GOODWOOD

Goodwood is a circuit firmly based on a wartime fighter airfield at West Hampnett in sunny Sussex. It is a fast circuit and quite demanding with four double apex bends, a chicane and only one left hand bend in 2.4 miles. However, it is also great fun. Let's have a look.... We start, out of the pits on the green light, with much trotter down and moving quickly up through the gears to third, moving over to the left of the track as we go. There is a braking cone on the left at which we brake fairly hard and turn in towards the first apex of Madgwick. However, we don't hit the apex unless we are VERY fast, and prefer to keep midfield with steady power on, now heading for the grass, then pulling hard into the second apex. Clip the kerb and power away, up into fourth, moving over to the left to turn late into the full power apex at Fordwater. In a 944t we are now doing around 120mph so easing off the power as we approach the braking cone on the left and then, down into third and standing on the brake pedal ready for the entry into St Mary's (remembering ruefully that this is where Sir Stirling Moss went straight on at 100mph back in the sixties) we pull right to the first apex and, keeping some power on, left again at the reverse cambered apex (and the only real left hand bend at Goodwood). Then, unwinding the steering to drift right for the false apex and left approaching Levant Corner we pull hard right into the first apex., let her drift across the track a bit and then pull hard right again into the second apex (many have come unstuck here - some into the gravel, some doing some circular gardening on the grass). I know, I was that soldier!). Through the twisty bit following and up into fourth with the hammer hard down we fight the torque to keep her straight up the hill, clipping the full speed kerb on the left, around 120mph, then centre down the wide straight to Woodcote (my favourite corner). Woodcote is yet another two apex bend and very fast. So we brake heavily and down into third on the approach, keeping midfield through the first apex with power on. Pull heavily into the second apex four-wheel drifting from there across to the left of the track for the chichane where we stand on the middle pedal and drop down to second, putting power on at the last moment to take us quickly through the deceptive right-left. Much right clog as we bounce off the kerb, up into third and then fourth as, with turbo howling, we pass the entry to the pits on our right - then off down the main straight at 110 mph to begin another lap of this delightful circuit........... Hope this is useful, Michael - 24th July, 2002

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