Knockhill - driving experience or 1:1 session?
Discussion
I’ve always wanted to do a Knockhill session getting tuition in my own car, but to be honest have been a bit of a wuss about using my car on the track. I know a lot of people take very nice cars on the track...but I’ve only ever been out in an Audi 90, and it wasn’t mine!
Knockhill offers a session of 25 laps of 1-1 training in your own car (though I’d need to get my own insurance). However I’ve noticed that they now also offer a 'Driving Experience’ in a Aston Martin Vantage, comprising 4 laps in a Cupra and then 6 in the Vantage. My own car is a AM Vantage, so I’m tempted by this as a way to basically try a car exactly the same as mine (without it actually being mine!), but wonder whether 6 laps is enough?
So, which should I choose....how much grief would 25 laps give my own car, and how much benefit (in terms of better learning the limits of my car) could I get from the alternative of 6 laps?
Thanks
Knockhill offers a session of 25 laps of 1-1 training in your own car (though I’d need to get my own insurance). However I’ve noticed that they now also offer a 'Driving Experience’ in a Aston Martin Vantage, comprising 4 laps in a Cupra and then 6 in the Vantage. My own car is a AM Vantage, so I’m tempted by this as a way to basically try a car exactly the same as mine (without it actually being mine!), but wonder whether 6 laps is enough?
So, which should I choose....how much grief would 25 laps give my own car, and how much benefit (in terms of better learning the limits of my car) could I get from the alternative of 6 laps?
Thanks
Sort insurance for your own car ( It is pretty cheap for track cover) And you will get so much out of it and really begin to see what the car is capable off and you as well with plenty of space around you. You never know you might get the Track day bug then you will have problems 
It is not all that sore on the car really i do around 10 laps before my brakes start to smell so i know it is time for a cool down lap but my TVR loved it in fact i think it ran all the better for it to actually get used for once.
never done the 1:1 only a track night but i do fancy it to get more out my self as well.
It is not all that sore on the car really i do around 10 laps before my brakes start to smell so i know it is time for a cool down lap but my TVR loved it in fact i think it ran all the better for it to actually get used for once.
never done the 1:1 only a track night but i do fancy it to get more out my self as well.
Edited by scotty_d on Monday 3rd September 11:04
I'd go - and did - for the 25 laps in your own car, book the last slot of the day as the track will be quiet.
Its done in 10 lap stints so not too hard on your car.
Even after the 20 laps you will still leave thinking how much you could have learned in 150 laps!
In 6 laps you will probably only learn which corner comes next unless you are a KH regular.
Its done in 10 lap stints so not too hard on your car.
Even after the 20 laps you will still leave thinking how much you could have learned in 150 laps!
In 6 laps you will probably only learn which corner comes next unless you are a KH regular.
I had a 1 hour session in one of their Cupra Ibiza's (I think , seat something anyway). Probably got about 40 mins behind the wheel. Felt is was really worthwhile learning the track, the lines, braking areas etc
Then I took my own car on and was able to jump straight in, kind of learning my car rather than the track.
If I was to take more tuition it would be in my car now.
My instructor was Rory who drives in the Porky Cup , he was totally ace as a tutor!
Hope this helps
Don
Then I took my own car on and was able to jump straight in, kind of learning my car rather than the track.
If I was to take more tuition it would be in my car now.
My instructor was Rory who drives in the Porky Cup , he was totally ace as a tutor!
Hope this helps
Don
johnnyBv8 said:
Thanks very much for the responses....sounds like I need to man up and take my car on the track!
Who is best for trackday insurance? Would need to cover the car itself, rather than just my liability to others.
Trackday insurance would be for your own car only, there is generally no 3rd party liability - waivers are signed...Who is best for trackday insurance? Would need to cover the car itself, rather than just my liability to others.
It can be quite expensive for single events, still with big excess and limited cover. The mose cost effective solutions are often a limited mileage road policy with some free trackdays included.
Try:
CCI
Adrian Flux
Henderson Taylor
REIS
You might want to try some other experience days, skills are transferable so I wouldn't worry about it having to be the exact same car. These guys will give you seat time with experienced instructors (East Fortune is a nice circuit):
http://www.experiencelimits.com
Cheers,
Ali
Prices are here Ollie, they seem a little steep for what you get.
http://www.experiencelimits.com/index.php/about-us...
