Single Seater Experience at Silverstone
Discussion
if its your first time in a single seater it will be a great day regatrdless of rev limits and suchlike. i think they usually run them on the south or stowe circuits but since they changed the layout it could be anywhere.
if they are they same cars that they had on display at the grand prix, they are mini formula renault-esque looking things with wings that look a damn sight better than ropey old ffords!
if they are they same cars that they had on display at the grand prix, they are mini formula renault-esque looking things with wings that look a damn sight better than ropey old ffords!
i am one of the instructors working at silverstone tomorow and they useualy put me on the single seaters so will probbably see you
the cars are good fun to drive and relitively easy to go quick in. the main thing some people struggle with is the clutch in them as they are very stiff compaired to a modern road car. my best advise to you is to have a good feel of it when your waiting in the pit lane so you get used to it.
the cars are losely based on a F renult but with a few difrences such as they run a normal manual gearbox not a paddel shift, and are fitted with a formula ford engine (purely so they last longer between rebuilds as there runing all day).
the circuit they run on now is the stowe international, theve done allot of work on the track over the winter to install proper pit garages and to extend the track. the new layout is much better than the previous one as it was a little to short and simple, the new one is much longer and a good challangeing track.
the rev limiters of the cars have been incresed for the new track layout as the back straight is now much longer, so the cars are quite a bit faster than they were last year. should be able to get in excess of 120 at the end of the straight.
im sure you will enjoy it, ive not known anyone get out of the cars and say it was boring, even if the weathers bad we provide wetsuits so you can still go out
the cars are good fun to drive and relitively easy to go quick in. the main thing some people struggle with is the clutch in them as they are very stiff compaired to a modern road car. my best advise to you is to have a good feel of it when your waiting in the pit lane so you get used to it.
the cars are losely based on a F renult but with a few difrences such as they run a normal manual gearbox not a paddel shift, and are fitted with a formula ford engine (purely so they last longer between rebuilds as there runing all day).
the circuit they run on now is the stowe international, theve done allot of work on the track over the winter to install proper pit garages and to extend the track. the new layout is much better than the previous one as it was a little to short and simple, the new one is much longer and a good challangeing track.
the rev limiters of the cars have been incresed for the new track layout as the back straight is now much longer, so the cars are quite a bit faster than they were last year. should be able to get in excess of 120 at the end of the straight.
im sure you will enjoy it, ive not known anyone get out of the cars and say it was boring, even if the weathers bad we provide wetsuits so you can still go out
sounds bloody marvellous cant wait. I must have driven past the circuit thousands of times when I was yonger traveling to see the Mrs when she was studying at Northampton. It will be nice to actually visit instead of driving past.
Might be interesting getting back into the car when I have finished though
I did this last year, if it's the same. Started off with a few laps, 6 cars in a group and three groups following a Focus STs gradually increasing the speed. Then that was it, I reckon we got about 20 minutes on track and you were even allowed to overtake via blue flags. You will love it.
I've done the F Renault at Thruxton. They are very different to a normal road car. Great fun, but veyr different:
1) The throttle. No slack at all. If you move your toes, the engine will blip that much. Quite heavy
2) The brake. This is very solid. In a road car, its about how far you push- the longer the travel, the more you want to brake. On the F Renault, the pedal hardly moved and it was all about the pressure you gave the pedal. Odd
3) The cluth is in or not. Nowhere inbetween
4) Gearbox is very heavy, and you needed a good, positive mocement. None of the finger and thumb I use on the road
5) Steering is very heavy
The cars wree limited by revs, but I figured they would let go long before I ran out of bravery...so it was. I got scared long before the car was breaking sweat in the corners. The cars were quite physical to drive, and that, plus the open air nature, plus the helmet made it feel very strange. If you do a lot of karting you might be used to it, but I dont.
Great fun! If allowed, get someone to video/take photos
If not, pay for DVD/photos. Well worth it
1) The throttle. No slack at all. If you move your toes, the engine will blip that much. Quite heavy
2) The brake. This is very solid. In a road car, its about how far you push- the longer the travel, the more you want to brake. On the F Renault, the pedal hardly moved and it was all about the pressure you gave the pedal. Odd
3) The cluth is in or not. Nowhere inbetween
4) Gearbox is very heavy, and you needed a good, positive mocement. None of the finger and thumb I use on the road
5) Steering is very heavy
The cars wree limited by revs, but I figured they would let go long before I ran out of bravery...so it was. I got scared long before the car was breaking sweat in the corners. The cars were quite physical to drive, and that, plus the open air nature, plus the helmet made it feel very strange. If you do a lot of karting you might be used to it, but I dont.
Great fun! If allowed, get someone to video/take photos
If not, pay for DVD/photos. Well worth it
Had a brilliant day, an excellent set up they have there.
Fergus, I think I was in your group (guessing your are Irish by your name, I was the only one in the group who drove a RWD Car). It was much harder than I thought. The clutch wasnt a problem but the location of the gear stick was and I often missed 4th. I really struggled to carry enough speed through the corners and let a couple of people pass me so I could just enjoy getting on with it
Felt much faster than I thought too, esp with the wind trying to lift my helmet off on the back straight.
Was very odd getting back into the M5. Felt like someone had put my seat all the way back. I actually had to move the wheel closer to me.
My little boy loved seeing the 360's giving hot rides, sounded amazing (do they have standard zausts on them). The KTM looked nice, shame it sounded so crap.
Fergus, I think I was in your group (guessing your are Irish by your name, I was the only one in the group who drove a RWD Car). It was much harder than I thought. The clutch wasnt a problem but the location of the gear stick was and I often missed 4th. I really struggled to carry enough speed through the corners and let a couple of people pass me so I could just enjoy getting on with it
Felt much faster than I thought too, esp with the wind trying to lift my helmet off on the back straight.
Was very odd getting back into the M5. Felt like someone had put my seat all the way back. I actually had to move the wheel closer to me.
My little boy loved seeing the 360's giving hot rides, sounded amazing (do they have standard zausts on them). The KTM looked nice, shame it sounded so crap.
nope im not irish, if you mean the irish instructor in the pit lane that was melvin, of if you mean the breifer then that was mark armstrong
other than the sessions i had off i was in the white pace car, and flagging at the north hairpin (first one you come to after start/finish)
glad to hear you had a good time.
oh and yes the 360s are on standard pipes, most of the cars are standard apart from the addition of a roll cage and proper harnesses
other than the sessions i had off i was in the white pace car, and flagging at the north hairpin (first one you come to after start/finish)
glad to hear you had a good time.
oh and yes the 360s are on standard pipes, most of the cars are standard apart from the addition of a roll cage and proper harnesses
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