Yes you are absolutely right, I choose a more costly provider but experience has shown me BBS deliver a disciplined, safe track experience, suited to a mixed ability group which is crucial for Carole to enjoy her NC29 and me because I'm just not quick. Neither FE nor NL offer the same format as BBS for Jerez, so price comparison is difficult. I'm guessing that because Jerez is a MotoGP circuit, hire charges are much more expensive than say Almeria or Cartagena and the limited rider number format would put the cost outside what FE's and NL's target audience would be prepared to pay. Their loss is my gain and anyway, I'm happy to cut back on non essential stuff like food to make my pension stretch . Andy
Whichever track you end up choosing, try the limited number rider, open pit lane format. (Much) higher costs but greatly improved track time and IMO much better riding experience. As I just posted, I'll cut back the track days to 2 next year to afford a format I enjoy more than anything. Andy
Thank you, yes open pit lane is a definite plus but I don't have too many issues with rider numbers as I've a fairly powerful bike, all good food for thought though!
Definitely Portimao as most challenging so many blind corners and elevation changes. But my favourite by far is mugello.
I love Cartagena, it's a great track but for me Portimao is probably the best track I've ridden (not done that many to be fair). I've been and done 4 trips to Cartagena now, so I must like it.
I was warned about that last year before we went but I thought it was an excellent surface bar the couple of tarmac repairs on the roller coasters which just needed to be taken on the best line.
Portimao's got lots of elevation change, and is a decent track I Love Cartagena, but I get it's a marmite track. Most of the BSB teams use cartagena as a winter test location, so it's not unpopular with everyone, and still has a bit of everything bar a massive long straight like Almeria Almeria is nice and fast, and I thought the Andalucia circuit on the same complex was possibly the most technical track I've ever been on, but also total shite It's got every type of corner and elevation change you could imagine, but it's like someone has thought of exactly that, and just put a load of corners together to make a track without any thought to the sequence of it. It doesn't flow at all, and a lot of the corners have decreasing radii, so you never get a chance to get into the flow of it, and it's pretty narrow, so you get stuck in packs and don't get much space to overtake without standing someone up into a corner
Hugely informative post - thank you! Really glad you've responded with that as I was thinking of booking a block of time at Andalucia as it looks so 'difficult' and lots of practice with slow tight turns but after reading that I think it's probably best just to book a few days and take it from there. What is it about Cartagena you like so much? Thanks again!
Cartagena' a cracking little track. Really grippy (although that makes it tough on tyre's) with a good mix of tight sections, and fast flowing corners leading straight into another corner It's not easy to master, but when you get it right, it's so rewarding Plus, the bar and restaurant there is really good, and it's very close to the hotel NL use, which makes for a decent trip I've been twice now, and am going again in a few weeks This is from Feb this year :
