A few changes you should be aware of....

[Trevor Williams]

Firstly, the kerbs at the essess. The inside kerb on the left has been considerably shortened. Where there used to be some concrete run-on, this has now gone. And the saw-tooth on the kerbs looks bigger. The major change here though is the inside kerb on the right hander. Here there has  been placed an inner kerb, basically a concrete mound (like at Russells). If you go over this, your car WILL be broken.

Now for Sear!!! Some of you may be aware that MSV have painted "kerbing" on the outside of the exit, namely the bit that most, if not all use as run-off. This year, the "4 wheels off" is being enforced Rigorously. Not easy if the regs don't allow for drive-throughs, but as the 24 hour regs do, be prepared for your cars being given penalties every 20 minutes or so!!! If not, keep to the tack and no penalties!!

[Chris Yates]

Here's a pic of the outside kerbing at the Esses, which looks very rough. Don't straddle this with your car, or you'll probably damage the chassis! Particularly if it rains and the 'trench' on the outside of the kerb gets deeper.

[Chris Yates]

This is a pic of the mound on the inside of the right hander, which is now considerably higher. MSV intends to use this instead of the stack of tyres from years gone by. See my next post for what will happen if you go over this...

[Chris Yates]

This guy recovered from his near-roll. A 2CV may not be so lucky...

Either that, or your front arms will suffer!

[Chris Yates]

A view from lower down.

[Derek Coghill]

Chris, I don't suppose you have one of the painted run-off apron?

[Mary Lindsay]

Have a look here:

http://www.racingexposure.com/blog/2010/05/snetterton-carries-out-track-resurfacing/

If you click on the photograph you get a better view.

[Chris Yates]

Thanks Mary - I was going to say I couldn't get to Sear corner (you can't without a media pass - it's not publicly accessible which is a shame) so there was no chance of a picture - but there are other pics on the 'net.

Basically, it's just a bit of the tarmac painted to look like a kerb, so no difference to the surface as was (I believe), but they've been very very keen on punishing drivers that go fully over it (all 4 wheels), and handing out black/white flags and verbal warnings. During the race meeting I was there for (BARC last Sunday) the startline flag post had the black/white diagonal out many times in just about every race! If you get shown that flag a couple of times, you'll be in for a chat with the Clerk of the Course, and I believe during the 24hr, they're going to be giving out drive-through penalties after x amounts of transgressions.

Basically, stay the right side of it!

[Trevor Williams]

Chris, just to clarify the punishments handed out last weekend.
Started with verbal warnings to approx 8 drivers per qualifying session. If they did it again during any of their races written warnings (plus 2 points on their licences). If it was considered to be serious, time penalties were considered, which if we had implemented them would have meant the demotion of the first and second place finishers in one race to 4th and 5th. The excuse of "we've always done it" doesn't hold any water!
For refererence, the reg is Q14.5 a, b, c, and d which allows penalties up to and including exclusion for repeated offences
In the 24 hour, I believe the supplementary regs allow the Clerk to use stop / go and drive through penalties. Whether they intend to enforce this is up to them on the day

[Derek Coghill]

Thanks for the link, saw a photo of it. That'll slow things down a bit!

[Mary Lindsay]

Does anyone know why they are being so concerned about it?
The run-off at Sear ha always been a part of the fun of Snetterton and using it doesn't hurt anyone.

[Trevor Williams]

Mary
Read the regulation.....

[Mary Lindsay]

It was part of the circuit until they painted the lines.....

[Trevor Williams]

That's the problem Mary, it wasn't part of the track, people assumed it was, and they had to paint the white lines to comply with FIA and MSA regulations

[Mary Lindsay]

It took them a very long time to get round to it, I think we must have squatter's rights on that bit of track....