New Mosport (CTMP) DDT Track Notes

[fe1rx]

The above image is from a data log of my afternoon session at the new DDT on May 17. The track was being run with the kink on the return because erosion had covered the straight return with debris. I ran about 80 laps unencumbered by traffic so I had a good opportunity to optimize the line throughout the day. On NT01s I ran a 1:43 best lap. Here is a breakdown of the key points of the track:

1 is a tricky corner with a small chicane mid corner. The chicane has concrete curbing, unlike much of the track, that slightly upsets the car but can be used. It is easy to overcook 1A and be forced to put a couple of wheels off at 1B.

2 has curbing at a very early apex. Most people take a late apex and end up giving up too much speed on the approach to this corner. I found a fairly neutral apex worked well on this corner. The turn-in is tricky because neither the apex nor the exit is visible from turn-in. As is apparent from the Google Earth overlay, the remnants of the old oval (which are still there) are way off the racing line and just serve as an overshoot area.

3 is a double apex increasing radius corner that works best with an exit mid track. It is easy to release too much steering as the corner opens because the second apex is not visible until late in the corner when a small hill is crested.

4 is a second gear corner that demands a late apex. The apex is very easy to miss as the corner looks faster than it is. Driven correctly there is no straight between 4 and 5.

5 requires careful throttle modulation to avoid running wide.

6 picks up the old track but without the classroom at corner 7 the view is quite different.

7 As on the old DDT the track can be taken with a single set of the steering wheel from the exit of 6 through to the turn in to 8, with the throttle flat or close to it. Line should be adjusted with throttle only, not with steering input.

8 Approaching 8 at over 120 km/h I find a touch of brake to settle the car before the turn in to 8 to help set up for 9. Data shows I drop about 12 km/h in this braking zone. Those who don’t brake here generally pay for it in 9 if they are driving fast.

9 and 10 are the same as the old DDT but the track has been widened slightly and the drop off outside 9 has been graded so as to be less intimidating. Also the hill at the inside of 9 has been graded so that the track is less blind.

11 is much faster than the old corner, and if you have driven the old DDT many times it will take a while to undo the old muscle memory at this corner. Corner speed is about 65 km/h so it can benefit from a shift to 2nd, but staying in 3rd works well while you are getting up to speed on the corner, to reduce workload.

12 requires no braking, just a lift. In due course, I think it can be taken flat. If the track is coned, likely the turn-in will be marked way too late, assuming braking on the entry and a late apex. The fastest way round is a neutral apex here to maintain momentum.

13/14/15 the kink complex is less objectionable and more interesting than I expected. A downshift to 2nd in the braking zone for 13 is desirable. 14 needs to be fully sacrificed with a very late apex, but as it is significantly slower than 13, use a dab of brake at the turn-in. A good line means you can accelerate hard through 15 but a bit of care is required to avoid running off the outside of 16.

16 is really just a continuation of 15 and feels like a straight. The outside of 16 is slightly off camber so a good line through 16 is necessary to avoid feeling pinched at the exit.

17 requires quite hard braking but feels much safer than the old corner at the end of this straight. Threading through the chicane built into this corner is not too tricky because 17A is slow enough that if you have made 17A, you have plenty of grip for the chicane. There is enough runoff through here that mistakes should not prove expensive, but there is a good dent in the Armco on the right just after the exit of 17C where someone had and expensive encounter.

I am also attaching a track map generated by my Solo DL, plus a velocity graph and a G-G plot of my 3 fastest laps (blue being fastest). Although the track is predominantly right turns, I achieve higher cornering g in the left turns, probably because they are slower and so more comfortable, or they are retained from the old track so familiar. This points to some room for improvement (of course) as I get more comfortable with the faster corners. The Solo track map uses different corner numbering (sorry), but it aligns with the speed graph.

[ASPEC135i]

Nice info and data!

Will definately be good reference for me before I go DDT next time around!

[///Machiavelli]

Great contribution, thanks for this!

What club(s) do you run with at Mosport?

