Brands Hatch driving experience

[TeddyRuxpin]

Sounds fun! I'd be interested in this, but did it feel a bit short? 2x 15 mins seems like you might be left feeling a bit short changed. I saw something on the Silverstone website, which was 1 hour tuition session in a BMW M2: £499 per hour inc VAT

I personally don't care about how fancy the car is, I'm more interested in the tuition and the time in the car. Be happy going round in a Ford Fiesta!

I've done a '5 supercar' day once, you get to drive 2x laps in each of these cars: R8, Gallardo, 911, an older Ferrari 430 and a DB9. I do think it was fun (it was a gift) but I'm looking for something a bit more serious, with a bit more time in the car! Anybody have any suggestions?

 

[tbourner]

Book a trackday with a hired car, and ask a racing driving instructor to go out with you? Not sure how much that would cost but it would be the best "serious" training option I would think.

 

[GeeJayW]

My wife bought me a single-seater experience at Oulton Park. So Renault Meganne Cup with instructor (which was interesting) and a session in a Formula Audi. It was good fun, but I would have liked the rev limiter setting to have been higher.

Would definitely recommend it.

 

[bigcarpchaser]

A few years ago I finally did a track day at Brands on my Fireblade, 30 years too late really as I’d turned into Captain Sensible on a bike and didn’t have that balls out confidence that being an invincible yoof brings.
Started off in the novices section and asked to follow one of the instructors to get to know the circuit. Was brilliant and we were soon leading the group and I thought I’d turned into a middle aged Barry Sheene, knee down round the corners, bit of a back wheel tail out under braking and a few wheelies. Still got it I thought. Then I copped a look at my instructor...he was doing the same thing as me....only one handed with his head over his shoulder watching me lol.
That brought me down to earth.
Great fun though. Some of the riders in the top group were practising for the forthcoming race season and they were immensely quick.
I’m not sure if I’d ever risk my own vehicle as you can’t legislate for some plum crashing into you however, I’d like a go in something like a Caterham.


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[Bluegnomes]

Brands Hatch indie circuit is a great little circuit. Spent an evening in early September lapping it in the Lotus.

 

[Darrell]

A few years ago I finally did a track day at Brands on my Fireblade, 30 years too late really as I’d turned into Captain Sensible on a bike and didn’t have that balls out confidence that being an invincible yoof brings.
Started off in the novices section and asked to follow one of the instructors to get to know the circuit. Was brilliant and we were soon leading the group and I thought I’d turned into a middle aged Barry Sheene, knee down round the corners, bit of a back wheel tail out under braking and a few wheelies. Still got it I thought. Then I copped a look at my instructor...he was doing the same thing as me....only one handed with his head over his shoulder watching me lol.
That brought me down to earth.
Great fun though. Some of the riders in the top group were practising for the forthcoming race season and they were immensely quick.
I’m not sure if I’d ever risk my own vehicle as you can’t legislate for some plum crashing into you however, I’d like a go in something like a Caterham.


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I did a California Superbike School day at Rockingham on my GSXR 600 many moons ago. It was a hoot.

 

[st13phil]

I’d like a go in something like a Caterham.

About 20 years ago I did one of the Jonathan Palmer Motorsport Experience days at Bruntingthorpe. When I got to the Caterham the instructor took one look at me with my own helmet and his first words were, "You're a biker? You're going to love this!". He was right The Caterham was the first road car I'd ever driven that you could truly steer with the throttle. Hugely entertaining.

Later in the session I bagged the trophy for FTD in the Lotus Elise "twisty sprint" after completing the whole circuit absolutely on the ragged edge. I'm convinced I couldn't have repeated the performance, but I was amused that after I did it a couple of the instructors both tried to beat my time and failed to equal it too

Happy days!

 

[Mactech]

About 20 years ago I did one of the Jonathan Palmer Motorsport Experience days at Bruntingthorpe. When I got to the Caterham the instructor took one look at me with my own helmet and his first words were, "You're a biker? You're going to love this!". He was right The Caterham was the first road car I'd ever driven that you could truly steer with the throttle. Hugely entertaining.

Later in the session I bagged the trophy for FTD in the Lotus Elise "twisty sprint" after completing the whole circuit absolutely on the ragged edge. I'm convinced I couldn't have repeated the performance, but I was amused that after I did it a couple of the instructors both tried to beat my time and failed to equal it too

Happy days!

When I was at Bedford running the Palmer Audi series, one of the tasks that I was given was to help the instructors set up the Caterhams after a month of total abuse.
We would set them as the set up sheet, then have to tune them individually to do much the same thing. Roll bars, dampers, corner weights etc.
It seems the chassis would tweak and the they were all different! I know, I drove enough of them....but as you say they do steer nicely on the throttle.
As does an MX-5 on the road!

