Single Seater Driving Experience?
Discussion
I've done 2 before, one was a Formula Ford at the Silverstone Driving School and the other was at Rockingham.
I've gotten the itch to do another one but want one with a sequential box as up until recently I raced 250cc superkarts so don't want to drive a car with a H box (I can, but I want to try a sequential single seater)
The problem is, I can't seem to find anything decent? Formula BMW cars don't seem to exist in the UK anymore and the two Formula Renault experiences I've found are just driving around cones in an old airport. I looked up Palmersport but even the FPA cars are H pattern boxes.
So, does anyone know if there is a place in the UK I can get a run in a decent single seater on a proper track?
I've gotten the itch to do another one but want one with a sequential box as up until recently I raced 250cc superkarts so don't want to drive a car with a H box (I can, but I want to try a sequential single seater)
The problem is, I can't seem to find anything decent? Formula BMW cars don't seem to exist in the UK anymore and the two Formula Renault experiences I've found are just driving around cones in an old airport. I looked up Palmersport but even the FPA cars are H pattern boxes.
So, does anyone know if there is a place in the UK I can get a run in a decent single seater on a proper track?
Edited by 3xpendable on Friday 10th April 09:46
www.swbmotorsport.co.uk/drivingexperiences have a formula Renault they take to Blyton Park - or is that one of the ones you've already found.
Blyton is far more than an airfield with cones. Maybe they offer other locations too.
Blyton is far more than an airfield with cones. Maybe they offer other locations too.
mozzerS said:
www.swbmotorsport.co.uk/drivingexperiences have a formula Renault they take to Blyton Park - or is that one of the ones you've already found.
Blyton is far more than an airfield with cones. Maybe they offer other locations too.
Thanks, I had seen that one but only looked at thair Bicester site which is just cones, looks like a possibility, thanks!Blyton is far more than an airfield with cones. Maybe they offer other locations too.
hufggfg said:
Surely if you'd raced Superkarts you're going to find any kind of "driving experience" incredibly dull? Would need to be a test day to really get anything out of the cars.
Most stuff is dull compared to superkarts TBH, but without forking out thousands for a test day my options are limited. It's just for a bit of fun anyway.The Palmersport cars are not H pattern boxes, they're a flappy paddle sequential. Even their atoms are converted, presumably so the gearbox brains can avoid people trashing engines!
If you want to do a single seater experience, palmersport all the way. They genuinely do let you give it death, there's a reason they're always highly rated on these threads
If you want to do a single seater experience, palmersport all the way. They genuinely do let you give it death, there's a reason they're always highly rated on these threads
upsidedownmark said:
The Palmersport cars are not H pattern boxes, they're a flappy paddle sequential. Even their atoms are converted, presumably so the gearbox brains can avoid people trashing engines!
If you want to do a single seater experience, palmersport all the way. They genuinely do let you give it death, there's a reason they're always highly rated on these threads
Indeed, not sure where you got information that they're H-patterns, I don't believe they ever have been and the website/brochures talk about the sequential box! They're not actually Formula Palmer Audis, they're a semi-bespoke design with a Jag V6. If you want to do a single seater experience, palmersport all the way. They genuinely do let you give it death, there's a reason they're always highly rated on these threads
Apart from the superb instruction, the best thing about doing the single seater there is that they use the same circuit for a two-seater prototype style car with the same engine and tyres, so you can get a really good idea of pace, braking points etc with an instructor before going out in the single seater. Leaves you far better equipped to find its limits.
If you do the evening event, you'll get those two and the Atom on a different circuit, which is pretty brilliant itself. I haven't found anywhere remotely cost-effective that offers a better single seater experience.
upsidedownmark said:
The Palmersport cars are not H pattern boxes, they're a flappy paddle sequential. Even their atoms are converted, presumably so the gearbox brains can avoid people trashing engines!
If you want to do a single seater experience, palmersport all the way. They genuinely do let you give it death, there's a reason they're always highly rated on these threads
If you want to do a single seater experience, palmersport all the way. They genuinely do let you give it death, there's a reason they're always highly rated on these threads
McSam said:
Indeed, not sure where you got information that they're H-patterns, I don't believe they ever have been and the website/brochures talk about the sequential box! They're not actually Formula Palmer Audis, they're a semi-bespoke design with a Jag V6.
Apart from the superb instruction, the best thing about doing the single seater there is that they use the same circuit for a two-seater prototype style car with the same engine and tyres, so you can get a really good idea of pace, braking points etc with an instructor before going out in the single seater. Leaves you far better equipped to find its limits.
If you do the evening event, you'll get those two and the Atom on a different circuit, which is pretty brilliant itself. I haven't found anywhere remotely cost-effective that offers a better single seater experience.
Thank you both. I think I got the idea because I for whatever reason assumed they still used the Palmer Audi cars so looked them up and they were H pattern. Serves me right for not looking at the palmersport site!Apart from the superb instruction, the best thing about doing the single seater there is that they use the same circuit for a two-seater prototype style car with the same engine and tyres, so you can get a really good idea of pace, braking points etc with an instructor before going out in the single seater. Leaves you far better equipped to find its limits.
If you do the evening event, you'll get those two and the Atom on a different circuit, which is pretty brilliant itself. I haven't found anywhere remotely cost-effective that offers a better single seater experience.
It looks great, and I'm totally sold. The question is is it worth doing the full day or is a morning/evening session enough? How many laps do you get in the cars?
3xpendable said:
It looks great, and I'm totally sold. The question is is it worth doing the full day or is a morning/evening session enough? How many laps do you get in the cars?
