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high_revs:

thanks Mario... I still have plans to really do a trackday in europe... i actually have relatives in Paris, but they're not moto riders and probably won't know how I can get some time in either Magny Cours or Le Mans for trackday plus rent a bike. i'd rather go to somewhere where there are regulars, like you and Estoril. :)

any trackday schedule I can see at least? hopefully at least 3-4 months ahead?

This is going to sound like a plug, but I can only recommend the trackdays I have been helping out with, since many of the others (in the Estoril circuit at least), aren't very well organized, and focus primarily in car trackdays (usually 3 hours for bikes in the morning, then cars rest of the day).

This year there are 2 confirmed dates for those organized by Motociclismo magazine:

Advanced riding course (usually riding with instructor in the morning and free riding sessions in the afternoon) on June 28th and a whole day trackday on July 26th. Both will be quality events, so these are the ones I advise people to go to for now. If more dates come up, I'll post them here.

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Mario Sobral

Admin:

This year there are 2 confirmed dates for those organized by Motociclismo magazine:

Advanced riding course (usually riding with instructor in the morning and free riding sessions in the afternoon) on June 28th and a whole day trackday on July 26th. Both will be quality events, so these are the ones I advise people to go to for now. If more dates come up, I'll post them here.

These dates look good on my calendar Mario. Is the advanced riding course worth it? I mean, I just need to learn the track, unless the riding course is racer oriented. Might not be worth the trip for just 1/2 day of letting loose upon the track ourselves. Maybe July 26th is more appealing. Just have to check against schedule for races (looks open so far) and planned Freddie Spencer school.

Any back-to-back days possible?

Admin:

Highly difficult to rent a bike to ride in Estoril, but keep me posted on when you plan to do that, and I'll figure something out

How difficult is it? Anyway to get info. This will be a gating criterion of flying over, of course.

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"Leaders are like tea; put them in hot water to find out how strong they are." Anonymous

As for track events, you could check this calendar (in Portuguese, but easy to follow): http://performancetotal.com/calendar.aspx

As for weather in July, it should a perfect day with blue skys, maybe a bit hot around 1 PM. The morning mist people refer to in Estoril, is due to a nearby mountain that slows clouds coming in from the sea, doesn't usually apply to summer days, since there's a 12 hour sunlight period, and the sun starts shinning early and clears any moist in the air. At the very most, in a worst case scenario (well, a rainy day would be the worst case scenario...) you would only get 30-40 minutes of 2 or 3 places of damp track, befores it dries up completely (average minimum temperatures in July are something like 17º C).

For some overview of the track: http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=38.750552~-9.390821&style=a&lvl=16&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=24974833&encType=1
(don't forget to try Bird's Eye view)

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Mario Sobral

You're killing me on that track overview Mario. The level of detail is making me want to purchase a plane ticket now. LOL

Didn't we have a member here that did trackdays in Brno also? I tried to search for his tread, but nada results last nite.

Doesn't seem like there will be a racer race school for Freddie Spencer in Vegas. :( Maybe that'll go to the "ride a motogp track" funds.

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"Leaders are like tea; put them in hot water to find out how strong they are." Anonymous

high_revs:

You're killing me on that track overview Mario. The level of detail is making me want to purchase a plane ticket now. LOL

We still need to find a solution in respecto to a track bike for you, right ? That may prove the most difficult... we'll see.

As for track detail, parallel to the main straight you can see a 4 lane highway, with cars and trucks. Now compare the width of that highway to the width of the track, and you can also imagine a truck in the middle of the main straight, and you start to get the ideia . Not to mention the size of the run-off areas....

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Mario Sobral

yeah... keep me in the loop on the bike part Mario. Hopefully, we can find out with enough time to make the air fares still reasonable. I'm trying to inquire also with contacts in other countries.

I just read an article about exporting bikes when attending races outside the country (or just taking it out I guess). What a pita with forms here and forms there from originating and destination country. it's almost like my job these days. And that's just the forms; doesn't include what needs to be done to bike + crating 

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"Leaders are like tea; put them in hot water to find out how strong they are." Anonymous

Mario,

on the July 26th,the calendar shows Jerez and not Estoril. How comprehensive is that trackday calendar? I was hoping to see some stuff in France as I have relatives there I have on the lookout for. I might even get another rider and his dad to go too (if in France, or if there are opportunites for bikes rental there).

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"Leaders are like tea; put them in hot water to find out how strong they are." Anonymous

there's this for bike rentals, but it's in UK. http://www.patracking.co.uk/

Duc, how's the weather in England during summer time here? Since you raced/did trackdays there?

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"Leaders are like tea; put them in hot water to find out how strong they are." Anonymous

seems like Estoril is about the bumpiest circuit on the schedule.  i doubt i could handle all that a speed, though i guess it cant be worse than Streets.

