Wednesday 16th March 2005

Drive an F1 car at Magny-Cours

Get 700bhp under your right foot for less

---

A last-minute opportunity to drive an F1 car at Magny-Cours has just come up, courtesy of five people who cancelled their booking and lost their deposits. Wildside is offering the chance to drive a four-year old V10, paddle-shift F1 car and save £700.

Price: instead of £2450 per person the drive-only package is now available for £1750. More details from the company.

www.adren-a-line.com

[lockup]

And the number of fun-filled laps you get in the car?

3

Additional laps available at £400 a pop!

I'd be inclined to rip round for a while and then drive off in to the sunset. Mind you, it's a Prost so I might not get that far.

>>> Edited by lockup on Wednesday 16th March 12:15

[mgv8]

The 5 people who pulled out had all just got GT4 and no longer felt thay needed to go

[gtrclive]

Mallery park can do it with more laps for about a 1K....... No brainer....

[seasider]

gtrclive said:

Mallery park can do it with more laps for about a 1K....... No brainer....

Clive do you have any details ?

[richb]

gtrclive said:

Mallery park can do it with more laps for about a 1K....... No brainer....

There is also a track in the south of France which has Benetons and Larousses (sp?) which also charge around £1k for a session. Rich...

[PetrolTed]

I've done the experience at Mallory Park. Was fantastic. Not cheap at £1000 for ~10 laps but you do get to 'warm up' in various other cars first.

Google on Mallory Park or Everyman Racing I think.

[caduceus]

seasider said:

gtrclive said: Mallery park can do it with more laps for about a 1K....... No brainer.... Clive do you have any details ?

I went there for an afternoon and watched with my dad who was going to do it too before commiting, but it was a bit naff.

Track is too small for an F1 car and they tell you not to rev above a certain limit, which from memory was pretty disappointing. Not once did they sound like F1 cars, untill one person missed a gear and revved it up. Which made the mechanics wince and shake heads in the pits. It was then I knew I was'nt going to partake in that track day.

I'd rather pay more and get closer to the real deal.

Cad

[kickstart]

If you are looking for the "real deal" then don't bother going to an F1 experience day. Zig Zag racing will do a test day in a late 1990's Benetton with 700bhp at about £9,500 per day plus insurance.
You get what you pay for and £1k to have a go in an F1 car is cheap when you think about the costs of running the car

[55jnj]

gtrclive said:

Mallery park can do it with more laps for about a 1K....... No brainer....

errr............ Mallory Park or Magny Cours ?

12+ yr old 550 bhp v. 4 yr old V10 775+ bhp

You're right - it's a no brainer - there's absolutely no comparison.

Apart from anything else, you'd never get a full F1 experience at Mallory - it's just too small.

[youngwill100]

Don't do the Mallory Park day - it's rubbish (in my opinion, or it certainly was 3 years ago when I did it) The car has a VERY de-tuned engine - on the day I did it, the air starter gave up, so they were able to just gently push start the car - not very realistic.
Also the power is just not there - lots of noise but no acceleration. I've driven a lot of very powerful cars (tuned Ultimas, F3 and F3000 cars etc) and this "F1" car was not even as powerful as those. Plus there is a rev limit.
I would think that the South of France deal would be the best value for money - around 1.5K for a decent F1 car.

[Excalibur]

Does anyone have any details on the French track?

I remember there was a whole peice on something like that in Top Gear magazine a few years back, but don't really remember what track they used... only that all the cars were ex-F1 and still had the scrutineering stickers on.