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start is downhill and this can help cars get away.
Indeed, in 1988, it helped Ayrton Senna get away after
he stalled just before the go signal. Once away, the
cars approach First Curve flat out in top gear at
speeds of up to 190 mph with a change down to 5th and
150 mph into the bend and into a second curve that is
much tighter than the first and can only be negotiated
in 3rd with speed dropping to 95 mph.
The S Curve is a
left-right-left-right combination that severely taxes
any car that is not well balanced. It can usually be
taken all the way through in 4th. The sequence is
entered at 135 mph, dropping to 85 mph on exit of the
final curve. On exiting, the S Curve's 4th gear is
maintained for the approach to the Dunlop Curve. This
long left-hander is extremely bumpy with plenty of
understeer at 135 mph.
Accelerating to 160
mph, the Degner Curve is a tight right-hander that is
taken in 4th gear at 120 mph, down to 3rd as the
second part of the corner becomes tighter still, and
then generally exited with the use of the kerb. Then
it is up to top gear at 170 mph to go under the bridge
where the course crosses itself to the Hairpin Curve.
This is guarded by a short right-hander which slows
the cars, but then they have to get down very quickly
to 2nd gear for the 45 mph hairpin. Out of the hairpin
the circuit curves to the right and on completion of
the curve the majority of cars will be in top gear at
170 mph.
Spoon Curve awaits at
the end of the looping right-hander. It is negotiated
in 3rd gear, with speeds dropping from 105 mph on
entry to 85 mph on exit. Then it's full on the
throttle and it's a 185 mph straight-screamer over the
Crossover to 130R, a very fast left-hander which
forces a slight deceleration to 155 mph. The Casino
Chicane (Triangle Chicane) guards the entrance to the
finishing straight. The right-left combination is
taken in 2nd gear at 40 mph, with the cars having to
brake hard from 175 mph as they approach it. Once
through, the cars swing right at 120 mph and onto the
Start-Finish straight for the next lap.
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