Like some others on TNF, I dabble with a bit of 'sim' racing (or play racing games, depending on how you view it). Last week I was racing in the sim 'Iracing' at Oulton Park in a Radical SR8, which in real life is a two seater sports prototype type machine, weighs under 700kg, has a 380bhp V8 and a dollop of (but not too much) downforce. The track in the sim is laser scanned, meaning it is accurate on screen to just a few mm compared to real life, in size / shape and altitude changes. We raced on the config that follows the original 'International' layout, meaning the full circuit with the Shell Oils hairpin and without the Britten's and Knickerbrook chicanes. Laptimes from the quick guys were well under 1m20sec, meaning - in the sim world - they were averaging more than 120mph per lap and approaching Knickerbrook at 165mph.
While peppering the Cheshire scenery with broken virtual Radicals, it lead me to wonder when the Britten's chicane was first added. Many obviously know the sad event leading up to the Knickerbrook chicane's addition, but Britten's i'm not too sure when and why - other than a half remembered story I read somewhere that John Webb was testing a Mclaren Can-Am car in the early 70's and got air under the front wheels as he came over the top of Hill Top, leading to him deciding that a chicane needed to be added before a big shunt occured.
Can anyone corroborate my recollection or is it wide of the mark?
Edited by nmansellfan, 30 March 2021 - 15:10.