Great write up and pics Sean! Looks like you had a great time, must try it myself one day
Cheers, going again next April if you fancy it.
Sean's 197T - RIP Albi :(
- Thread starter Sean197
- Start date
Cheers, going again next April if you fancy it.
///M
Gold Member
What a brilliant write up Sean! Your enjoyment of the whole thing comes across really well. GLad the brakes didn't put too much of a dampener on things and that's a poor error on the part of DT!
Pics look fantastic and I totally agree about how utterly brilliant the Clio chassis is.
Really enjoyed reading all that, thanks for taking the time to write such a thorough report
Pics look fantastic and I totally agree about how utterly brilliant the Clio chassis is.
Really enjoyed reading all that, thanks for taking the time to write such a thorough report
Glad you had a good time Sean, & that the car performed so well. Can't see the pics on this 2nd post though.Clio pics
next to a V8-powered Mk2 Escort:
Boost pipe came off after an exuberant trip over the sausage-kerbs at Radillon, fixed by the owner of the V8 Mk2 Escort giving me some jubilee clips to double-up - top man:
On track pics:
The place
One word - awesome. Right from the get-go you can just sense the motorsport history. Walking through the paddock, the pit-lane, the garages etc. was an amazing experience in itself, let alone being able to drive the actual track.
The track itself was brilliant, I was amazed at the elevation changes throughout the track, something which you really don't appreciate when watching on TV.
The organisation was excellent, run by Circuit Days. The staff were really helpful and approachable, and I will definitely be tracking with them again.
Overall the other drivers were great, more than happy to let you take pics of their cars and discuss them, even had a few people ask me about mine and ask to take pics which I was chuffed to bits with! One guy asked if I was on slicks as he couldn't keep up with me through the corners, so obviously happy with that. There were a few dicks out on track, but out of 50 or so cars I would say that's to be expected, and the staff quickly dealt with them.
The car
What can I say. The car was flawless, bar the boost pipe coming off, but I did go over sausage-kerbs at 130mph so I think I can forgive that. Also, as mentioned earlier, I was running standard pads on the front which caused a vibration under hard braking with the new discs. Next time I will definitely be running DS 1.11 or Carbon Lorraine RC 6 or similar.
At first I was critical of the B14's for being too soft, which they probably are, but after a few laps I got used to them and adjusted my driving to suit, and my god was the Clio awesome. I found time and time again that faster cars breezed past me on the Kemmel Straight, only for me to be right up their chuff through Sector 2. The handling really was incredible, and the performance of the tyres was nothing short of brilliant. For £66 per tyre I will be using them again without hesitation.
Overall, the car was great, and I really have a new-found appreciation of the RenaultSport chassis. Seriously, you think you know just how capable your car is, but the truth is you have no idea until you take it on track. That's when it really comes alive and you can show up far more expensive machinery.
Overall, I will definitely be going back to Spa. Amazing place, and easily the best experience of my life.
Hopefully next year when I return the car will have more power, bigger brakes, buckets and harnesses, and ideally a vented bonnet. That way I can really make the most of the car.
Anyway, thanks for reading!
Attachments
any better?
Clio pics
next to a V8-powered Mk2 Escort:
Boost pipe came off after an exuberant trip over the sausage-kerbs at Radillon, fixed by the owner of the V8 Mk2 Escort giving me some jubilee clips to double-up - top man:
On track pics:
That's it Sean, cheers. Looks good. I like the sound of a V8 mk2 Escort!any better?
Clio pics
next to a V8-powered Mk2 Escort:
Boost pipe came off after an exuberant trip over the sausage-kerbs at Radillon, fixed by the owner of the V8 Mk2 Escort giving me some jubilee clips to double-up - top man:
On track pics:
///M
Gold Member
Ps. Mrs M will be really pleased to see someone else on here still sporting the Clio boot badge!
///M
Gold Member
FIRST thing she said when we went to look at the cars on Sunday morning while you were all having breakfast.
Points at your car: "Look I'm not the only one who wants to keep the Clio badge"
If it made it go quicker I'd take it offFIRST thing she said when we went to look at the cars on Sunday morning while you were all having breakfast.
Points at your car: "Look I'm not the only one who wants to keep the Clio badge"
///M
Gold Member
People been talking then about the slow old manWord on the street is that you don't suffer with any speed problems Kev!
suj
Paid Member
Great write up Sean, car looks so good mate
Looks like the weather held out for you lovely, i've been a few times to Spa (unfortunately never driving round, passenger) and weather can be so hit and miss.
I cannot wait to get my B14s on now
Looks like the weather held out for you lovely, i've been a few times to Spa (unfortunately never driving round, passenger) and weather can be so hit and miss.
I cannot wait to get my B14s on now
Wide-arched, badged as an 'RS 5000', so assuming 5ltr V8. Sounded immense, only wished I'd got a chance to chat to him to find out more about it!
suj
Paid Member
Haha you must buy a lottery ticket ASAP! I've been twice alone for F1 and first time got so soaked, second time blistering sun!
///M
Gold Member
Just noticed your new custom title! BRILLIANT!!!
///M
Gold Member
Wide-arched, badged as an 'RS 5000', so assuming 5ltr V8. Sounded immense, only wished I'd got a chance to chat to him to find out more about it!
That. Is. AWESOME!!!
RS 5000 badges are a cool touch too! My old man had an RS 2000 and it was the first car that really got me hooked on driving. Can still remember how good it sounded and how fast it felt.
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