80 replies to this topic

[Graham Clayton]

An article from the "Autosport" magazine dated the 27th of February 1997, showing the ill-fated Lola T97/30 having a shakedown run at the Santa Pod drag racing circuit.

 

 

This is the first time that I have seen a drag racing strip being used as a shakedown/testing venue for a circuit racing car. What other unusual venues have been used for shakedown/test runs?

 

 

[Arjan de Roos]

Redbull tested a RB7 on the Hahnenkamm near Kitzbuehl, driver Max Verstappen:

http://www.redbullra...d-bull-snow-run

[Stephen W]

McLaren used Elvington, an old RAF base where they ran sprints, drag races and record attempts on the very long main runway.

[f1steveuk]

Where was it Vern Schuppan straightline tested the Tyrrell 005/6? Brakes vibrations, something to do with the copper being plucked out of the pads and coating the discs, so Vern hammered up and down braking hard at the end of each run.

[Gary C]

I seem to remember McLaren using Croix-En-Ternois (sp?) in France prior to Monaco about 15 years ago.

[chunder27]

Duxford where the unfortunate Virgin incident took place

 

Santa Pod was a very popular F1 test venue at one time due to the F1 start procedures run at the time.

 

In the early days engines were often run in at local airfields often disused, Folkingham near Bourne was popular one for BRM.

 

The big WEC teams use Monza WITHOUT chicanes to pre Le Mans test, watching a Porsche or Audi go flat through Curva Grande is impressive!!

[Adrian Beese]

McLaren used Pembrey when Senna was driving and Llandow was rumoured to be used as well. Huge amount of security at Pembrey but you could see most of the track from a railway bridge nearby.

[Cirrus]

McLaren also used to test at Longcross. There was a set of traffic lights there which turned red every time a tank needed to cross the track.

[chunder27]

There is footage on that F1 Cosworth Equinox awesome show of them testing a Beatrice at Boreham. normally used for testing rally cars!!

[bradbury west]

I always understood Tyrrell too used Pembrey prior to Monaco, inter alia, and Benneton used RAF Kemble, just down the road from them, for top speed and straight line speed test.
Roger Lund

[nmansellfan]

I don't think Audi or Porsche tested at Monza this year (although I might be wrong), '19Bozzy92' on YouTube nearly always manages to get great footage but he hasn't posted anything for the manufacturer teams at Monza yet (although Bykolles and Rebellion have tested there with the chicane in place this year.).  Although they have to run the Della Roggia chicane (and Ascari, naturally), I fully concur with Chunder27, it is an awesome sight to watch cars round the Curva Grande at 200mph+! 

 

I remember Arrows in the TWR era, testing at Santa Pod too.

[2F-001]

Brabham used Mallory for some pre-GP testing (in their Piquet era) - supposedly clocking 35-sec laps; didn't Williams use it too on occasion?

 

But on the subject of straight-line testing, Ganassi's use of Laurel Hill must rank as being pretty 'unusual'.

 

http://www.racecar-e...of-laurel-hill/

 

(edited to add link - which I'd forgotten)

Edited by 2F-001, 10 August 2016 - 13:26.

[foxyracer]

I remember being at Snetterton one Sunday during the summer of 1977.  Late morning the Brabham Alfa-Romeo truck turned up followed shortly afterwards by John Watson.  During the lunch break Wattie did a few "shake-down" laps in the car prior to packing it up and sending it on its way to the next GP. 

[Charlieman]

In the early days engines were often run in at local airfields often disused, Folkingham near Bourne was popular one for BRM.

Folkingham was BRM's second base for a few years.

 

BRM didn't just test engines* in running cars at Folkingham -- they presumed that it was good enough to test the chassis, even though the running surface and corners were different from race tracks at the time. In the 1960s, BRM used Snetterton and Silverstone for "local" testing.

