Motorsport: NZ V8s driver Coulthard gets to grips with favourite circuit

Fabian Coulthard of Brad Jones Racing. Photo / Mark Horsburgh

The Mt Panorama circuit in rural New South Wales is probably the most well respected, and sometimes feared, piece of racing tarmac in Australasia.

New Zealand V8 Supercars driver Fabian Coulthard has had his fair share of drama at the Bathurst 1000.

Coulthard loves the place and talks us through one of his best and favourite race tracks in the world.

Pit Straight
From the standing start when the lights go out it's mayhem into Hell Corner.

Hell Corner
95km/h - 2nd gear
On a flying lap you head into here in fourth, changing down to second and it's easy to pinch the brakes. The exit is very important. You have to get the power down for the run up Mountain Straight.

Mountain Straight
256km/h - 5th gear
A straight drag up the hill heading towards Griffins Bend where cars can get a bit light as they hit the crest.

Griffins Bend
130km/h - 3rd gear
A right-hander with negative camber that catches drivers out if they drift too far over to the left. Do that and you'll smack into the wall.

The Cutting
95km/h - 2nd gear
Two lefts with a very steep exit that makes it almost impossible to pass.

Reid Park
160km/h - 3rd gear
A rising right-hander leading into a left. Ease off the throttle through here and treat it with lots of respect.

Sulman Park
180km/h - 4th gear
A steep drop-off before climbing back up towards the highest point of the circuit. Some drivers brake here, and others just roll off the throttle. Very fast through here and not far from the wall.

McPhillamy Park
186km/h - 4th gear
A fast downhill blind left that you can't see on the approach. You have to hug the wall and make sure of a tight exit to carry speed across the rest of the top of the mountain. Car has to be well balanced to push hard through here - big commitment.

Skyline
215km/h - 4th gear
A short straight after McPhillamy before heading into this sharply descending right that's the beginning of the descent from the top of the Mountain. Car can get a bit loose here.

The Esses
130km/h - 2nd gear
A series of switchback corners on the run down to Forrest's Elbow made famous by the Dipper and a section of the track where most accidents occur. Slowing down a bit tough as you're braking hard over the uneven surface.

The Dipper
90km/h - 2nd gear
Got to get the car turning at exactly the right place so you can get the car's attitude right to get the power on quickly. Get it right and the wall doesn't feature.

Forrest's Elbow
90km/h - 2nd gear
The corner can cause the car to drift out towards the wall making it all too easy to clip. Got to get it right to hit the straight with power down early to get a good, fast run.

Conrod Straight
295-300km/h - 6th gear
This is the fastest part of the circuit - obviously - and where you can get a tiny rest. All too soon the Chase arrives and you realise just how fast you're going.

The Chase
120km/h - 2nd gear
A three-turn sequence starting with a right, then a left and then another right back on to Conrod again. Massive breaking and if you get a flat you'll do what I did in 2010 - roll a lot very fast.

Murray's Corner
97km/h - 2nd gear
Last corner before Pit Straight and can cause some understeer. Keep it clean to get a good run on to the front straight.