Clastres

Circuit de Clastres opened in 2009, and as with Circuit des Ecuyers Lotus on Track were the first UK organiser to visit.

The "original" circuit is short, narrow & very safe, similar to Abbeville, if a bit tighter in a few corners; very suited to Caterhams.

As you drive by the pitlane, stick right. Go quite aggressively through the first left hander. You can go over the inside curb and exit wide. Cut to the left hand side and brake a little. The track is really narrow, so it's important to be very, very wide on the entry into this right hander, then cut across to the apex. The goal here is to straighten out the steering wheel as soon as possible and maximize acceleration. If you need the curb and astroturf on the exit, you're either on the throttle too soon, or at the apex too early.

Take the shortest trajectory through the next left hand bend and line it up on the right for braking. Be aggressive through this left-right chicane. Lots of curb to use, so go ahead, but keep a minimum of two wheels inside of the track limits. You can use all the room on the exit and cut across for another hairpin(-ish) corner, to the left this time. Again, be very, very wide on the entry and cut across to a late apex. This time you stay all the way to the left and prepare for a right-hander straight after. There is inside curbing here that you can use, but be late on the apex as well. Exit wide and maximize drive.

Next up is a very difficult right-hander, the track flows to the right so you have to brake as close as you can to the left-hand side, without falling off. You can throw it in a bit aggressively here and be early on the power, the inside curb is accessible once more. As is the outside curb when you exit, I would use it to help acceleration.

Turn in quite late for a reasonably fast right hander, be wary of the outside curb and stay off the one on the inside. Next up is a left-right combination. Try to sacrifice the first left-hander for the next right-hander.

The end of the lap is quite similar to Abbeville, a right hander through which you need to be quite aggressive, followed by a left-hand kink, only Clastres adds another right-hand kink straight afer.

Words kindly provided by Ward Vrancken.

LoT will use the new "Long" layout when we visit in 2015.