Cadwell Notes

by Neil Fry

Not going to pretend that I am an expert or anything but chatted to Dave Livingstone and he thought it would be useful if I popped down my experience from the last MGs-on-Track day at Cadwell. It is a very technical circuit but a lot of fun.

There is already a report describing the course from the perspective of an MGB driver, but for those with MGFs in particular (mine is the VVC), here goes...

Firstly, it should be noted that with the Lancer Club, we used the full circuit including the infamous "Mountain" section (known to break drive shafts as the car lifts off the ground and settles again) so my I have added the original gear selections as I can remember in square brackets (i.e. [G1]) if I feel that you would not be in this gear by this section due to the shortening of the course.

STRAIGHT to COPPICE CORNER – up gears to G3 [G4]
This turns into the long left hand (LH) uphill corner. Not an unusual line but needs the car over to the left for "Charlies Corner".

CHARLIES CORNER – G3 or G4 for smoothness [G4]
Late blind apex in RH corner is just after the slope peak and requires practice to get. Let car drift out to left applying increasing power on exit. Open area so mistake just ends up on the dust/grass. Goes into downhill Park Straight.

PARK STRAIGHT – G4 [G5]
Downhill then uphill with 5th gear being too long to get acceleration up hill.

PARK CORNER – G3
Brake in straight line and sit on LH. Drop into G3. Fairly standard 90 degree RH corner. Rough kerb on outside at exit.

CHRIS CURVE – G4
Long RH corner (car feels very unbalanced in this section). Just keep power fairly constant (or very smooth changes) and stay over to LH side. Apex is just before the 3rd kerb on RH side. After apex, back to LH side. Be warned, no straight section on lead up to "Gooseneck" corner for braking.

GOOSENECK – G3 (lower gear helps with braking downhill)
This is a very nice right left kink when you get it right (I had someone in Golf GTI spin in front of me here). Downhill, you have to make your own straight section by aiming car at the corner or can do mid-way (again, for later in the day).
So from LH side, brake move to right and run near kerb and aim for LH kerb (large kerb) if no bollards. Exit on RH side of track downhill.

MANSFIELD – G2
*Very* steep downhill beforehand, have to stand on brakes! There is a service road if you end up missing braking point. Turns into sharp 100 degree LH corner. Aim at apex late (getting the apex is critical to get line here and acceleration out). Exit on RH side of track at end of kerbing. Probably get to go up to G3 before "Hairpin."

HAIRPIN – Looks like G2
This part gets you back on to Coppice and the start of the lap. Never drove but links to straight and looked like required a swing out on entry for late apex. Exit wide as not to loose speed.
And back to straight before "Coppice Corner"

Hope this helps (and my memory serves me correctly) but any additional comments or questions, feel welcome. Have a cracking time!