first track day advice required please!
Discussion
Good day to you all, i am thinking of taking my car out on track (a seat ibiza cupra diesel) but am really worried about damaging it mainly due to being overtaken. i do not think i am the worlds best driver but have done the advanced driving course so figure i should be able to keep a look out for the faster traffic and be safe on my own but am very worried about getting caught up in someone elses mistake.
therefore i am thinking of going to donnington as know the track fairly well (driven around it a few times in single seaters) but i am wondering if would be better off with a novice day so that speed differential should not be too great or if that would be considered a bad idead as there will be lots of us all trying to cope and not get too excited and would be better off with more experienced people but have to accept will be slowest on track and make allowances.
any advice greatly appreciated and thanks for looking.
therefore i am thinking of going to donnington as know the track fairly well (driven around it a few times in single seaters) but i am wondering if would be better off with a novice day so that speed differential should not be too great or if that would be considered a bad idead as there will be lots of us all trying to cope and not get too excited and would be better off with more experienced people but have to accept will be slowest on track and make allowances.
any advice greatly appreciated and thanks for looking.
basically i wouldnt worry so long as you use your mirors and let the faster traffic past on the straights you should be OK. It only frustrates people into making crazy moves when you wont move over and let them by.
Remember, over taking on trackdays should only be on the straights not in braking or coner exit areas and with the co operation of the person in front.
Remember, over taking on trackdays should only be on the straights not in braking or coner exit areas and with the co operation of the person in front.
I did my first day at Abingdon airfield and booked an hour's tuition for the day.
There weren't too many cars there, the track has loads of flat run off and the instructor got me up to speed soooo much quicker than I'd have done on my own.
Just keep an eye on the mirrors as you're coming out of corners. If there's someone behind you, indicate, move over and let them pass. That's all really.
There weren't too many cars there, the track has loads of flat run off and the instructor got me up to speed soooo much quicker than I'd have done on my own.
Just keep an eye on the mirrors as you're coming out of corners. If there's someone behind you, indicate, move over and let them pass. That's all really.
If your doing a full days track day, they normally split the sessions up into novice, intermediate, expert. So put yourslef in the novice group and also take advantage of the tuition most tracks offer. This will give some great insider knowledge about the track and will help you to build confidence.
Also check your car thoroughly before taking it out on track. Oil, water, brake fluid etc...
Also check your car thoroughly before taking it out on track. Oil, water, brake fluid etc...
chris7676 said:
Sessions are a waste of time & money, go for an open pit lane. You have already been in single seaters, mind you your car must feel radically different to them, but if that's what you have...
I'd agree with this. I've never done a sessioned day, but open pit days have been excellent. Go out, do some laps and come in when you think it's a good idea rather than making sure you use the whole session to avoid losing track time.I'm almost always the slowest car on track and I've not had a problem. If someone is behind me I just let them pass. I've been more likely to damage my car by being a bit crap and spinning than colliding with anybody else.
You'll be fine at Donington because they keep a very close eye on what is going on from the tower. This was brought home to me on recent day there:
We (I was a passenger at the time) were behind a Pug 205 going through Craners. The Pug driver was not the quickest but always moved over on the straights and indicated to let us (or anyone else) by. His 'on-track etiquette' could not have been better. So we were going to wait until Starkeys before overtaking him. However, some idiot in a high powered car overtook us down Craners (we saw him approaching fast so kept right in anticipation of him doing this) and then he dived down the inside of the pug through the old hairpin!!! The pug was VERY lucky to avoid an off.
We never saw the idiot in the high powered car again so I assume he was immediately black flagged and ejected from the circuit. As I said, Donington seem to be pretty good at stamping down straight away on bad trackday behaviour. They'll get rid of any idiots quickly, leaving everyone else to enjoy themselves.
We (I was a passenger at the time) were behind a Pug 205 going through Craners. The Pug driver was not the quickest but always moved over on the straights and indicated to let us (or anyone else) by. His 'on-track etiquette' could not have been better. So we were going to wait until Starkeys before overtaking him. However, some idiot in a high powered car overtook us down Craners (we saw him approaching fast so kept right in anticipation of him doing this) and then he dived down the inside of the pug through the old hairpin!!! The pug was VERY lucky to avoid an off.
We never saw the idiot in the high powered car again so I assume he was immediately black flagged and ejected from the circuit. As I said, Donington seem to be pretty good at stamping down straight away on bad trackday behaviour. They'll get rid of any idiots quickly, leaving everyone else to enjoy themselves.
in the single seaters (was one of those experience days but a while ago so had about 2 hours in the car) it was a fantastic track. thanks for all of the advice and without seeming up my own rs i suppose my fear is other people, as i figure im pretty good at vision and if i take myself off then my own fault and sure that the value of my car relative to my income will temper me enough! but just worried about another novice or shall we say exuberent chap/ess not showing much concern for my car! my other thought that i should of included in my first post was i am wondering if it would be better buying something saxo/106 gti/golf gti/mx5 ish for about £2k so at least would limit my risk?
as said thanks for all of the replies it helping me to make my mind up.
as said thanks for all of the replies it helping me to make my mind up.
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