A few years back i did the knockhill Ferrari 360 experience. As had been previously said you're really only out on the track for about 7 minutes in the 360, and it really is just an "experience". You wont be sliding the car round any bends, but you do get to push on. I've heard stories about similar experience days where you were restricted to using certain gears, but it definately wasn't the case at Knockhill. I think i paid just under £200, and i thought it was relatively good value, especially with the additional laps of the Seat included aswell (4 laps).
Using your own car would ultimatley be more beneficial, but if your just wanting to dip your toe in, it is good fun.
Excuse the excitable wife's commetary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMOAA_C93dQ
http://www.experiencelimits.com/index.php/about-us...
A few years back i did the knockhill Ferrari 360 experience. As had been previously said you're really only out on the track for about 7 minutes in the 360, and it really is just an "experience". You wont be sliding the car round any bends, but you do get to push on. I've heard stories about similar experience days where you were restricted to using certain gears, but it definately wasn't the case at Knockhill. I think i paid just under £200, and i thought it was relatively good value, especially with the additional laps of the Seat included aswell (4 laps).
Using your own car would ultimatley be more beneficial, but if your just wanting to dip your toe in, it is good fun.
Excuse the excitable wife's commetary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMOAA_C93dQ
Terzo123 said:
You wont be sliding the car round any bends, but you do get to push on. I've heard stories about similar experience days where you were restricted to using certain gears, but it definately wasn't the case at Knockhill. I think i paid just under £200, and i thought it was relatively good value, especially with the additional laps of the Seat included aswell (4 laps).
Unfortunately that wasn't my experience. When I did the Ferrari experience at Knockhill I was told before setting out I was only allowed to use third and fourth gears and they were very strict about it. Personally I thought the Ferrari experience was a complete waste of money and certainly wouldn't recommend it.For me it would be my own car or nothing.
Eleander said:
Unfortunately that wasn't my experience. When I did the Ferrari experience at Knockhill I was told before setting out I was only allowed to use third and fourth gears and they were very strict about it. Personally I thought the Ferrari experience was a complete waste of money and certainly wouldn't recommend it.
For me it would be my own car or nothing.
I did the Ferrari 360 experience in September 2010 with Johnny Adam as my instructor - third and fourth gears only. Most powerful car I have ever driven and I am sure had I had the opportunity to use the other gears I would most likely killed myself! I think as an experience it was good but obviously if you are used to more powerful machinery you'd likely be quite disappointed. As others have said you only get 6 laps in it plus the same in a Leon FR first just to make sure you are not a complete loon! :-)For me it would be my own car or nothing.
Eleander said:
Unfortunately that wasn't my experience. When I did the Ferrari experience at Knockhill I was told before setting out I was only allowed to use third and fourth gears and they were very strict about it. Personally I thought the Ferrari experience was a complete waste of money and certainly wouldn't recommend it.
For me it would be my own car or nothing.
Thats a shame, and i can see why you would be dissapointed. It might be just have been down to the luck of the draw instructor wise, as i wasn't once told what gears to use or how fast to go. Whilst i wasn't breaking any lap records, i wasn't hanging about either.For me it would be my own car or nothing.
EcosseVRs said:
Eleander said:
Unfortunately that wasn't my experience. When I did the Ferrari experience at Knockhill I was told before setting out I was only allowed to use third and fourth gears and they were very strict about it. Personally I thought the Ferrari experience was a complete waste of money and certainly wouldn't recommend it.
For me it would be my own car or nothing.
I did the Ferrari 360 experience in September 2010 with Johnny Adam as my instructor - third and fourth gears only. Most powerful car I have ever driven and I am sure had I had the opportunity to use the other gears I would most likely killed myself! I think as an experience it was good but obviously if you are used to more powerful machinery you'd likely be quite disappointed. As others have said you only get 6 laps in it plus the same in a Leon FR first just to make sure you are not a complete loon! :-)For me it would be my own car or nothing.
albundy89 said:
booked in on tuesday for this,monaro is maybe not ideal but either am I,from a transit and a range rover as a daily driver so keeping fingers crossed
I did a road-car track day with my CV8. Easily powered clear from others on straightaways but they were all over me braking into curves.Looking forward to hear how you get on with your 1:1
albundy89 said:
booked in on tuesday for this,monaro is maybe not ideal but either am I,from a transit and a range rover as a daily driver so keeping fingers crossed
if you drive a transit as a daily then you will do great, from experience leaving the track at close of play half of the racing drivers seem to tow their race cars faster with a tranny than they drive the cars on track. Thus I am tempted to belive that a tranny is one of the fastsest vehicles used in motorsportGassing Station | Scotland | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff