The Racing Line at Top Gear Test Track (Dunsfold)

Immortalized by the automotive pop culture phenomenon Top Gear, the Stig's lap time around this shoddy little test track built into Dunsfold Aerodrome has become one of the most recognizable measuring sticks in cardom. Several corners at Dunsfold are indicated by nothing more than painted lines, which means that we have to trust that no corner cutting takes place. The addition over time of concrete curbing around some corners further invalidates direct comparisons of lap times. And never mind the evidential basis for the Stig's automotive prowess and consistency amounts to little more than marketing... None of this matters. The Top Gear lap time is here to stay as a benchmark for car performance and prestige.

In true top gear fashion, the vehicles are modeled as taking a standing start. Speeds are therefore not overwhelming through Crooner, which is more of a setup for Wilson. Two approaches are usable there: the FZ1 and GT3 RS stay close to the first apex and don't swing out much farther than mid-track before turning in. The F1 and Miata miss the first apex and set up all the way to the outside of track. You'll often see the Stig far to the outside very early in the exit of Wilson, but Al recommends cutting the distance down and keeping the drive strong by staying a little closer to the left.

There's a leftward kink painted in before entering Chicago, which the casual Dunsfold driver will ignore, but the Stig does not. The GT3 RS and FZ1 enter Chicago very early and take a double apex. The Miata hits a deeper first apex and misses the second, which is the better approach for underpowered cars. Then comes Hammerhead, consisting of a painted-in left-right ess-section that opens into a near 180-degree widening right-hander. The Stig almost always exits the ess as fast as possible, driving hard all the way to the outside of the track. For all four vehicles, however, the optimization recommends staying tighter and taking a double apex.

After maintaining as much speed as possible through Follow-Through, Bentley can be taken with two or even four tires off the track. Both the turn geometry and the hit you take at the apex mean that the highest lateral forces will come after clipping that apex as you steer left and try to stay on the course while driving as hard as possible down the back straight and toward Bacharach. Turn-in and braking begin very early there as you sweep in toward the apex. Everyone is pretty much on the same line through Gambon, where it's up to you whether to create a smooth drive onto the front straight for the next lap, or carry way to much speed and run off the track in the hopes of beating the Stig back to the starting line.