[fe1rx]

Originally Posted by machiavelli9988

What club(s) do you run with at Mosport?

May 17 was an invitation only event with only about 15 drivers present. The same group has booked July 25 and September 6.

May 18 was Touge.ca. I showed up and rode shotgun in a friend's car to give them some pointers. Some nice cars but a lot of noise and a total zoo. Helmets optional, passing everywhere, impossible to get a clean lap. I knew quite a few people there, but I wouldn't waste my time with Touge.ca.

Apex is having a date at the DDT on May 26, although most of their dates are at the big track. Very well run events if you can get away on a week day. I am tempted but haven't committed.
www.apexdriving.ca

I do all the ILR Car Control School track events, but they don't have any DDT date scheduled this year. (their next is August 16 at TMP)

Endras BMW is having a DDT day on July 4 which I may be at (or alternately the Apex big track event on the same date).

A few groups have been scared off by the higher track prices at the DDT.

[fe1rx]

I was back at the DDT today with Apex and managed to take a second off my previous best. I tried some much lower cold tire pressures, counting on the hot day to get some decent heat in the tires. They certainly got hot but peak grip didn't change much and the car felt a bit too lively so I put some air back in for the rest of the day. Time was gained everywhere but the most notable areas were I found some improvement were:

3A & 3B - I found that working at keeping the line tight saved time by minimizing the total distance traveled, with minimal penalty in actual corner speed for a net gain.

11 and 12 are feeling much better. I am taking 12 with just a bit of a lift now, but it is definitely flat with a bit more practice.

At 14, where the tendency is for a wide entry to support a very late apex. Instead maintaining 3rd through 13 and concentrating on maximizing cornering speed in 13, then a very tight line through 14 reduces the distance travelled and still gives a good launch through 15.

In terms of catching other cars, 12/13/14/15 was where I made up ground most dramatically, I guess because 12 is intimidating and 13/14/15 are somewhat counter-intuitive.

28°C today and I could feel the car loose power as it heat soaked. The data log says neither water nor oil got hot enough to have the ECU start pulling power (so I had no limp modes) but the car was much stronger early in a session.

On a further note, the Endras day is $500. Although it will be catered and instruction will be provided, this looks very pricy to me.

[engineered]

Thanks for the new track guide. Trillium BWM is having an autocross event and Bimmercruise there on June 14.

I'll be there autocrossing and lapping later in the day.

http://www.maxbimmer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=161580

[fe1rx]

I was there today for event 1 of Ontario Time Attack. Running the same layout as previously I managed a 1:40.9 which was good for 2nd in class. Back tomorrow for event 2, where the plan is to take the kink out of the return.

4 proved challenging for many and there were a few offs there. The exit seems to be a bit off camber so any impatience on the throttle tends to send you into the weeds.

Unfortunately the pavement is getting chewed up at the turn in for 13. Shouldn't be an issue tomorrow if we remove the kink because that spot will be off line.

The curbs at the inside of 9 and 17b are really friendly and it helps to fully use them (and then some). To get a good launch down the pit straight you really need to use the curb at the inside of 17c, but it gives the car a good thump. If your car is excessively lowered you will definitely want to avoid it.

If you can avoid braking for 8 without screwing up the entry to 9 it is decidedly faster, although it gets a bit hairy. 9 is actually fairly forgiving though because you can use all of the inside curbing.

2 has some interesting camber changes on the approach and throughout the corner. It responds very well to a bit of trail braking.

I think that is all I can add for today.

[engineered]

This data trace is from my first session on the new track. It's pretty fun and a big upgrade over the old one.

There's a good variety of corners and the chicanes are fun. I was testing out Harry's Laptimer for Android so I only got a few lap results, but the best recorded lap was 1.45.57 The GPS speed wasn't very accurate, but you get a general ideo of the lap. There's a lot of time to gain with better lines and warmer temps. Track felt pretty green, but maybe it was the cold tires (or maybe they've been heat cycled out from the big CTMP big track the big weekend).


(ignore the separate start and finish, that's left over from earlier autox)

And here's some video.