Ultima Hyper Speed Driving Practice
Discussion
Are you a good enough driver for an Ultima ?
These cars are in the top 1% of fastest road cars and thus need a top driver to match it.
When things go wrong it happens much quicker and thus less time to correct.
I thought that having driven Porsches, BMW M3 , Ferrari and raced Caterhams for 8 years and won I was a good enough driver for a GTR, I wasn't ( I hold a Internation C Competition Race Licence )
I picked up my car on a damp day from the factory and my friend who gave me a lift there wanted a trip round the block, I was terrified at the pace of the car and vowed to learn the car somewhere save and private, so off to an airfield ( no armco ) and practised, I spun and spun etc until I could collect the tail, predict the actions of the car and give myself a chance.
Am I a top 1% driver - NO - but I saved my car after a 100mph blowout and tail slide 2 weeks ago - which I would not have been able to do without my learning the car before
All F1 drivers practise lots yet I can remember several crashs when the lights go green at the start because they switched direction and just ran into the armco. They are not immune neither are we ..
So practise first somewhere save...
Tuckshops accident has knocked the complacency out of me again and I am off to arrange another day at an airfield for some practise
G Man
Steve D. I have spent many hours beside a guy called
Details removed
He is one of the most talented instructors i have ever worked with (he trains all Aston Martin grade 3-4 drivers) he races every weekend he can in Historic formulas. I have a RAC 250 Nat Kart licence and a "C" class RAC saloon licence as well. I thought i knew a lot about driving, but this guy is by far 100% better than me and tought me a lot about powerfull RWD sports cars. He aint the cheapest but i consider him one of the best instructors i have ever sat beside. He is patient, a good comunicator, a damn good driver, and very natural. I spent 3 days with this guy last year driving AM Vanquish, Porsche 911T and a 355 to gain my AML class 4 licence....all i can say is i learn't a hell of a lot, give him a call and tell him he was recomended by an ex Aston Employee.
Details removed
He is one of the most talented instructors i have ever worked with (he trains all Aston Martin grade 3-4 drivers) he races every weekend he can in Historic formulas. I have a RAC 250 Nat Kart licence and a "C" class RAC saloon licence as well. I thought i knew a lot about driving, but this guy is by far 100% better than me and tought me a lot about powerfull RWD sports cars. He aint the cheapest but i consider him one of the best instructors i have ever sat beside. He is patient, a good comunicator, a damn good driver, and very natural. I spent 3 days with this guy last year driving AM Vanquish, Porsche 911T and a 355 to gain my AML class 4 licence....all i can say is i learn't a hell of a lot, give him a call and tell him he was recomended by an ex Aston Employee.
Wise words Gareth, I've owned several TVR's an various other high powered cars. Have ridden bikes since the age of 10 and use an R1 as a daily commute. I also hold a National 'A' race licence and compete regularly - finishing this year's championship in 14th (of about 50) having missed half the races!
As I said on the Tuckshop thread, power is nothing without control.
As I said on the Tuckshop thread, power is nothing without control.
When I bought my TVR Cerbera, I did a 2 day course with HPC (High Perfomance Driving Club). John Lyon showed me what the car could do, and helped me to learn a little of what he knew. He also taught me the most important thing, which is how much I didn't know.
When I bought my Ultima, it was with the express intention of racing it, so I was going to be on a steep learning curve. However, what I had learned with John, and what I had learned from Saloon car racing set me up with a good starting point.
One useful side effect that I found. Racing the Ultima improved my driving technique in my other race car, to the point where instead of finishing a 10 lap touring car race near the back and completely knackered, I found myself on the podium, and feeling as fresh as a daisy
James
When I bought my Ultima, it was with the express intention of racing it, so I was going to be on a steep learning curve. However, what I had learned with John, and what I had learned from Saloon car racing set me up with a good starting point.
One useful side effect that I found. Racing the Ultima improved my driving technique in my other race car, to the point where instead of finishing a 10 lap touring car race near the back and completely knackered, I found myself on the podium, and feeling as fresh as a daisy
James
G-Man, your so right. To drive an Ultima on the road is like taking a loaded gun into public. I know the same can be said of any car, but with an Ultima, or any really powerful sports car the hammer is always cocked and the trigger is very sensitive.
I'm a senior instructor and demo driver for the IAM. When I first drove my Ultima it actually shocked me. I did an overtake in a NSL past a Pug 205. We came out of a 40mph limit and the road was clear. I had gone past this car before I knew it, really, I found myself doing over 90 and I did not know what had happened. That shocked me. I learned very quickly that a car like this needs serious respect. Yes you get used to it, more tuned in to the way it goes, stops, turns etc but it can still suprise you.
Taking any further instruction has got to be the right action to take. I have not been on any "performance" courses, but I would imagine for road use the emphasis is very much on observation and anticipation. I do intend to take a performance course and I'm sure there is plenty to be learned from one. Seeing the state of the car in the other thread has only booted that idea nearer to the top of my must do list.
