track day in a 1.2.....
Discussion
right as you no i only passed my test last week but next year id like to do a track day to see the limits of grip etc in my car within a controlled enviroment e.g not blasting down a country lane and sticking it in a ditch. but im assuming id be really out of place on a track day in a 1.2 clio???? :/
ollie854 said:
right as you no i only passed my test last week but next year id like to do a track day to see the limits of grip etc in my car within a controlled enviroment e.g not blasting down a country lane and sticking it in a ditch. but im assuming id be really out of place on a track day in a 1.2 clio???? :/
Doo eye?Also bear in mind a track day can be very punishing on a car, especially one that isn't designed generally to be driven hard / fast!
Might seem a bit overcautious but you should definitely get a garage to give the car a once over before you do it, advising them of your intentions and again when you get back! Especially as you're a new driver and might not have the experience to handle certain circumstances what might occur from extreme wear of brakes / tyres / suspension components!
Might seem a bit overcautious but you should definitely get a garage to give the car a once over before you do it, advising them of your intentions and again when you get back! Especially as you're a new driver and might not have the experience to handle certain circumstances what might occur from extreme wear of brakes / tyres / suspension components!
Chicane-UK said:
Also bear in mind a track day can be very punishing on a car, especially one that isn't designed generally to be driven hard / fast!
Might seem a bit overcautious but you should definitely get a garage to give the car a once over before you do it, advising them of your intentions and again when you get back! Especially as you're a new driver and might not have the experience to handle certain circumstances what might occur from extreme wear of brakes / tyres / suspension components!
thats easy enough im an apprentice technician so i can easily get my car a ramp and checked over by a proper technician.Might seem a bit overcautious but you should definitely get a garage to give the car a once over before you do it, advising them of your intentions and again when you get back! Especially as you're a new driver and might not have the experience to handle certain circumstances what might occur from extreme wear of brakes / tyres / suspension components!
ive been a member of the under 17 car club for 3 years before learning to drive on the road and done a skid pan course within the club. so id say i have got more experience than most 17 year olds.
ollie854 said:
Chicane-UK said:
Also bear in mind a track day can be very punishing on a car, especially one that isn't designed generally to be driven hard / fast!
Might seem a bit overcautious but you should definitely get a garage to give the car a once over before you do it, advising them of your intentions and again when you get back! Especially as you're a new driver and might not have the experience to handle certain circumstances what might occur from extreme wear of brakes / tyres / suspension components!
thats easy enough im an apprentice technician so i can easily get my car a ramp and checked over by a proper technician.Might seem a bit overcautious but you should definitely get a garage to give the car a once over before you do it, advising them of your intentions and again when you get back! Especially as you're a new driver and might not have the experience to handle certain circumstances what might occur from extreme wear of brakes / tyres / suspension components!
ive been a member of the under 17 car club for 3 years before learning to drive on the road and done a skid pan course within the club. so id say i have got more experience than most 17 year olds.
Certainly sounds like you have got some above average experience mate and sounds like your intentions are right. Better to learn how the car behaves on a track than on the road, definitely.
Something my grandad said to me when I passed 11 or so years ago was "Now you've passed your test, you can learn to drive.." - of course I thought I was already a great driver and proceeded to learn that I really wasn't - had some terrifying near misses but no-one got hurt and my dads Talbot Alpine survived!
Something my grandad said to me when I passed 11 or so years ago was "Now you've passed your test, you can learn to drive.." - of course I thought I was already a great driver and proceeded to learn that I really wasn't - had some terrifying near misses but no-one got hurt and my dads Talbot Alpine survived!
If it's an airfield day make sure you take a couple of spare tyres with you as FWD cars can shred them quite easily.
I wouldn't worry about the Clio from a speed point of view, I've run my diesel Vectra round a few tracks before now and the Clio should handle a lot better than that. Just go easy on the brakes.
In fairness, when it was new the Vectra wasn't too bad and lift off oversteer was quite easily controlled. Now it's past 150,000 miles it's getting a bit baggy.
I wouldn't worry about the Clio from a speed point of view, I've run my diesel Vectra round a few tracks before now and the Clio should handle a lot better than that. Just go easy on the brakes.
In fairness, when it was new the Vectra wasn't too bad and lift off oversteer was quite easily controlled. Now it's past 150,000 miles it's getting a bit baggy.
Chicane-UK said:
Certainly sounds like you have got some above average experience mate and sounds like your intentions are right. Better to learn how the car behaves on a track than on the road, definitely.
Something my grandad said to me when I passed 11 or so years ago was "Now you've passed your test, you can learn to drive.." - of course I thought I was already a great driver and proceeded to learn that I really wasn't - had some terrifying near misses but no-one got hurt and my dads Talbot Alpine survived!
yea i thought that also im not into driving fast on roads its not worth it so i thought about track days to do that instead. and i do totally agree with that quote i have learnt more about driving on the roads in the last 4/5 days than i have in 2 months on the road.Something my grandad said to me when I passed 11 or so years ago was "Now you've passed your test, you can learn to drive.." - of course I thought I was already a great driver and proceeded to learn that I really wasn't - had some terrifying near misses but no-one got hurt and my dads Talbot Alpine survived!
EDLT said:
FreeLitres said:
Might it be worthwhile just driving for a few months/years before you have to start "finding limits"?
Why?Many racing drivers were finding the limits of grip long before they were allowed in a car without a special booster seat.
When (not if) you really lose it at speed you'll be pointing the wrong way thinking just how big an accident that would have been on your favourite B road.
Talk to the organiser and have a go, just remember the extra wheels as I've heard of police checking tyres on cars leaving events. At least on a Clio they should be cheap from the scrappy.
I'd avoid airfield days to be honest - too much space and a featureless circuit are pretty dull. You'll end up overdriving and making a t
t out of yourself.
A proper track day would be excellent though, for that you won't need any spare tyres unless yours are already at their limit. You'll be doing well to burn through a set of fronts in a 1.2 Clio in a day.
No matter how good you think you are, book an instructor. They are worth their weight in gold. Take one session near the beginning of the day and one after lunch and you'll soon start to see how you can keep up with vastly more expensive machinery in the bends. On the straights you'll probably be one of the slowest, but no-one cares as long as you watch your mirrors and don't hold up others who want to pass.
I wish I'd started track days much earlier. Get it out of your system and don't practice what you've learnt on the road, there are too many things that you can't predict at inappropriate speeds.
t out of yourself.A proper track day would be excellent though, for that you won't need any spare tyres unless yours are already at their limit. You'll be doing well to burn through a set of fronts in a 1.2 Clio in a day.
No matter how good you think you are, book an instructor. They are worth their weight in gold. Take one session near the beginning of the day and one after lunch and you'll soon start to see how you can keep up with vastly more expensive machinery in the bends. On the straights you'll probably be one of the slowest, but no-one cares as long as you watch your mirrors and don't hold up others who want to pass.
I wish I'd started track days much earlier. Get it out of your system and don't practice what you've learnt on the road, there are too many things that you can't predict at inappropriate speeds.
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