? Probably Maggots for a Club race. Brooklands provides some action too.
• Fun for driver - You enjoy the cachet of being at the home (for the time being) of F1 in the UK and the circuit is VERY safe as a consequence. Maggots will make you look spectacular when you're going slow, Brooklands will encourage you to fall off and Copse will test your nerve. Quite a laugh but there's an awful lot of empty grandstands to look at!
• Good local hotels -
• Good Points - well, you have to go there once don't you, impresses the family and friends
• Bad points - how long have you got?

Lydden Hill

• Camping potential - No much grass area in pits lots behind but on a slope, good for drainage.
• Toilet/shower facilities on site - Can't remember on showers but doesn't matter as this is supposedly the last meeting there.
• Paddock - Grass and rough tarmac/gravel
• Catering - mmmmm portacabins and one food van thing. Not quite as bad as it sounds
• Pit lane - a do what?
• Best places for viewing the race - anywhere, this is one of the best things about Lydden
• Fun for driver - I'll let you know!
• Good local hotels -
• Good Points - Great for watching the race, Toilets are suprisingly usable.....
• Bad points - apart from the toilets it feels like about 50p has been spent on the facilities since about 1962

*Thanks to Dave Beddows for the initial info and inspiration! Also to Glenn Boyer for the camping info (tent style that is!).