The Racing Line at Anglesey - Coastal Circuit

The Anglesey Coastal Circuit is a popular configuration for track day riders due to the replacement of the Tom Pryce straight with the Corkscrew, which results in a track that is even shorter, with very little time spent not in a corner. The Corkscrew itself is a challenging section with camber and elevation changes. For the guide to the rest of the track, see the main article for Anglesey International.

Set up for the corkscrew begins with the exit from Turn 8. Four wheeled vehicles will typically exit 8 wider, and also come back to the far right before entering 11. Motorcycles approach Turn 9 from near mid-track. The line for all vehicles exiting Turn 10 is similar, with the Motorcycle staying slightly toward the inside.

As a final note, compare the Motorcycle line at this track to the one for Anglesey International, you will notice two different approaches to Turn 6. In the Coastal Circuit, the Motorcycle stays out very wide in the braking zone, then sweeps in and hits a late apex. At Anglesey International, the optimized line for the same vehicle stays more to the inside and enters the corner early, taking a tight line around the kerbing.

What explains this difference? Well, as you may suspect, there can be more than one line that results in an equivalent time through a section of track, or even an entire lap. In this case, if you examine the videos, you\'ll see that the Motorcycle is done braking and is back on the gas well before hitting the apex of Turn 6 in the Coastal Circuit. Conversely, for the International Circuit, the bike trail brakes all the way through the corner, and in fact is not on the gas until just after the apex. That would suggest that the first line is suitable for qualification or trackday lapping. Because the braking is later and the line is more to the inside in the latter case, it would seem to make that line more suitable for racing, where protecting the inside from passing opportunities is a higher priority.

I hope this example provides a little insight into the tradeoffs and possible options when taking a corner.