| Tamburello
is the first corner from the start and cars brake heavily
at its entrance. The corner is a left-handed S-bend which
is entered in 3rd gear at 75 mph and exited in 4th gear at
125 mph as cars power up the straight to Villeneuve. This
is a second S-bend that slows the approach to the
forthcoming hairpin and slows cars down from 130 mph to
105 mph in 4th gear. Accelerating quickly up to 150 mph,
cars almost immediately brake for Tosa, a tight hairpin
from right to left taken in 2nd gear at around 55 mph. On
exit, cars accelerate to 175 mph and climb towards
Piratella. This is a somewhat blind left-hander that pulls
-3.5g as drivers brake at its entrance, it is taken in 4th
gear at 100 mph and accelerated away from at 160 mph.
Despite its nature it is a corner well liked by most
drivers.
The approach to Acque
Minerali is downhill at 130 mph - a very bumpy and
uncomfortable chicane that turns slowly right and finally
sharply right with cars down to 70 mph and 3rd gear at its
tightest point. Pulling away the track swings slightly
left at 100 mph.
Variante Alta is next and,
coming off a short straight, it is a fast chicane that can
be tackled in 3rd gear - it certainly requires a 3rd-gear
exit. It is entered in 6th gear at 170 mph and speeds of
75 mph are maintained through it. Drivers tend to take
more chances at this chicane because it does have a safe
run-off area.
Out of the chicane and the
track plunges downhill through some stunning countryside,
arriving at a sharpish double left-hander called Rivazza
which swings the cars through 180 degrees. This requires
very hard braking, down from 6th (180 mph) to 3rd gear (60
mph) at its entrance where a massive -3.8 g really tests
the driver's strength. Shifting up briefly before changing
down to tackle the final turn, which is taken at 80 mph,
the cars arrive on a curving right-hand line and fly
through the Variante Bassa, accelerating all the time up
to 170 mph. The Tragurdo then looms up as a left-right
chicane that feeds the pits and is taken in 2nd gear at
around 55 mph. Cars then accelerate to 185 mph across the
Start-Finish line.
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