Track Details

Address: South Wales Karting Centre, Llandow Circuit, Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, CF71 7PB
Phone Number: 01446 795568
Web Site: click here
Track Length: 870 Metres
Facilities: Clubhouse, toilets, timing hut, plentiful parking. Burger van on race days!
Weather Forecast: Click here for next 10 days

An Introduction to Llandow

Llandow is relatively new to the Club 100 calendar with the first C-100 event happening in 2006 for both Sprint and Endurance. The circuit has been extended at least once over the years and although it looks a little tight and twisty in places it is in fact quite fast and technical. Parts of the circuit have been resurfaced since mid 2006 which will be a relief to those who had to deal with rain during the 2006 Premier Endurance where the older parts of the track were nothing short of treacherous when damp!

The circuit doesn’t really have any cut through’s except for the first chicane so the rolling up laps can take a little bit longer than at other circuits and the first corner comes up pretty damn quick after the start line so drivers need to pay attention at the start and be a little more cautions than usual into the first (quite tight) chicane. The new part of the circuit offers the biggest technical challenge to the drivers but it also offers a number of good overtaking opportunities although the best is undoubtedly the final hairpin at the end of the back straight.

The pit lane is quite small and narrow although rumour has it that the pit lane has been redesigned as part of the 2006 circuit improvements which in addition to the resurfacing has meant the completion of the purpose built timing hut on the start/finish line. Drivers contesting the Endurance championships should remember to pull to the left hand side of the circuit when approaching the pit lane and to raise their hands when pulling into the pit lane when making scheduled pit stops. This is also true of those in the sprint that may be making unscheduled stops.

During the 2006 races it was clear in both the Sprint and the Endurance that this is a circuit where it is not easy to get clear of the chasing pack so patience and some degree of defensive driving are necessary to protect those who are leading at the start. However, once the race gets going it is possible to break clear especially for those who have the stamina to sustain a consistent fast pace whilst even the smallest mistake can lose you a few kart lengths if you run wide of mess up the entry/exit to some of the critical corners.

In summary, this is a driver’s track that is quite physically demanding in the Endurance race due to the high grip nature of the track. It allows plentiful overtaking opportunities that those that get the entry and exit correct to the critical corners on the circuit. 2006 feedback was very favourable and hence it looks likely to be a permanent fixture on the C100 calendar in years to come.

Track Layout

A lap around Llandow (by Jamie Jakins)

Llandow is a great track that is quite tricky to learn but once you get to know it, I think its one of the best tracks on the C100 calendar. It has some quite technical parts but also some quick corners that come together to make an excellent track.

As you come out of the last corner you are on the left side of the track, over the start finish line the track kinks slightly to the left. You have to stick to the left side of the track so as to get the best line into the first corner, ‘the hook’

The Hook

This complex is a right-left-right-left section which is important to get a good exit from for the following straight. As you approach the hook you are foot to the floor, you then flick into the first right hander still flat out with the back end a bit loose. As soon as you apex this right hander you have to straighten the kart and get on the brakes as hard as possible for the longer 180 degree left hander. Once you have slowed the kart down enough for this left hander you can get back onto full power and pick your line out of the complex. The ideal line is to stick to the left apex as long as possible before flicking right left onto the next straight. The final right hander of this complex has a big, hard curb on its apex, after many laps of testing and racing I still don’t believe there is any need to use this, especially in endurance racing!

As you leave the hook you stay on the right side of the track as you head towards the double left hander that takes you onto the new part of the track.

Double left - turn 4

This corner is very tricky to get right, but if you do you can make up lots of ground. You have a small dab on the brakes as you turn into the first part and after the first apex you can get back on full throttle, the kart will drift wide but there is a lot more grip than you think. It’s an easy overtaking opportunity into this corner, but another follows directly afterwards so be careful.

The ‘sausage’ corner

This corner was named the sausage by C100 because of the enormous curb on the exit. As you leave the previous double left hander you are heading towards the trickiest corner on the track. If you get a good enough exit from the previous corner you may not be able to get all the way over to the left side of the track for this right hander. This doesn’t matter though; you can enter this corner from the middle of the track. You need to turn in really late, usually with loads of understeer. When the front end finally grips and you have slowed down enough, that’s the time to turn in. Keep it smooth on the exit and stay off the exit curb; it will spin you straight off, if you’re lucky! Overtaking is very easy into this corner and is almost impossible to stop someone overtaking you, it’s the standard block pass. The only way to come out on top is to cut back onto the next straight.

You now head towards Chandlers corner. A fast, right hander.

Chandlers

You are going pretty fast as you approach this corner on the left hand side of the track. A small dab on the brakes and it’s a pretty quick 90 degree right hander. You can run right over the flat curb on exit.

You are now going towards the esses, another right-left-right section that leads onto the longest straight so is very important.

The Esses

The first part of this is just like the first corner - the hook. You turn in from the left side of the track, flat out flicking the back in. Then straighten the kart up and get on the brakes. You can take a little curb on the left hander and also the next right curb is okay to use but not essential. The most important thing is to get a good run onto the back straight. The esses is another overtaking chance but with such a quick turn in it’s a tricky one.

After the esses you head down the back straight, towards the hairpin called raymonds. There is a right-left-right flat out kink half way down the straight but I think this is being removed for 2007.

Raymonds

This is a standard right hand hairpin that is very slippery in the wet! In the dry you take the normal hairpin line, brake as late as you can and apex just after centre. You can run a little wide on the way out. This is a very good overtaking chance

From here you are back over the start finish line.

Directions

Leave the M4 at junction 35 and pick up the A473 heading AWAY from Bridgend. At the first roundabout (which has a large Sony store situated on it) turn right (3rd exit). You will go back under the M4 and then it’s a straight road until you come to the A48. Cross over the road (quick left then an immediate right) onto the B4268 and just follow the road until you pass Ford Gills Garage on your Right. The circuit entrance is shortly after this, again on your right. If in doubt, go to the circuit Web Page and print off their map.