 

* BRM had an engineering shed at Folkingham where engines were tested on a dyno. When an engine blows, hot fluids shoot in all sorts of strange ways, so assume that the shed differed from the one on your allotment.

[chunder27]

Charlie I did know some of this, having lived in Bourne my Dad being a Plod there, he used to get a lot of the stories from the guys who were around in the BRM team times.

[john aston]

On a more parochial basis, I was once doing a trackday at RAF Binbrook (Godawful- terrible surface, piles of debris next to track etc ) and Carlin Motorsport (I think- a name team anyway) turned up en route to Monaco with two 911 Cup cars. I nearly got out to see why I had stopped when they overtook my 120bhp Seven down the straight ...  Apparently Binbrook replicated parts of Monaco - Mediterranean sun , yachts and blondes not included ..

[2F-001]

Does anyone know if Lurcy Levis is still used for anything? That used to see some serious stuff in action; it had a very long straight (even longer than that used as part of a lap) which I believe saw some F1 testing.

I had a day driving there en route to an event at nearby Magny Cours; the facilities were almost non-existent but the track was an enjoyable challenge in a Seven.

[KWSN - DSM]

http://www.racecar-e...el-hill-tunnel/

 

[bradbury west]

Not an unusual place to test, but we were at Silverstone watching a clubbie one day, early 90s poss, when the glorious V10 engine le Mans cars were in vogue, and Walkinshaw was running a full 6 hr test for cars and crew on the then relatively new South Circuit at the same time. Extended fun for us....

Roger Lund

[Sharman]

Roger
check drw can't locate other
John

[bradbury west]

John, email sent
Roger

[BRG]

There is footage on that F1 Cosworth Equinox awesome show of them testing a Beatrice at Boreham. normally used for testing rally cars!!

Although it was a race track before Ford took it over.

[Macca]

Benetton also used Boreham for shakedown runs when they were no.1 Ford users.

 

Not F1, but in the days of the pre-Tasman down-under series Bruce McLaren once had to run in a new engine on a 200m banked cycling track.

 

And now I remember that McLaren bought Lydden Hill in order to turn it into a test circuit when testing was unlimited but couldn't get planning permission for the alterations so never ran there. 

 

After Folkingham was taken back over by the MoD for installation of the short-lived Thor ballistic missiles, BRM used to use the runway of another disused airfield at North Witham, beside the A1 south of Grantham.

 

I never saw F1s at Goodwood in the days of unrestricted noise (although I remember seeing Ray Mallock and Ron Tauranac with the prototype Ralt RT3 Atlantic there ca. 1980) - when would the last F1 to test there have been?

 

 

Paul M

[chunder27]

Haha the ill fated McLaren Lydden deal, never really understood what on earth they were thinking looking at buying that place!

[Lee Nicolle]

V8SC competitos Team Dynamic got caught doing testing at Woomera Rocket range.

The 'Veskanda'  Sports Car was tested at Adelaide International Raceway. Where it broke an F5000 upright and crashed in the first private testing

[2F-001]

I never saw F1s at Goodwood in the days of unrestricted noise (although I remember seeing Ray Mallock and Ron Tauranac with the prototype Ralt RT3 Atlantic there ca. 1980) - when would the last F1 to test there have been?

Paul M

Not certain it was the last, but Onyx did a brief (and unofficial) shakedown during one of our (Lotus Seven Club) track days. There's an oblique reference to it in that glossy Glory of Goodwood book, but I can't remember if I related the actual story on TNF before.

Edited by 2F-001, 11 August 2016 - 07:53.

[chunder27]

Has an F1 car ever run at Cadwell?

 

Did Rob Cox ever run the Lola there in the late 80's?

 

I think Tony Trimmer might have run something there, but even way back the lap record was an F3 car. And I recall Libre running at places to try and break lap records, places like Lydden and Mallory!!

[paulsenna1]

Has an F1 car ever run at Cadwell?

