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published: 2010-07-03 18:46:18 (57437) Author: Oli_M

Locorotondo - The Track

A quick guide to the circuit that hosts this year's European Championship.
The Lino Calella circuit in Locoratondo is certainly a great facility for hosting the EFRA European Championships. Located in the far south of the country amongst numerous olive groves, the temperature this weekend has been into the 30's giving the drivers plenty of challenges keeping engines cool and maintaining grip throughout the run.
Whilst the circuit is fairly tight and technical, it is actually very high speed. Lots of the drivers love the challenge this presents, as many of the corners are slightly banked allowing them to carry incredible speeds if they are able to hold onto the racing line.
But equally some find holding onto their car at high speed in these hot conditions very difficult. Speaking with Serpent driver Michael Salven after one of his qualifying runs, he praised the facility and the organisation of the event but said he didn't enjoy the circuit layout as he found it hard to drive and felt different to many of the other circuits he is used to racing on. He was quick to point out that he can see why many love it and of course it is the same challenge for everyone.
The pitlane at the circuit is very long, running the entire length of the front straight. This will really come into play during the finals as the drivers make multiple fuel stops and potentially tyre changes for the main Final drivers.

Interestingly, unlike Monaco (for example) where the 'B' Euros were held, there is no chicane to slow the drivers down along the pitlane. Throughout qualifying and the warm up periods, some drivers have been seeing just how fast they can drive down the narrow pitlane, seeking to minimise the time lost in the races on Sunday.
Of course every circuit provides unique challenges to the drivers, but with ample practise time leading up to the event, all the drivers have been able to work at getting their cars and driving "dialed in" to this demanding circuit. It should provide some spectacular racing tomorrow, so join us at www.efra.ws as our coverage continues.