Mondello Park reactions: Notes and quotes
Mondello Park, the BTCC's newest venue, prompted enthusiastic initial reactions from drivers and series insiders. The track layout and the new pit complex drew almost unanimous approval, however some did express opinions on safety concerns.
"It's fun. It's very technical with some tricky corners and it's very tricky to learn. It is hard on tyres - the understeer comes in early. It's fun, but I wouldn't want to go off - I wouldn't want to leave the black stuff. Still, I think they've done a cracking job. Look at the pit complex, it's mint. Some circuits in England could learn an awful lot from here. Circuit owners in England take note!"
"The circuit's quite interesting. Nice corners and a good rhythm, though they still need to improve the safety. They've done a fantastic job since I came here to test two years ago, but we need more gravel traps."
"I like the track and the facilities - you could be anywhere in Spain with these sort of pits. They could be a lesson for some of the British circuits, really! It's good. It's got some tricky fast sessions and some very technical slow sections and I think there's going to be lots of space for overtaking too. It's going to produce good racing. I don't see safety as an issue, we're not going fast enough to go far off."
It's a brilliant little track. It's got quite a nice flow to it and it does make you think. It's a bit of rollercoaster ride - a mixture of a Cadwell Parkand an Oulton."
"It's quite a challenging circuit. Maximum attack on some of the corners. You've just got to go for it, ride the kerbs and take some risks. It's a different type of circuit. I'm having a great time."
"It's very impressive what they've done in a relatively short space of time. They've set a standard in some ways for national circuits in terms of pits and things. And I'm sure they'll work on the rest of it over the next couple of years and turn it into a pretty good facility. It's an interesting circuit, the drivers say, and hopefully it's going to produce some close racing."
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