The difference between us regular drivers and real race drivers is while we may be able to achieve a decent lap time once, we are not sure quite how we did it, and fail to reproduce it.
The best race drivers are simply metronomic and know exactly how they are doing it lap after lap....even with a gang of 20 other axe murderers around them!

 

[st13phil]

The difference between us regular drivers and real race drivers is while we may be able to achieve a decent lap time once, we are not sure quite how we did it, and fail to reproduce it. The best race drivers are simply metronomic and know exactly how they are doing it lap after lap....even with a gang of 20 other axe murderers around them!

Absolutely, which is why I was under no illusion that my performance that day was any more than a fluke! If I could have repeated it reliably, I'd probably be penniless by now

I actually did a couple of the days at Brunters a couple of years apart. The second time the Caterhams were K-Series powered, while the first time they'd been using the GM "Red Top" 16v power units. When I asked one of the instructors why they'd changed he said, "too many busted half-shafts". Turns out people were spinning the cars and then booting it while they were still heading backwards at high speed instead of dipping the clutch and letting the car settle. The higher low-down torque of the GM motor was ripping the half-shafts out

 

[GeeJayW]

I was driven by Domenico Schiattarella (ex-Simtek F1) around the Fiorano test track for a few laps in an F430 in race mode (we'd had a long chat the evening before about driver aids and how they affect the way the car behaves etc.), very very interesting experience. Completely different level of driving/control than 99.9% of normal drivers who think they are quick.

 

[John]

I know you’re right and I’ve heard a lot of good things about it but I’m a bit scared that it’s going to be full of macho types. You know the kind.

I know the type you mean. In all the experiences I've done, I've yet to come across such an individual. You normally get mostly novices. I did a rally experience and had one guy who was clearly doing it often but he was very modest actually.

When I started going, I presumed I would be the worst and anything better would be a bonus. As it turns out, I usually end up higher in the middle of the group but I am by no means the best driver.

Sounds fun! I'd be interested in this, but did it feel a bit short? 2x 15 mins seems like you might be left feeling a bit short changed. I saw something on the Silverstone website, which was 1 hour tuition session in a BMW M2: £499 per hour inc VAT

I personally don't care about how fancy the car is, I'm more interested in the tuition and the time in the car. Be happy going round in a Ford Fiesta!

I've done a '5 supercar' day once, you get to drive 2x laps in each of these cars: R8, Gallardo, 911, an older Ferrari 430 and a DB9. I do think it was fun (it was a gift) but I'm looking for something a bit more serious, with a bit more time in the car! Anybody have any suggestions?

Book a trackday with a hired car, and ask a racing driving instructor to go out with you? Not sure how much that would cost but it would be the best "serious" training option I would think.

A little known thing you can do at Brands Hatch now (recent addition) is hire a Caterham and instructor for a half day or day now.

It's £550 for half a day or £1k for a whole day I think.

This is not an experience, this is as many laps as you can do with the instructor. I plan to do this with my petrol head colleague and we will split a day between us.

That's £500 notes each but value for money should be up there. You pay £150 > £200 and normally get 15 minutes or 30 minutes in the car at best.

Caterham Cars

Caterhams give the best raw experience out of all the cars I've driven on these types of experience days. Very controllable and immense fun.

I have no link to MSV in any way btw... just happy to report on an outfit who are decent bunch in my experience.

My wife bought me a single-seater experience at Oulton Park. So Renault Meganne Cup with instructor (which was interesting) and a session in a Formula Audi. It was good fun, but I would have liked the rev limiter setting to have been higher.

Do the Palmersport day at Bedford Autodrome. They push you well beyond your normal abilities. The only rev limiter you will hit then is if you don't change gear quick enough!

I’m not sure if I’d ever risk my own vehicle as you can’t legislate for some plum crashing into you however, I’d like a go in something like a Caterham.

As above - I think these are the best cars for the track.

I've driven about 9 different types of car round a circuit in the last 5 years and they are by far the most entertaining. The PS lineup included a Jaguar LM, Aerial Atom, BMW M4 and F3000 when I did it.

About 20 years ago I did one of the Jonathan Palmer Motorsport Experience days at Bruntingthorpe. When I got to the Caterham the instructor took one look at me with my own helmet and his first words were, "You're a biker? You're going to love this!". He was right The Caterham was the first road car I'd ever driven that you could truly steer with the throttle. Hugely entertaining.

Just the same 5 years ago albeit moved to Bedford Autodrome.