Silverstone 'Drive Experience'

[Marcos maniac]

Finally got round to using Mrs m's pressie from last Xmas, a Ferrari drive Experience.

The day got off to a nightmare start, overslept and didn't wake up till 06.30hrs had to be there by 9.00, legged it out the door and jumped in the Blazer, IM OFF! SH!T flat bloody tire F.F.S!

Damn gonna have to take the pick Up, SH!T! no fuel, running very short of time cant really afford to spend 10 mins in petrol station nick Mrs M's car again.

Im underway, flew up the M23 onto the M25 what a FCUKING Nightmare traffic, traffic and more bloody traffic, watching the time ticking by remembering what they said when I booked - must arrive promptly for breifing, no un-breifed drivers will be allowed on the track - AAAARGH! Hit the M40 WHHAAYY! its relatively clear, foot down and GLF!!!!!
Stormed down the M40 outside lane all the way, foot hard down off the M40 onto the A43, glance at the clock, ive got 17 mins I'll never do it, will I? well I am gonna try!!!! up the A43 at warp speed, SH!T i didnt know about the True Velo camera - Lets hope I managed to brake hard enough

Made it !!!!! with seconds to spare!!!

Bloody Hell its raining

The breifing was very informative and quite interesting - down to the track now

First 3 laps in a lotus spec Proton, bloody hell these things shift, learnt the track layout - I THINK, i like the idea of the different coloured cones on the corners 1 red = brake, 2 red = brake hard green = you clear.

Now 3 laps in a Lotus Elise, didnt realise how tight they were to get into. Eased it out onto the track, the burning temptation to Gun It straight away, Instructor sitting beside me tells me to take the first lap easy and get a feel for the car and get used to the brakes. ok your'e the boss.

realise what he means the braking is brute force, increase speed for second lap, whhaay these babies can really shift, approach vale corner fairly fast and manage to lock the brakes, OOOH ERRR! momentarily lose the back end, quick correction and i get it going straight (wont make that mistake again - will I??)

lap 3, full of confidence gie it a bit more throttle, i love it Doh time to go back in.

Ferrari Time!

Its a left hooker!

this is gonna be difficult!

out onto the track, instructor tells me to go easy and get a feel for the car! hmmm! Well he aint gonna let me go mad - he has got a brake pedal and a 'kill switch' ease it round the first lap, left hand drive isnt bothering me as much as I thought it would!

Listen to the instructor about track positioning etc and increase the speed, oops a little bit fast into vale again but manage to keep it on the track. last lap do I go mad?? nahhh I dont want to spin it out and at least I can say that I kept all three cars on the track. take lap 3 quite fast and as i coming down hanger straight at about 190kph i ease across to the right to pull off track and the instructor says 2you can have another lap, you have done well"

made sure I braked hard enough for vale, as Iexited i spot another ferrari on the track its not moving as fast as me bugger they told us no overtaking oh well Ive had fun and got an extra lap and ease off and follow it. "as you come out of the chicane, stay wide on the right and when you reach the green cone floor it in third, were going to pass this one" I done as I was told, adrenaline pumping, flew past the other ferrari and onto the sraight hit 195kph and had to end.

Well I thought it was the end! they give you a 'high speed ride' in the Proton driven by a competition driver. Bloody hell the guy was nuts, he knew what he was doing we were sideways through the corners in the wet, i didnt think he was going to make one of the corners. WHHAAY!

what a dy, thoroughly recommended.

As a hint to Mrs m as to what I want for Xmas this year i took her back a copy of the various experience brochure