 

Did Rob Cox ever run the Lola there in the late 80's?

 

I think Tony Trimmer might have run something there, but even way back the lap record was an F3 car. And I recall Libre running at places to try and break lap records, places like Lydden and Mallory!!

IIRC Cadwell had (still has?) a 2 litre limit for single seaters.

[Supersox]

Folkingham was BRM's second base for a few years.

 

BRM didn't just test engines* in running cars at Folkingham -- they presumed that it was good enough to test the chassis, even though the running surface and corners were different from race tracks at the time. In the 1960s, BRM used Snetterton and Silverstone for "local" testing.

 

* BRM had an engineering shed at Folkingham where engines were tested on a dyno. When an engine blows, hot fluids shoot in all sorts of strange ways, so assume that the shed differed from the one on your allotment.

Which was still in use until quite recently by Hall and Fowler and subsequently Hall and Hall as their workshop  and latterly storage facility. In the old days you could see the Bloodhound missiles on the horizon.

[Supersox]

I seem to remember McLaren using Croix-En-Ternois (sp?) in France prior to Monaco about 15 years ago.

As did Williams, it bears some small (being the operative word) resemblance to Monaco.

Years ago I did a commentary there on a six hour Deux Cheveaux race, all was well until the time keepers dropped it after about 45 minutes. The French thought I was talking English, the English thought I was talking French and I was having to make it up as I went along.

Edited by Supersox, 11 August 2016 - 09:11.

[speedman13]

Does anyone know if Lurcy Levis is still used for anything? That used to see some serious stuff in action; it had a very long straight (even longer than that used as part of a lap) which I believe saw some F1 testing.

I had a day driving there en route to an event at nearby Magny Cours; the facilities were almost non-existent but the track was an enjoyable challenge in a Seven.

Was that on a Wheeltorque trip.

[2F-001]

Yes.

Honestly can't remember if I went to LL more than once - but one visit was certainly with Wheeltorque.

Just to make life busier, I drove at Goodwood on the Saturday… then we did (I think) LL on Monday, Magny Cours on Tues, Dijon on Wednesday and Anneau du Rhin (near Colmar) on Friday, back to UK on Saturday (and no trailer). Those were the days… I'm guessing I might know you then…?

[speedman13]

Yes.

Honestly can't remember if I went to LL more than once - but one visit was certainly with Wheeltorque.

Just to make life busier, I drove at Goodwood on the Saturday… then we did (I think) LL on Monday, Magny Cours on Tues, Dijon on Wednesday and Anneau du Rhin (near Colmar) on Friday, back to UK on Saturday (and no trailer). Those were the days… I'm guessing I might know you then…?

Yes I was on that trip with a Formula Ford.

[timf5000]

IIRC Cadwell had (still has?) a 2 litre limit for single seaters.

 

We ran our F5000 March 76A at Cadwell in a Libre race in 1986! But we did have to have a chat with the scrutineers about the 2-litre limit!! And we were noise tested (first time we ever had been) both stationary and at speed. Although I saw the tester hiding in the bushes on the Mountain and just coasted by him on a trailing throttle!

[MCS]

We ran our F5000 March 76A at Cadwell in a Libre race in 1986! But we did have to have a chat with the scrutineers about the 2-litre limit!! And we were noise tested (first time we ever had been) both stationary and at speed. Although I saw the tester hiding in the bushes on the Mountain and just coasted by him on a trailing throttle!

 

That may constitute a record, Tim.  I can remember in the mid-1970s that Tony Dean enquired after a Libre race entry for one of his F5000 Chevrons but was turned away.

 

I am now curious.  Have there been other "over 2-litre" cars raced at Cadwell?

[MCS]

Didn't March Engineering stop off on their way to Monaco in 1971 at Lydden Hill so that Ronnie could do some preliminary testing?

 

Isn't the story that the tyre marks he left with the 711 were still in evidence many years later...? 

