www.lanciaracing.co.uk: Circuit Racing or Rallying

Circuit Racing or Rallying?

There are many different forms of Motor Sport, ranging from short hill climbs to long cross-continent endurance rallies.   One often has a preference for one or the other.

I am assuming that the reader of this page is interested in starting in motorsport.   What follows is mainly biased towards circuit events - I would be interested in having a view point from those compete in other forms of motorsport.

The following is a hypothetical race day for driver or support crew of a car involved in circuit racing.

the previous night:

6.00pm
final checks on car
assemble usual spares and tools
check race suit, helmet & gloves
check license
check tickets

early on race day:

3.00am crawl out of bed

4.00am double check race tickets, license and suit
leave for circuit

8.30am arrive at circuit
locate space in paddock for vehicles.
unload car

9.00am sign on at race control
attend drivers briefing for new drivers
join queue for scruitineering

9.45am get car ready for practise session,
check fluids, tyres & pressures.

10.15am get car to assembly area
get driver to assembly area

10.30am Practice session starts, usually 10 laps or 15 minutes
Car has to complete at least 3 laps to qualify automatically

10.45am Check car,
check tyre pressures,
discuss session with driver

11.15am go and get session times
discuss with driver, congratulate or commiserate if necessary

11.30am to
3.00pm
This time is a good opportunity to meet those you are racing against, to look at the other cars, watch a few other races or to walk or cycle round the track in search of good place to take photographs or to understand the geography of the circuit more.

3.00pm clean windscreen, check fluid levels, check tyres and pressures

3.45pm get car to assembly area
get driver to assembly area

4.00pm Race starts, usually 10-12 laps plus one or two 'green flag' sighting laps

4.25pm check tyre pressures,
discuss race with driver, congratulate or commiserate if necessary

4.40pm go and get race results
discuss
collect racing license and trophies for race and class winner

5.00pm load car on trailer

5.15pm leave circuit

10.00pm arrive home

Obviously some tracks are closer than others for us, others are further away - but you usually have to be at the circuit for about 9am and often don't leave unit 5pm.   For Oulton Park and Castle Combe we started travelling the previous night, stopping en route, however Snetterton, being our local track is only 20 minutes away.

3.00am	crawl out of bed
4.00am	double check race tickets, license and suit leave for circuit
8.30am	arrive at circuit locate space in paddock for vehicles. unload car
9.00am	sign on at race control attend drivers briefing for new drivers join queue for scruitineering
9.45am	get car ready for practise session, check fluids, tyres & pressures.
10.15am	get car to assembly area get driver to assembly area
10.30am	Practice session starts, usually 10 laps or 15 minutes Car has to complete at least 3 laps to qualify automatically
10.45am	Check car, check tyre pressures, discuss session with driver
11.15am	go and get session times discuss with driver, congratulate or commiserate if necessary
11.30am to 3.00pm	This time is a good opportunity to meet those you are racing against, to look at the other cars, watch a few other races or to walk or cycle round the track in search of good place to take photographs or to understand the geography of the circuit more.
3.00pm	clean windscreen, check fluid levels, check tyres and pressures
3.45pm	get car to assembly area get driver to assembly area
4.00pm	Race starts, usually 10-12 laps plus one or two 'green flag' sighting laps
4.25pm	check tyre pressures, discuss race with driver, congratulate or commiserate if necessary
4.40pm	go and get race results discuss collect racing license and trophies for race and class winner
5.00pm	load car on trailer
5.15pm	leave circuit
10.00pm	arrive home