GRAN PREMIO DI CHENNAI – CIRCUIT DE OMR-ECR…
A combination of precision driving, technical excellence and sheer bravery is required to drive in this circuit, facets which highlight the differences between the sensible and the non-sense in streets. The Median-lined (not continuous) circuit leaves no margin for error, demanding more concentration that any other track. Cars run with minimum downforce and still brakes are worked hard. Overtaking is next to impossible so qualifying to drive in this circuit is more critical than at any other circuit.OMR-ECR's mix of high and low-speed corners, plus its abrasive and rather bumpy track(where the hell is the track???) surface, makes for a physically and mechanically taxing lap. Alright I’ll get to the flying lap of the circuit…
The Start-Finish straight (ECR) is one of the smoothest and best roads you’ll ever finds in India – particularly Chennai. The Car starts at the end of the straight and up thro the gears until 3rd before it turns into the tight left handed corner and then a jittering 50 m stretch into the LBR before you encounter the smooth left handed curve into the OMR. The car experiences the minimum downforce here and adds to the wind blowing across the Lattice Bridge over the Buckingham Canal. The driver has to watch out to his right and left before turning into the OMR for there is traffic coming both in front and back (yeah that’s right – traffic coming in FRONT in the wrong side). The circuit now comes to a very tight right handed corner turning into the Taramani Road. The Pit Lane Entry is on the left here. This is one of the slowest corners in the circuit where you’ll have to actually stop for the signal n also for the vehicles who don’t respect the signals!!!
The Taramani road stretches ahead with lots of vehicles parked on both sides of the road – making the road actually smaller than it should be. The Awesome MRTS railing moves over head as the car shifts up thro the gears until 45 kmph and turns sharp into the Bypass which starts on the left immediately after the highly classified Bio-tech facility. The Car shifts up thro the gears again along this part of the stretch until 60 kmph (The only thing the driver has to take care of is the children running across here and there in the road – but even international circuits has experienced breaches, so who cares!!!) At the end of the Bypass the car shifts down braking hard to turn right into the OMR again. This is one of the trickiest corners you can ever find in the world. Literally with no road at this junction of Bypass and OMR, the car shakes down to the core!!! The earth shattering experiences are taxing on the driver and worse than the G-Forces. One wrong move here and a driver could break his spine!!!!
The OMR(oldest part of the circuit) is a mix of slow and much slow curves and straights. The mainstay in this part of the circuit is the speed traps. Here the speed traps are manned by Mr and Mrs Buffalo. (Yeah u read it right… you can find them inspecting the track at any time they wish and they’ll check your speed.) Avoiding them is simply impossible on this part of the circuit. The OMR stretches for 6 kms and all thro the 6kms it’s a drivers nightmare with people walking across any time, Cars coming on the opposite side if the road… Speed Traps, Water logs (have been there since 200 BC – esp. in front of my office) etc… The straight ends at sholinganallur taking a hard left (a barely visible corner – hiding in the midst of teakkadais and bus stops.. ) into the connecting road for ECR. This road is worse than the OMR though its only for 2kms. There is literally no road with huge holes in the centre (Ofcourse water will be there in it!!!) and the unique thorny bush fencing!!! One wrong step and your car paint scheme is damaged but drivers generally prefer this to going thro the holes – which are heavy on the shock absorption system and might break it too!!! The highly characteristic point of this road is the small chicane at the starting of the bridge over the Buckingham Canal. Once you negotiate it successfully, the bridge high up gives a unique challenge to the drivers. If you drive with your windows down… or without helmet… you are sure to be hit by atleast 14 - 15 insects (yeah I counted once and don’t know about the species)
The road finally ends up at the ECR and taking a sharp left turn the car is back onto the newest part of the circuit and the driver can push it up thro the gears until 90 – 110 kmph (Ofcourse a driver has to mind the oncoming traffic, Buses coming along side and the people on the sides!!!) before reaching the Start-Finish Line.
Whew!!! That one hell of a Lap is taken daily by me and many others for work.
PS:
The Circuit de OMR-ECR is located only 12km from Chennai. It is easily accessible on major routes, either the IT HIGHWAY or the LB motorway (exit 13) towards IIFT.
Alternatively, it is served by rail from PARK station (Line 2) to Tiruvanmiyur Station with journey time lasting about 45 minutes. The circuit is a short walk from the station.
If you're flying, then the nearest international airport is Anna International Airport in Meenambakkam, which is 27km from the circuit. There are regular connections to the circuit from the airport via bus.
Glossary:
OMR – Old Mahabalipuram Road
ECR – East Coast Road
LBR – Lattice Bridge Road
The Start-Finish straight (ECR) is one of the smoothest and best roads you’ll ever finds in India – particularly Chennai. The Car starts at the end of the straight and up thro the gears until 3rd before it turns into the tight left handed corner and then a jittering 50 m stretch into the LBR before you encounter the smooth left handed curve into the OMR. The car experiences the minimum downforce here and adds to the wind blowing across the Lattice Bridge over the Buckingham Canal. The driver has to watch out to his right and left before turning into the OMR for there is traffic coming both in front and back (yeah that’s right – traffic coming in FRONT in the wrong side). The circuit now comes to a very tight right handed corner turning into the Taramani Road. The Pit Lane Entry is on the left here. This is one of the slowest corners in the circuit where you’ll have to actually stop for the signal n also for the vehicles who don’t respect the signals!!!
