Just curious...

[teamKDRACING]

Does anyone know what the fastest cars & genuine recorded laptimes at Mallory would be?

I've been told a local professional type team sometimes use it to shakedown international F3 cars etc.. so was just curious. I know single seaters with wings can carry plenty flat out speed & accleration almost everywhere but the Hairpin...

It has recently come up in a discussion - have googled it - turns out loads of bike data but less that's relevant info on cars.

[ascarracinguk]

f3 cars have been round there, but f1 cars have been around there too, also superkarts are pretty darn quick...beat most things, and theyve raced at mallory...superkart lap record is 44.071 seconds at 110mph

[tristancliffe]

I have done a 43.6s lap in a 1998 F3 car at 40mm. A high 42 might be on the cards if I get everything perfect. So a low ride height F3 car (F3 Cup) might be around 41 seconds.

The best lap I know of is by a Gould GR55 - http://www.racecarsdirect.com/listin...nning_car.html

Did a 37.92 second lap of Mallory (average speed of 128mph, including about 30mph for the hairpin - i.e. seriously quick), and took the record away from the previous holder; an Arrows F1 car. 650hp and 475kg (without driver I suspect). Built to British Sprint and Hillclimb regulations.

[teamKDRACING]

I know the 43 ish laps are possible - that's our target eventually.. I was informed of possible 38 sec laps...As you mention Tristan. Difficult to comprehend " scary fast "

That first corners a mind over matter thing as it is, then possibly unbalancing the car through Dunlop Esses and braking late up to hairpin... Gonna have to get me some books on set up me thinks. I do love the learning curve "SMASH"

Do you think that maybe an international F3 spec car could do sub 40's? Seems difficult to see where it would find the extra time. Maybe with the same/less weight and lot's of extra hp?


I know nothing!

edited - sorry didnt catch the last bit - ref: cup F3

[tristancliffe]

Even though a sub 40 is only just over 3 seconds faster than me, and at most circuits International F3 times are closer to 5/6 seconds per lap quicker (1m06 at Snett for me, versus 1m01s for the very best F3), no I don't think so. There is time to be had at all three corners, but I doubt three seconds in total.

So the quickest Mono cars should be in the 43s and very high 42s. ClubF3 (F3 Cup) should be in the 42s (and maybe high 41s) and pukka F3 cars with F3 standard drivers should in the 40s.

But that's no more than a not-very-educated guess.

[Woolley]

I was marshalling at the Old Hairpin when the Arrows (Ron Cummings?) was racing and it was pretty awesome. Two downchanges for the Esses - no brakes, I was told - and through at c.185mph. Braked at 85 yards for the hairpin. <40secs a lap IIRC, although it was a while ago.

Note 'racing'. I presume the Gould would have been testing or sprinting rather than sustained speed over 30 minutes. Both feats are impressive in their different ways.

[Alan Raine]

Scott Mansell has been testing several times this year in his Benetton although I'm not sure what times he was doing.

[kipper]

The official Mallory Park lap record for the full length circuit is held bi Johan Rajamaki (Arrows FA13) with a time of 38.23 seconds, although I guess that the unofficial lap record is lower than that given some of the machinery that has been tested there over the years.

[RF_Racer]

Originally Posted by Woolley

I was marshalling at the Old Hairpin when the Arrows (Ron Cummings?) was racing and it was pretty awesome. Two downchanges for the Esses - no brakes, I was told - and through at c.185mph. Braked at 85 yards for the hairpin. <40secs a lap IIRC, although it was a while ago.

Note 'racing'. I presume the Gould would have been testing or sprinting rather than sustained speed over 30 minutes. Both feats are impressive in their different ways.

185 through the Esses? with 2 down changes? I would think with two down changes it may be something like 140-150.

[Thundersports]

Originally Posted by RF_Racer

185 through the Esses? with 2 down changes? I would think with two down changes it may be something like 140-150.

Agree

[SAMD]

That would seem sensible. The bit I dont understand is no Braking! how do you change down twice without braking unless you run a very low cam that peaks about 4k!!

[ascarracinguk]

aero drag

[darcia2]

I believe the Gould was driven by Nick Algar this is a GR55 with a 3.5 lt NME fully updated by the goulds to latest specs this car has a sensational history its won the
BHCC with the Fleetwoods and a British sprint championship last year Nick also won the British sprint championship in 2010. he has said to me the biggest thrill was beating the Arrows ...

[ascarracinguk]

it is an amazing bit of kit, and really cool that a small british built car can beet an f1 car!

[ascarracinguk]

just out of interest ive just found this little gem of a video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QY961wCnB2k

[JohnMiller]

Sub 40s F3 times are not a great problem, and I have to say we (Team West-Tec) have never done any great development work to actually develop a Mallory set up, so I am certain an F3 could beat the outright lap record. It's basically flat out all round apart from Shaws Hairpin.

[ascarracinguk]

jus been told that the outright lap record is 38 seconds however a 36 second lap was set for pole in the qualifying session for the euroboss race back in 97......dont think anyhting would beat that!

[kipper]

Originally Posted by ascarracinguk

jus been told that the outright lap record is 38 seconds however a 36 second lap was set for pole in the qualifying session for the euroboss race back in 97......dont think anyhting would beat that!

The pole position time is certainly impressive...

Notwithstanding this, I'm sure that the lap record will eventually be broken, although it may take a significant number of years for this to happen. As an example, Enrique Mansilla's lap record at Cadwell (set in a British F3 race) was unbroken between '82 and '05 - although it has since been broken by a number of Radical and Formula Jedi racers.

[Thundersports]

You also have bear in mind Rajamakis Arrows is of 1992 vintage so was hardly cutting edge, however the Gould time is a fantastic effort.

[RF_Racer]

Originally Posted by JohnMiller

Sub 40s F3 times are not a great problem, and I have to say we (Team West-Tec) have never done any great development work to actually develop a Mallory set up, so I am certain an F3 could beat the outright lap record. It's basically flat out all round apart from Shaws Hairpin.

Surely Gerrards is not flat at over 140?

[flatbroke]

Originally Posted by RF_Racer

Surely Gerrards is not flat at over 140?

why would a F3 car be doing 140 mph ?

[RF_Racer]

Originally Posted by flatbroke

why would a F3 car be doing 140 mph ?

Because from the exit of the hairpin and up to the aproach of Gerrards the F3 car would be I guess doing something close to 140?. If Gerrards is flat as John suggests it would be doing 140 through it.

[tristancliffe]

In my old little car at 40mm (more aero drag), we're hitting 135 before Gerrards, so a more powerful, lower and better driven F3 car would easily be doing 140 at turn in. And yes, I believe that they would be able to do it flat, but that does, of course, massively scrub off speed anyway.

[dusty]

just noticed that the latest news from Mallory Park is that as well as the paddock being resurfaced, if they have any left they will be doing the track as well Do you think that will have any effect on the lap times in the near future?

[tristancliffe]

The surface of the paddock rarely has much effect on lap times, but in the case of Mallory it might; the cars going onto the track won't be damaged getting there quite as much