Ferrari Driving Experience Days

[tony_996hasgone]

Did anyone do any of the Ferrari Driving Experience days over the last year?

I just wanted to get an idea if there are any which people have experiences and can recommend or if there are any that were a waste of time (obviously e-mail me any that fall into the latter category, so as not to upset Ted).

I am doing a seach on old threads as well, so not being completely lazy!!!

[trackdemon]

Not thinking if leaving the raging bull are you? AFAIK most of the days are pretty poor in terms of track time - lots of fannying about culminating in a couple of laps in a tired rev restricted 360. Spending big money is the only way to get a decent experience - CPS associates used to do something along those lines but not Ferrari specific. May be better hiring a car from Bespokes or similar if track time is not crucial...

[Don]

I don't think any of the "Experiences" almost anywhere give you enough laps to really determine very much about the track, the car, or one's driving. They are, almost exclusively, "taster" sessions.

If you want to test drive a 'rari I'd hire one for the weekend. If you must drive one on track to be sure then Thruxton at least advertises the exact number of laps you will get for your money - and you can buy extra laps. But you'd be into a few hundred quid (on top) to get enough IMO.

This isn't saying anything bad about either Thruxton or any of the other "experience" providers. Its just that they are not geared up for the true track driving enthusiast...for that you need Jonny at Bookatrack and you won't be doing it in a Ferrari...

[m3pilot]

I did the ferrari day at thruxton a fair few years ago. I felt it was better value than days i'd done in the past but didn't feel that you had enough track time to get to know the car. At the time i was driving a 200BHP Renault 5 turbo and left at the end of the day thinking it was fun but felt i'd have had alot more fun driving my own car round the track. It depends what you are doing the day for. If you just want to say i've driven a ferrari then go for it, but having just done a trackday in a 205 1.6 gti worth about £250 i'd much rather do a trackday.

[tony_996hasgone]

Thanks guys ...it's not for me (...wouldn't be seen dead driving a Ferrari), but for a friend who wants to buy her b/f something along these lines. I appreciate it's just a taster, but just wanted to get an idea as to which venues and packages people may have done recently that were ok. Feedback that I've received off line seems to indicate that Prestwold is ok for someone who's never done a trackday before and "Everyman Motor Racing Activities" seem to be a good supplier!!

[aaandy]

I did a Thruxton day in a 360 a year or two ago. Was a great few hours and was a really treat to drive the 360 around the track, and had great time in the single seater.

Have been on a similar day at Brands 10 years ago and they kept telling you to slow down and not go above 4,000rpm (and that was in a BMW 318!).

But the guys at Thruxton were a lot better and really encouraged you to push the cars and get the most out of them (obviously within you abilities). The instructor with me in the 360 drove in the British GT series and part of his talk before we started was "....its got 400bhp and I'm happy for you to use every one of them". So got a great chance to drive it relatively hard and get the engine up into the higher rev ranges where it sounded and went fantastically.

[m3pilot]

'Have been on a similar day at Brands 10 years ago and they kept telling you to slow down and not go above 4,000rpm (and that was in a BMW 318!).
'

I remeber doing that at the nigel mansell school at brands hatch. Thruxton was far better than that. My mums friend recently did the classic car day at mallory park (sorry if i spelt that wrong) that sounded like a very good day. think he drove an e-type, d-type, astom n martin DB5 and a Mark 2. The instructors incouraged you to drive the cars hard which is what your there for.

I guess running a ferrari round the track will prob cost twice as much as many other cars which are just as fast so they have to either pass the cost on or slow the cars down.

[brendonj]

Yep I can concur with the positive comments re Thruxton. I did their supercar experience where you drive a 911 TT, 360 and the Murci. I thought it was going to be "slow down, slown down" but it was quite the opposite telling you to give it some herbs. It was a tad expensive (£450 if I remember correctly) but thoroughly worth it.

Cheers,
Brendon

[Bebs]

tony_996hasgone said:

it's not for me...wouldn't be seen dead driving a Ferrari. I'd much rather drive a 2 ton orange, from the company that has always tried to copy the masters at Modena

and Chalupes