Red Hook Crit has just announced that the direction of the course will be in opposite direction to last year’s RHC in London. We spoke with David Trimble to get an explanation first-hand:
“The only thing constant at the RHC is change, and having Mr. Frank Martucci on the start line. I prefer changing circuits and adding new elements when I can. In this case I’m confident reversing the circuit direction will be more fun and safer than last year. The old circuit had a challenging turn 3 (now turn 6). The apex was blind and the course narrowed slightly on the exit catching some riders out in qualifying. On top of that the exit of the turn had a small drop-off. Running it counter-clockwise should solve the main issues with this turn.”
Turns 1 + 2: This sequence of corners will be similar to the final two from last year. The geometry of both corners are exactly the same so riding them should be as well. The only difference is that the speeds should be lower going in as the straight is much shorter. Athletes will now have to drift across the circuit to get on the racing line after exiting the final corner on the opposite side of the track.
Turn 3: After the long straight-away this corner is my biggest concern. It will be a fast left hander from a wide road to a narrow path across the park. In fact it was this corner which led me to choose the other direction last year. I changed my mind after see the level of construction they did to make the corner shallower and wider. It should work well but it will be a tight entry with little room for error. Caution is advised.
Turns 4 + 5: This is a fast chicane. Last year it was after a slight downhill and super quick. This year it will lead to a slight uphill so getting a good run into will be critical.
Turn 6: This turn is now slightly uphill so it should be slower than last year. We are also working hard to give better sight lines through the corner so it’s safer. We still have limited run-off on the exit so it remains a complicated part of the track. This corner will also be stressful because it will be one of the last places you can move up before the finish.
Turn 7: This corner is now more of a kink and should be very fast. The good news is we have more room on the exit than last year.
Turn 8: This final corner is the most critical part of the circuit. It is slightly downhill with a slight bump at the apex where the surface changes. This turn is almost identical to the final corner at the first RHC London. If you don’t come out of this turn in the top 3 on the last lap you have no chance.
