2018 - A Caterham Track Day at Silverstone

Silverstone Circuit

After my Donington Historics excursion, I made my way to Silverstone for a follow up track day in the same week.   Like Donington, I had been here before and I was driving the same Caterham 310.   However, I had big reservations. The GP layout at Silverstone is a power circuit. Very fast. But I only had 152hp so I was not going to be very fast. Plus with the 5 speed gearbox that they only offer now (apparently there are now reliability issues with the Caterham 6 speed box that traditionally was specified and that I have in my Caterham CSR) then I was likely to find myself stuck without the right gear at some point. Sure enough that was how it turned out.

You really need a Caterham 620R or R500 to enjoy this circuit.

Some on track photos

There are two choices of video

Option 1

360 video that you can pan around and look everywhere but not great sound but it does have a track map and data overlay and corner labelling for the first lap so you know what corner I am going through. Click and drag cursor to pan the video around 360 degrees

Option 2

Regular video with sound and data overlays.

Both videos really illustrate the power nature of the circuit. I would belt into corners at max velocity 105mph, usual high speed understeer and then the aim was to minimize the speed being scrubbed off by the corner. Then on exit, I could not drop a gear to pick up the pace because of the gaps between the ratios forcing me to hold a higher gear and lug it out of the corners.

And this was the situation all over the circuit – Copse, Maggott/Beckett, Abbey, etc. It was a fun day on a circuit but frustrating all the same.

So whats my favorite between Silverstone and Donington?  Donington.   No contest. Its fast and fun and well suited to a seven. Even in a lightly powered Caterham it is a good drive because it flows so well. Donington is one of the best circuits you will ever drive in a Seven as it flows so well maintaining momentum.