[LittleChris]

I think Renault used Folembray a couple of times testing for Monaco.

Regarding the Single Seater 2 litre limit at Cadwell, does that mean a current F1 car would be acceptable ?
Would be interesting to see how far it land after the crest of the Mountain given the torque they produce !!?

[john aston]

In 40 odd years of Cadwell visits I have never seen a single seater over 2 litres - except for various bonkers VSCC devices. Plenty of sports cars etc over that limit- I watched a 5litre Mustang there back in June.. So far as testing is concerned it is also the venue where Mark Hales had his very expensive  gearchanging problem in a 5litre 917. A current F1 car would be something - many people who have only seen Cadwell on TV think it's a twisty and slow track but from Barn to Mansfield (about 60% of track distance) it is actually bloody quick. Coppice would be extraordinary- I recall a slick shod Clubman car's  data logging showing a 130mph entry (and even I manage about a ton in a road legal Caterham ) so an aero F1 car would be doing at least another 30 mph on top of that I'd guess. Let me know when it's  happening please... 

Edited by john aston, 12 August 2016 - 06:20.

[timf5000]

That may constitute a record, Tim.  I can remember in the mid-1970s that Tony Dean enquired after a Libre race entry for one of his F5000 Chevrons but was turned away.

 

I am now curious.  Have there been other "over 2-litre" cars raced at Cadwell?

 

I was told by the scrutineer that we were the only big car there since Tony Dean although I'm fairly sure he didn't race any of his F5000s there. There was a picture of me in the March in the Personal Photos thread taken by Brendan MacFarlane but it now seems to have disappeared.( Not a unique happening, I believe....) I would like to go back there with the car actually running cleanly on all six cylinders rather than suffering with the fuel feed problem we had. A fantastic circuit.

[Rob Semmeling]

Sauber tested its first Formula 1 car at Buochs airfield in Switzerland over the winter of 1992-1993.

[Stephen W]

Pembrey was also used by Brabham in the Piquet era although I wouldn't have thought using a race circuit constituted an unusual venue to test a race car.

[Dick Dastardly]

Jack Sears etc, Aston Martin, M1 in '63 [or was it '64?]

[wheadon1985]

Pembrey wasn't open until 1989 and Piquet left Brabham for Williams in 1985/86. Did Brabham use the runway at Pembrey Airport maybe?

[Dick Dastardly]

Pembrey wasn't open until 1989 and Piquet left Brabham for Williams in 1985/86. Did Brabham use the runway at Pembrey Airport maybe?

May not have been officially open as a circuit until then but we did Historic Rallies there '87 & '88 using part of the circuit, runways etc....

[Mallory Dan]

John, Binbrook was Lightnings I think, so the runway must have seen service!!

[chunder27]

Binbrook was Lightnings yes, until the early 90's I think.

 

And has been used for rallies a few times. Like nearby Manby and Strubby.  In fact most parts of Lincolnshire would have had cars and bikes running on them.

I know a friend of mine used to use an old strip of runway to run his race bikes in!! Not telling where though!!

 

Believe me Lincolnshire was an awesome place to grow up driving, lots of places to get up to no good if you knew where to look and were careful!

[Thundersports]

Menorca airport!

Not the current one the old one until about 5-6 years ago Mclaren and others used it in the winter for straight line testing. It's an aero club and there are photos on the wall of LH etc.

[wheadon1985]

May not have been officially open as a circuit until then but we did Historic Rallies there '87 & '88 using part of the circuit, runways etc....

I didn't know that it was used prior to opening as a licenced circuit!

[KWSN - DSM]

Personal memory, can not recall names.

 

Were at the 1988 Le Mans a car blew it's engine Thursday had it changed / fixed, team then borrowed the airstrip next to the track and did shakedown by running up and down the longest of the runways.

 

[chunder27]

There is footage of a mid 80's Welsh rally stage being run at a pre poshed up Pembrey I think.