I'm a senior instructor and demo driver for the IAM. When I first drove my Ultima it actually shocked me. I did an overtake in a NSL past a Pug 205. We came out of a 40mph limit and the road was clear. I had gone past this car before I knew it, really, I found myself doing over 90 and I did not know what had happened. That shocked me. I learned very quickly that a car like this needs serious respect. Yes you get used to it, more tuned in to the way it goes, stops, turns etc but it can still suprise you.
Taking any further instruction has got to be the right action to take. I have not been on any "performance" courses, but I would imagine for road use the emphasis is very much on observation and anticipation. I do intend to take a performance course and I'm sure there is plenty to be learned from one. Seeing the state of the car in the other thread has only booted that idea nearer to the top of my must do list.
Paul, the one thing that my racing instructor picked up on straight away was my IAM, I am not a great believer in the IAM certification other than the advanced observation techniques...but i have been on intensive training with the local boys in blue during my time with Les, and one was a IAM instructor. One of his comments was, and i quote
"the way you drive Les, there is no way a police persuit car could ever keep up in a high speed chase"...that spoke volumes about the quality of instruction. I have been fortunate to do both courses and many others, but make sure the course you pick is the right one for the car you drive, many of these so called instructors have no idea what you want from your time with them...and to be truthfull most dont really care. A good instructor will make sure you use your car for the tuition (many dont) I did a few years at "slick 50" in a fairly well prepared GTI Golf and over 8 years in 250 gearbox Karts, the Ultima is soooooooo much like one of those 250's but they (GTI and Kart) have entirely different driving techniques as most of you will know. Dont bother with race day schools like the red letter days or the Silverstone experience etc etc as the instructors (as a rule) keep you under a tight reighn. However, if you can afford it, get private tuition from a real race driver (like Les) or go to France and get a drive at www.formulatours.com/f1_driving_school.html
its a blast.
"the way you drive Les, there is no way a police persuit car could ever keep up in a high speed chase"...that spoke volumes about the quality of instruction. I have been fortunate to do both courses and many others, but make sure the course you pick is the right one for the car you drive, many of these so called instructors have no idea what you want from your time with them...and to be truthfull most dont really care. A good instructor will make sure you use your car for the tuition (many dont) I did a few years at "slick 50" in a fairly well prepared GTI Golf and over 8 years in 250 gearbox Karts, the Ultima is soooooooo much like one of those 250's but they (GTI and Kart) have entirely different driving techniques as most of you will know. Dont bother with race day schools like the red letter days or the Silverstone experience etc etc as the instructors (as a rule) keep you under a tight reighn. However, if you can afford it, get private tuition from a real race driver (like Les) or go to France and get a drive at www.formulatours.com/f1_driving_school.html
its a blast.
UltimaAnimal
Les does NOT do private tuition so nobody should contact him and I think you are a bit out of order posting his address and numbers on the net. He has no idea who you are so please refrain from using his details. Thanks for the comments but please do not post details again. I am contacting the admin of the site to remove.
Thanks.
Les does NOT do private tuition so nobody should contact him and I think you are a bit out of order posting his address and numbers on the net. He has no idea who you are so please refrain from using his details. Thanks for the comments but please do not post details again. I am contacting the admin of the site to remove.
Thanks.
Dutch...thats interesting?? last time i spoke with im (Feb this year) he gave me his card and said that it was OK to contact him for further instruction, so one must assume HE WAS DOING PRIVATE INSTRUCTION THEN. Some thing must have changed since i last spoke to him. After all when a man gives you a buisness card with contact names and adresses on it, you naturally assume HE IS IN IT TO MAKE MONEY as it is an adverizement.
>> Edited by UltimaAnimal on Saturday 7th December 23:13
>> Edited by UltimaAnimal on Saturday 7th December 23:13
dutch said: UltimaAnimal
Les does NOT do private tuition so nobody should contact him and I think you are a bit out of order posting his address and numbers on the net. He has no idea who you are so please refrain from using his details. Thanks for the comments but please do not post details again. I am contacting the admin of the site to remove.
Thanks.
Dutch, I can see your point quite clearly but as this thread is all about getting the best possible driving skills available, UltimaAnimals response is praise indeed to a very skilled instructor. It would seem that UltimaAnimals's comments were directed in a positive manner and that the people who read this thread would benefit from tuition from an instructor of this calibre.
I feel that you should have spoke to UltimaAnimal by email directly instead of publically rejecting his genuine offer to promote this instructor. Clearly we have no idea of what may have transpired since February, but if I were that instructor, I would be gratefull of any positive publicity, such as this. Just my two pence worth, and without prejeduce.