It's been a few years since I worked there but the full day used to be eight activities on different parts of the venue so every hour you would be rotated to the next activity. You would be with the same group and host all day and at each activity you'd probably get about 15 minutes of track time.They were an FPA chassis when I drove them (with some tweaks) and the jag v6 in the back, with the flappy paddle. Now it claims to be a F3000, but with a 3ltr v6, presumably the same jag engine.
For my money the evening session was the best mix/value for money- karts (kinda pointless), atom, 2 seater and the single seater. As far as I'm concerned the landrover, caterham, bmw m car etc., are all too mundane, was always about the single seater and the prototype alike 2 seater.
They do split you into (IIRC 4) groups, and at least one group will drive the single seater first - personally I'd try to avoid that! I got karts, 2 seater, single, atom. I also suspect they'd do something bespoke at the right price
For my money the evening session was the best mix/value for money- karts (kinda pointless), atom, 2 seater and the single seater. As far as I'm concerned the landrover, caterham, bmw m car etc., are all too mundane, was always about the single seater and the prototype alike 2 seater.
They do split you into (IIRC 4) groups, and at least one group will drive the single seater first - personally I'd try to avoid that! I got karts, 2 seater, single, atom. I also suspect they'd do something bespoke at the right price
upsidedownmark said:
They were an FPA chassis when I drove them (with some tweaks) and the jag v6 in the back, with the flappy paddle. Now it claims to be a F3000, but with a 3ltr v6, presumably the same jag engine.
For my money the evening session was the best mix/value for money- karts (kinda pointless), atom, 2 seater and the single seater. As far as I'm concerned the landrover, caterham, bmw m car etc., are all too mundane, was always about the single seater and the prototype alike 2 seater.
They do split you into (IIRC 4) groups, and at least one group will drive the single seater first - personally I'd try to avoid that! I got karts, 2 seater, single, atom. I also suspect they'd do something bespoke at the right price
Thanks Mark, I've decided that's what I'm going to do, so I can also do one next year then too! For my money the evening session was the best mix/value for money- karts (kinda pointless), atom, 2 seater and the single seater. As far as I'm concerned the landrover, caterham, bmw m car etc., are all too mundane, was always about the single seater and the prototype alike 2 seater.
They do split you into (IIRC 4) groups, and at least one group will drive the single seater first - personally I'd try to avoid that! I got karts, 2 seater, single, atom. I also suspect they'd do something bespoke at the right price
upsidedownmark said:
The Palmersport cars are not H pattern boxes, they're a flappy paddle sequential. Even their atoms are converted, presumably so the gearbox brains can avoid people trashing engines!
If you want to do a single seater experience, palmersport all the way. They genuinely do let you give it death, there's a reason they're always highly rated on these threads
If you want to do a single seater experience, palmersport all the way. They genuinely do let you give it death, there's a reason they're always highly rated on these threads
McSam said:
Indeed, not sure where you got information that they're H-patterns, I don't believe they ever have been and the website/brochures talk about the sequential box! They're not actually Formula Palmer Audis, they're a semi-bespoke design with a Jag V6.
Apart from the superb instruction, the best thing about doing the single seater there is that they use the same circuit for a two-seater prototype style car with the same engine and tyres, so you can get a really good idea of pace, braking points etc with an instructor before going out in the single seater. Leaves you far better equipped to find its limits.
If you do the evening event, you'll get those two and the Atom on a different circuit, which is pretty brilliant itself. I haven't found anywhere remotely cost-effective that offers a better single seater experience.
Thank you both. I think I got the idea because I for whatever reason assumed they still used the Palmer Audi cars so looked them up and they were H pattern. Serves me right for not looking at the palmersport site!Apart from the superb instruction, the best thing about doing the single seater there is that they use the same circuit for a two-seater prototype style car with the same engine and tyres, so you can get a really good idea of pace, braking points etc with an instructor before going out in the single seater. Leaves you far better equipped to find its limits.
If you do the evening event, you'll get those two and the Atom on a different circuit, which is pretty brilliant itself. I haven't found anywhere remotely cost-effective that offers a better single seater experience.
It looks great, and I'm totally sold. The question is is it worth doing the full day or is a morning/evening session enough? How many laps do you get in the cars?
Evening is best bang per buck, as the highlights are single seat & LMP.
That said, the full day is pretty good as a first event as you soak up the whole atmosphere and enjoy the camaraderie over a full day. Also means you have more chance of not doing single seaters first! You get 10 laps and you need to nail those cars on the brakes and throttle, without crashing early with cold tyres. Not so easy when you've arrived carefully on your soft daily.
That said, the full day is pretty good as a first event as you soak up the whole atmosphere and enjoy the camaraderie over a full day. Also means you have more chance of not doing single seaters first! You get 10 laps and you need to nail those cars on the brakes and throttle, without crashing early with cold tyres. Not so easy when you've arrived carefully on your soft daily.
McSam said:
Indeed, not sure where you got information that they're H-patterns, I don't believe they ever have been and the website/brochures talk about the sequential box! They're not actually Formula Palmer Audis, they're a semi-bespoke design with a Jag V6.
That may well be the case now, but it wasn't "always" the case. When I drove the FPA @ Palmer's the cars were H pattern located on the right hand side!!! If unsure, a quick call to Palmer should clear it up OP.Admittedly that was over 5 years ago, but still, your claim isn't accurate in this case Sam.
I did the whole day, but that's because someone else was paying
Excellent experience overall.The JP and the FPA are fun to push the limits with, but I personally enjoyed ragging the 7's more than anything else on the day, the 911 cup included. My blue and black elbows were my witnesses to my 7 experience
Humour
Edited by Humour on Wednesday 22 April 17:29
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