The Taramani road stretches ahead with lots of vehicles parked on both sides of the road – making the road actually smaller than it should be. The Awesome MRTS railing moves over head as the car shifts up thro the gears until 45 kmph and turns sharp into the Bypass which starts on the left immediately after the highly classified Bio-tech facility. The Car shifts up thro the gears again along this part of the stretch until 60 kmph (The only thing the driver has to take care of is the children running across here and there in the road – but even international circuits has experienced breaches, so who cares!!!) At the end of the Bypass the car shifts down braking hard to turn right into the OMR again. This is one of the trickiest corners you can ever find in the world. Literally with no road at this junction of Bypass and OMR, the car shakes down to the core!!! The earth shattering experiences are taxing on the driver and worse than the G-Forces. One wrong move here and a driver could break his spine!!!!
The OMR(oldest part of the circuit) is a mix of slow and much slow curves and straights. The mainstay in this part of the circuit is the speed traps. Here the speed traps are manned by Mr and Mrs Buffalo. (Yeah u read it right… you can find them inspecting the track at any time they wish and they’ll check your speed.) Avoiding them is simply impossible on this part of the circuit. The OMR stretches for 6 kms and all thro the 6kms it’s a drivers nightmare with people walking across any time, Cars coming on the opposite side if the road… Speed Traps, Water logs (have been there since 200 BC – esp. in front of my office) etc… The straight ends at sholinganallur taking a hard left (a barely visible corner – hiding in the midst of teakkadais and bus stops.. ) into the connecting road for ECR. This road is worse than the OMR though its only for 2kms. There is literally no road with huge holes in the centre (Ofcourse water will be there in it!!!) and the unique thorny bush fencing!!! One wrong step and your car paint scheme is damaged but drivers generally prefer this to going thro the holes – which are heavy on the shock absorption system and might break it too!!! The highly characteristic point of this road is the small chicane at the starting of the bridge over the Buckingham Canal. Once you negotiate it successfully, the bridge high up gives a unique challenge to the drivers. If you drive with your windows down… or without helmet… you are sure to be hit by atleast 14 - 15 insects (yeah I counted once and don’t know about the species)
The road finally ends up at the ECR and taking a sharp left turn the car is back onto the newest part of the circuit and the driver can push it up thro the gears until 90 – 110 kmph (Ofcourse a driver has to mind the oncoming traffic, Buses coming along side and the people on the sides!!!) before reaching the Start-Finish Line.
Whew!!! That one hell of a Lap is taken daily by me and many others for work.
PS:
The Circuit de OMR-ECR is located only 12km from Chennai. It is easily accessible on major routes, either the IT HIGHWAY or the LB motorway (exit 13) towards IIFT.
Alternatively, it is served by rail from PARK station (Line 2) to Tiruvanmiyur Station with journey time lasting about 45 minutes. The circuit is a short walk from the station.
If you're flying, then the nearest international airport is Anna International Airport in Meenambakkam, which is 27km from the circuit. There are regular connections to the circuit from the airport via bus.
Glossary:
OMR – Old Mahabalipuram Road
ECR – East Coast Road
LBR – Lattice Bridge Road
Labels: Humor - In my own way., My Trump
posted by Arjun.C.N at 10:41 PM
7 Comments:
Oh my god, dude this is amazing stuff. I guess creatity at its fullest. Send it to Bernie and with this description, he might want to include this track in the list ;-)
Well, as for the track I guess it offers the drivers varied challenges and whoever has driven on it should be highly qualified as a driver to do it 7/365. Whats with the formula one drivers driving on roads that closely resemble glass surface. Shouldn't all the credit be on people who drive on the aforementioned traumatising scenario???
hehe.. thanks KD!!! If any of the F1 drivers (NK excluded) drives here without hitting anything... then i would move this to Bernie!!!
Well, that's my point. The Indian roads offer multifarious testing conditions that probably no other place on earth can offer. And instead of seeing the F1 drivers test on comfortable tracks, they should be exposed to such a scenario. Then India can be truly proud of having roads that even the best drivers in the world cannot handle ;-)
hey arjun...thanks for the comment....i wanna know something....how did you patent your work...i really wanna patent mine...cause im afraid it will end up gettin stolen....so please elp...cause i noticced the patent on your pge....would be gr8 if you mailed me livetimefe@gmail.com
hey snake girl!!!
bit busy now... will mail u soon...
Chao
that was awesome dude...amazing stuff...ur best!!!....really loved it...
hey thanks dude... 'm waiting to read ur second part da... i guess that part has some of the best moments.. - - - dating???? when is it gonna get out???
Post a Comment
<< Home