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Naked 93' F2...... RIP -- 04/12/07
04' 600RR Black - currently stuck between track and street usage
- Brembo Master, Sato's, & Ohlins out back

high_revs:

Mario,

on the July 26th,the calendar shows Jerez and not Estoril. How comprehensive is that trackday calendar? I was hoping to see some stuff in France as I have relatives there I have on the lookout for. I might even get another rider and his dad to go too (if in France, or if there are opportunites for bikes rental there).

Huge week for me, sorry for the delay. I'll explain below .

The calendar is quite comprehensive, but by no means complete, since it's a community contribution that has helped make it, so many things may be missing. But not the Estoril trackday on July 26th.

There are currently 4 events on that day:


What you didn't know was that the person that added the spanish trackdays, instead of specifying them as All Day events in the calendar, put them under different time slots (don't know why, maybe to order them?...). So the Estoril trackday is right there, as an All Day event

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Mario Sobral

stangmx135:

seems like Estoril is about the bumpiest circuit on the schedule.  i doubt i could handle all that a speed, though i guess it cant be worse than Streets.

I haven't ridden many other MotoGP tracks, but the Estoril is not bumpy !
There are exactly two spots where you can find a slight bump, and the problem is the trajectory the rider goes through. If you move 2-3 inches to either side, you don't go over them.

What the Estoril does have is a long main straight (over 3/4 of a mile), which starts going downhill exactly when you start braking for a 40 mph left hander.... The surface there is not bumpy, but a MotoGP rider will be braking at 310+ kph (close to 200 mph ?) going downhill, which can make the rear wheel hop a little, specially when you have the electronics cutting the engine during braking (to save gas and reduce engine braking)... The track has 3 hard braking spots going downhill.

But I can understand that compared to circuits like Jerez, Assen and Philip Island, much more "flowing" and less technical, the Estoril is more demanding on braking and throttle control, which means the MotoGP bikes are in constant maximum braking / controlling acceleration cycles, than say in Assen, where it is more of a flowing circuit.

The Estoril is also grade 1 and 2 homolgated by FIA:

"What is a Grade 1 Circuit?

Each circuit must be homologated by the FIA following a series of inspections. The homologation criteria are less strict for circuits hosting events for slower formulae which hold Grades from 2 to 5. In addition to the initial procedure, the circuits sometimes have to carry out maintenance work or update their facilities so that their homologation may be renewed. In the past, with the exception of the Monaco Grand Prix, which is the only Formula One event to take place within a town itself, circuits tended to be very fast with long straights."

You can't imagine how the track of a MotoGP homolgated circuit is until you try one .

Come on, get over here !

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Mario Sobral

ya i figured the speed of the MotoGP bikes would completely exxagerate anything on the racetrack.  and the supposed "bumps" of a Motogp track arent even close to the crap we deal w/ on club tracks.... but i wanted to post the vid, so i did

one day ill experience a real FIM track... one day.

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Naked 93' F2...... RIP -- 04/12/07
04' 600RR Black - currently stuck between track and street usage
- Brembo Master, Sato's, & Ohlins out back

Just saw some pictures from yesterday's race. I know you can't tell much about the track surface from pictures, but at least you can have a slight idea. And keep in mind, that the MotoGP riders that mention bumps in Estoril are the same kind of riders that complain "I need more power and top speed" in 240 bhp 200 mph 260lbs bikes....

Turn 8:

 

Turn 3:

Turn 1:

The slow S:

 

 

 

The gallery:

http://www.motociclismo.it/edisport/moto/gallery.nsf/WebGallery?OpenFrameSet&Frame=Body&Src=%2Fedisport%2Fmoto%2Fgallery.nsf%2FHFoto%2F8b74f3bc29a9e895c125742b0021c70f%3FOpenDocument%26Query%3DRL%26AutoFramed

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Mario Sobral

high_revs:

there's this for bike rentals, but it's in UK. http://www.patracking.co.uk/

Hi !

No luck finding a bike to use at a trackday here .

I'll keep an eye open, but it isn't looking good. Probably easier to rent it in Spain, and do the trackday here on saturday and a trackday there in Jerez on sunday, or something like that .

If you do rent a bike or something like that, let me know, I can make you a VERY special deal on the trackday price .

Keep me updated

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Mario Sobral

Thanks for keeping at it Mario. I may have to scrap it for this year as the time gets closer and fares go up. With no confirmation on bike, a hit on air fare penaty fees would be a waste.

I found a contact I think in Spain from the Ducati board. I found one in Italy also but like your area, they don't rent bikes up there. I would've been able to ride Misano! I guess it might have to be the Ducati experience since they provide the bikes. I just have to check with my accountant now about that part.  
No word from contacts in France also. sigh...

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"Leaders are like tea; put them in hot water to find out how strong they are." Anonymous