Pixelsonly Racing

United States · Raceway

Laguna Seca

A 3.6-kilometer circuit carved into the Monterey hills, defined by the blind plunge of the Corkscrew.

Length
3.602 km
2.238 mi
Turns
11
Direction
Clockwise
Elevation change
55 m
180 ft
In use
1988-present

Laguna Seca

WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca opened in 1957 on former U.S. Army land in the hills above Monterey, California. The current Grand Prix configuration runs 3.602 km (2.238 mi) over eleven turns, with roughly 55 m (180 ft) of elevation change across the lap.

The Corkscrew

The circuit’s identity is its signature corner: the Corkscrew, at Turns 8 and 8A. The track drops about 18 m (59 ft) through a blind left-right over a short distance, with the entry crest hiding the apex on the climb in. It is regularly cited among the most difficult corners in motorsport, and the place the track is most recognized for worldwide.

Notable moments

  • 1996 — Alex Zanardi’s last-lap pass around the outside of Bryan Herta through the Corkscrew, one of the most replayed overtakes in American open-wheel racing.

Corner-by-corner

  • T1

    Turn 1

    • Right

    A fast right-hand kink at the crest of the uphill pit straight, taken nearly flat; the rise leaves the entry blind and the car light over the top.

  • T2

    Andretti Hairpin

    • Left
    • double apex

    A tight, technical double-apex left-hand hairpin, renamed in honour of 1978 Formula 1 World Champion Mario Andretti.

  • T3

    Turn 3

    • Left

    A quick left that opens the fast Turn 3–4–5 sequence; carrying speed through here sets up the run across the complex.

  • T4

    Turn 4

    • Right

    A very fast right-hander taken with only a light lift or a brush of the brakes.

  • T5

    Turn 5

    • Left

    A slightly uphill left-hander where the gradient and camber add grip on exit.

  • T6

    Turn 6

    • Right

    The circuit's most technical corner — a blind right-hander over a crest that then dips, compressing the car as it reaches the apex.

  • T7

    Turn 7

    • Left

    A left-hand kink on the climbing Rahal Straight that sets up the approach to the Corkscrew.

  • T8-8A

    The Corkscrew

    • Left–right
    • 18 m drop

    A blind, downhill left-right plunge over Turns 8 and 8A, dropping roughly 18 m (59 ft) across a short distance with a blind crest and apex on the uphill approach.

    Widely regarded as one of the most challenging corners in motorsport. The 1996 pass by Alex Zanardi around the outside of Bryan Herta on the final lap is among its most famous moments.

    Braking reference Turn in blind as the track vanishes over the Turn 8 crest; the exit is hidden until the car is committed.

    Technique Commit to the blind entry — the apex only reveals itself after turn-in. Prioritise getting the car rotated before the drop and sacrifice entry for a clean, settled exit onto the downhill; a tidy exit matters far more than carrying entry speed.

  • T9

    Rainey Curve

    • Left

    A fast, downhill left-hand curve immediately after the Corkscrew descent, named in honour of 500cc Grand Prix motorcycle World Champion Wayne Rainey; the car runs light over the drop.

  • T10

    Turn 10

    • Right

    A medium-speed right-hander on the descent toward the final corner, requiring a short brake on entry.

  • T11

    Turn 11

    • Left

    A tight left-hand hairpin and the slowest corner on the track — a first-gear corner that leads onto the pit straight, making it a prime overtaking spot.