Aston at Millbrook experience day
Discussion
Just got back from a day at Millbrook playing with a load of Astons. What a cracking day! Shame no cameras allowed, very interesting place.
The staff and drivers are first class and great people. I don't know whether the staff or the cars were the stars there. The standard of driving and hospitality was so good. A special mention for Ben (BTCC driver) who showed us how to really drive with talent!
We played with DB9.2, N430, V8S, V12Vs, Rapide S and Vanq's across the sites playground. That Alpine circuit is a lot of fun indeed. I did it in an N430 and Rapide S. I have a new found respect for the Rapide S after doing that circuit with all the settings in fun mode. I did not see the point of this car until I thrashed it. It's a very capable car.
The high speed bowl was interesting. Doing 100 with your hands on your lap was novel, but sustaining 130+ on a bend and the instructor telling you that you should go closer to the barrier is just unnatural. My brain kept telling me I should be apexing, not driving harder towards an immovable object! Doing what the car needs you to do, not what you feel you should be doing is a hard trick to learn. Maybe because in real life driving situations we go from corner to corner without a sustained high speed assault on the senses, it doesn't feel natural.
Oh, and just because I should fess up, I bottled it at 167 on the mile straight before the corner.
All in all, a great day out and highly recommended to anyone.
The staff and drivers are first class and great people. I don't know whether the staff or the cars were the stars there. The standard of driving and hospitality was so good. A special mention for Ben (BTCC driver) who showed us how to really drive with talent!
We played with DB9.2, N430, V8S, V12Vs, Rapide S and Vanq's across the sites playground. That Alpine circuit is a lot of fun indeed. I did it in an N430 and Rapide S. I have a new found respect for the Rapide S after doing that circuit with all the settings in fun mode. I did not see the point of this car until I thrashed it. It's a very capable car.
The high speed bowl was interesting. Doing 100 with your hands on your lap was novel, but sustaining 130+ on a bend and the instructor telling you that you should go closer to the barrier is just unnatural. My brain kept telling me I should be apexing, not driving harder towards an immovable object! Doing what the car needs you to do, not what you feel you should be doing is a hard trick to learn. Maybe because in real life driving situations we go from corner to corner without a sustained high speed assault on the senses, it doesn't feel natural.
Oh, and just because I should fess up, I bottled it at 167 on the mile straight before the corner.
All in all, a great day out and highly recommended to anyone.
I was lucky enough to be invited to do this with Aston a few years back and I agree entirely it was a cracking day. Hospitality was put on for us in the morning session, culminating in a lunch with the guys who were ariving for the afternoon session. The drivers were astonishing as they showed you how to tackle the various courses before letting you have a go. On the Alpine track I took off whilst driving a Rapide S! I was particularly impressed when I was driven around the testing ground at astonishing pace in a Vanquish. This was the only track that the punters weren't permitted to drive the cars on...but the experience in the car with the professional drivers was unbelievable!
Rgds, Brin
Rgds, Brin
Did you do the mile straight twice?
It might be the usual format, first time through the gears (V12VS), then the second time a trickle start, through the gears to 5th, then full throttle.
My first run was 165 mph (three quarter mile marker).
Second run 155 mph.
I tried so hard on the first run, to change up just before the rev limiter, which later was revealed to be a complete waste of effort.
Such is the torque, one can clearly go into 5th gear at 15 mph, and only forfeit 10 mph of terminal speed. Why do we talk so much about fast gear changes and double clutch gearboxes?
It might be the usual format, first time through the gears (V12VS), then the second time a trickle start, through the gears to 5th, then full throttle.
My first run was 165 mph (three quarter mile marker).
Second run 155 mph.
I tried so hard on the first run, to change up just before the rev limiter, which later was revealed to be a complete waste of effort.
Such is the torque, one can clearly go into 5th gear at 15 mph, and only forfeit 10 mph of terminal speed. Why do we talk so much about fast gear changes and double clutch gearboxes?
morty1961 said:
Is this experience available online or by invitation only ?
Lee
I think it is this here:Lee
http://www.astonmartin.com/events/driving-courses#...
Sean
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