Simon
Dutch, I can see your point quite clearly but as this thread is all about getting the best possible driving skills available, UltimaAnimals response is praise indeed to a very skilled instructor. It would seem that UltimaAnimals's comments were directed in a positive manner and that the people who read this thread would benefit from tuition from an instructor of this calibre.
I feel that you should have spoke to UltimaAnimal by email directly instead of publically rejecting his genuine offer to promote this instructor. Clearly we have no idea of what may have transpired since February, but if I were that instructor, I would be gratefull of any positive publicity, such as this. Just my two pence worth, and without prejeduce.
Simon
It was Les himself that asked me to get his details removed after he found out they were posted here. I agree totally with UltimaAnimals comments on Les's driving and I have been out many times in many cars with him but now he works for Aston Martin and no longer deals with private tuition. I have known Les for a lot, lot longer than UltimaAnimal and I can assure you I know what I am talking about. I had to post the comments in case anybody had taken the details and was thinking of calling. I was not trying to be malicious and was just trying to save any dissapointment for anybody. In the same sense of me contacting UltimaAnimal do you not think it would have been far more appropriate for him to contact Les and ask if it was ok to post his personal information before doing so ?
I feel that you should have spoke to UltimaAnimal by email directly instead of publically rejecting his genuine offer to promote this instructor. Clearly we have no idea of what may have transpired since February, but if I were that instructor, I would be gratefull of any positive publicity, such as this. Just my two pence worth, and without prejeduce.
Simon
It was Les himself that asked me to get his details removed after he found out they were posted here. I agree totally with UltimaAnimals comments on Les's driving and I have been out many times in many cars with him but now he works for Aston Martin and no longer deals with private tuition. I have known Les for a lot, lot longer than UltimaAnimal and I can assure you I know what I am talking about. I had to post the comments in case anybody had taken the details and was thinking of calling. I was not trying to be malicious and was just trying to save any dissapointment for anybody. In the same sense of me contacting UltimaAnimal do you not think it would have been far more appropriate for him to contact Les and ask if it was ok to post his personal information before doing so ?
UltimaAnimal said: Dutch...thats interesting?? last time i spoke with im (Feb this year) he gave me his card and said that it was OK to contact him for further instruction, so one must assume HE WAS DOING PRIVATE INSTRUCTION THEN. Some thing must have changed since i last spoke to him. After all when a man gives you a buisness card with contact names and adresses on it, you naturally assume HE IS IN IT TO MAKE MONEY as it is an adverizement.
>> Edited by UltimaAnimal on Saturday 7th December 23:13
Not very interesting really is it
Last time I spoke to him was yesterday and he may have given his card to YOU but maybe he was sorting you out as a favour ? He does not do private tuition anymore. The only reason I had to post the details is so nobody would contact him. The basic end of the matter is Les asked me to get it removed, so I did. PS. You may want to check your keyboard as your caps lock seems to have been cutting in and out
>> Edited by Dutch on Monday 9th December 09:05
>> Edited by Dutch on Monday 9th December 13:31
Lol ...no worries on my behalf Dutch, like i say, things must have changed a great deal for Les....i didnt know he is now working for AML on a full time basis, but i did suspect he would go down that route eventually. Maybe in retrospect i should have contacted him directly before posting my reply, but i do those sort of things without thinking too much...Having my own company, i always assume (right or wrong) that any recomendation word of mouth or via a forum such as this is a vindication in itself and worth 500% more than advertizement
...my mistake ...but i still think he is one of the best instructors i have ever had the plesure be tought by (and i have had a few others)
Send my sincerest appologies to Les and i am sure if he is up at Gaydon sometime and i bump in to him i will get him lunch.
I feel that now Les has removed his services from the public, it is us who have lost out and not Les himself.
...no worries on my behalf Dutch, like i say, things must have changed a great deal for Les....i didnt know he is now working for AML on a full time basis, but i did suspect he would go down that route eventually. Maybe in retrospect i should have contacted him directly before posting my reply, but i do those sort of things without thinking too much...Having my own company, i always assume (right or wrong) that any recomendation word of mouth or via a forum such as this is a vindication in itself and worth 500% more than advertizement ...my mistake ...but i still think he is one of the best instructors i have ever had the plesure be tought by (and i have had a few others) Send my sincerest appologies to Les and i am sure if he is up at Gaydon sometime and i bump in to him i will get him lunch.
I feel that now Les has removed his services from the public, it is us who have lost out and not Les himself.
UltimaAnimal said: Lol
Send my sincerest appologies to Les and i am sure if he is up at Gaydon sometime and i bump in to him i will get him lunch.
I feel that now Les has removed his services from the public, it is us who have lost out and not Les himself.
You can probably still get on his Vanquish Performance Driving Course at Aston but it is not cheap. I agree with your comments, I have been out in many, many cars with Les and each time it was a joy
I meant no offence with my comments and sorry if any taken. Gassing Station | Ultima | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff