MAM Turn 1

Turn 1 is very tricky. Miss Turn 1 and you have no possibility of properly tracking your line on Turns 2 or 3. Turn 1 requires a very hot entry with a very quick flick. You would like to stay just left of the centerline as you head toward Turn 2. Your goal is to straighten Turn 2 as much as possible and carry your speed into the carousel of Turn 3. If you go too deep into Turn 1, you have to swoop left, back over the centerline, to get a good angle at Turn 2. This not only wastes time, but scrubs off all the speed you need to carry into the Turn 3. If you turn in too shallow, you run across the centerline between Turn 1 and Turn 2 and run into the same problem. With my 750 GSX-R, I try to hit the apex of Turn 1 at 72mph and keep it just left of the centerline. Slowing down on the straight a little early to make sure you hit Turn 1 perfectly will pay big dividends come race day.