Mondello Park is Ireland’s only FIA-graded permanent racing circuit. Located outside Naas in County Kildare, the National Circuit winds across rolling farmland with a mix of high-speed sweepers, technical chicanes, and a genuine braking challenge at Turn 1. It rewards commitment and smooth inputs more than raw horsepower.
Circuit overview
At 3.501 km, the National Circuit is compact but technical. Elevation change is moderate at +38 m from lowest to highest point — enough to affect tyre loading at a few key corners. The track surface is generally high-grip but sensitive to weather; wet conditions change the character significantly, particularly through the back section where the camber works against you.
Lap times for reference: road-legal track day cars typically run 1:50–2:10, with Club Sport machinery down to 1:30–1:45.
Sector guide
Sector 1 — Start/Finish to Devil’s Elbow
The pit straight is the longest flat-out section on the circuit. Top speed varies by class but most track day machinery hits 160–200+ km/h before the braking marker for Turn 1.
Turn 1 — Hairpin (heavy braking zone) The sharpest corner on the circuit and the primary overtaking opportunity. Brake late and hard — trail braking works well here for rotation. Wide entry, late apex, use all the road on exit. Understeer on exit is common; back off the power if the front pushes and carry clean speed onto the next section. Approach from the right side of the track.
Turn 2 — Left Kink Very fast. Most cars will be flat or close to it. Slight camber change mid-corner. Stability is key — if the car feels nervous here, check tyre pressures; it’s often the first sign they’re too high.
Turn 3–4 — Infield Chicane Left-right sequence entering the infield. Don’t over-brake for the left entry — the aim is to carry momentum to link both corners. The second apex (T4, right) feeds onto a short straight; prioritise the exit over the entry. Kerbs are usable but respect them in wet conditions.
Sector 2 — Infield
Turn 5 — Bent Corner Medium-speed right-hander. Slight crest before the apex affects car attitude — the nose will go light, so avoid sudden inputs. Smooth and confident gets you through cleanest.
Turn 6 — Dunlop Curve The fastest corner on the circuit. Long, sweeping left that catches drivers out on their first session. Flat in most track day cars if you trust the front grip. Approach from the right and let the car settle onto the outside kerb on exit. Any aerodynamic imbalance in the setup will show here.
Turn 7 — Devil’s Elbow The slowest and most decisive corner on the circuit. Tight left hairpin. Heavy braking from the straight. Patience is everything — this corner rewards a late apex and a clean, progressive exit far more than an early turn-in. Overdriving here kills the lap. Good passing opportunity for drivers who are disciplined with the braking point.
Sector 3 — Back Section to Start/Finish
Turn 8 — Cross Corner Medium-speed left, opening up onto the back straight section. Smooth arc, no drama. Focus is on getting power down early for the run to T9.
Turn 9 — Phoenix Long sweeping right, medium-speed. One of the more satisfying corners when it clicks — carry as much speed as you dare through the arc. The track is slightly cambered in your favour here.
Turns 10–11 — Final Complex Right-left sequence returning to the start/finish straight. T10 is a braking zone — not heavy, but precise; get the turn-in wrong and T11 exit suffers. T11 links to the pit straight: get power down as early as the kerb allows because the straight is where you carry speed lap-to-lap.
Key setup considerations
Tyre pressures — the elevation and surface characteristics mean Mondello rewards slightly lower starting pressures than a flat circuit. In warm conditions, front cold pressures of 26–28 psi and rear 24–26 psi are a useful baseline (car-specific — always verify). In wet, reduce by 2–3 psi and add a little more front brake bias.
Suspension — the circuit rewards a slightly softer setup than you’d run at a circuit with heavy kerbing. The Bent Corner crest (T5) punishes stiff rear springs on corner entry. A softer ARB on the front can help rotation at Devil’s Elbow without sacrificing the balance at Dunlop Curve.
Brake bias — moderate front bias works for most cars. The transition from the uphill braking at T1 to the flatter T7 means you’ll notice any fade if it develops.
Aero — most track day classes run without meaningful aero, so this is typically N/A. If you’re running a car with a rear wing, medium-high downforce suits the number of medium and high-speed corners better than a low-drag trim.
Weather notes
Mondello’s location in the Kildare plain means weather can change quickly. Wet conditions transform the circuit — Dunlop Curve (T6) and the Final Complex (T10–11) are the most sensitive sections to surface water. In mixed conditions, the infield chicane can be particularly slippery on the painted kerbs.
When generating an AI setup for Mondello, always input the forecast at session time, not the morning weather. The AI Setup Engineer will adjust tyre pressures, suspension stiffness, and brake bias accordingly.
AI setup for Mondello Park
Use the Outlap AI Setup Engineer to generate a circuit-specific setup for your car at Mondello Park. Select National Circuit, input your weather forecast, and the setup sheet is ready in under a minute — PDF for the paddock, audio briefing for the drive down.
Setup recommendations are advisory only. Always verify with your team and drive within your limits.