Minardi 2 seater - video needed please?
Discussion
I was one of the lucky people who got to ride in the Minardi F1X2 2-seater at Donington last Friday. As it was a last minute arrangement (thanks to Paul Stoddart) the only video someone kindly took was of me getting in the car before the 3 laps and out again afterwards.
Does anyone on here have any video of the Minardi F1X2 on the track that I could borrow? I want to show the missus what it was like :-)
Cheers,
Dom.
Does anyone on here have any video of the Minardi F1X2 on the track that I could borrow? I want to show the missus what it was like :-)
Cheers,
Dom.
OK then... here's a little backgrounder.
I went to Donington on Friday as a guest for a bit of corporate hospitality. Having watched the Minardi's fly past a few times I headed off to the garages to see if my pass got me in to look at the cars. The engineers were very welcoming and allowed us into the garage. Whilst in there I bumped into Paul Stoddart, a really friendy bloke... not what you expect in the world of F1. After 10 mins of chatting I asked the obvious question; how do you get a ride in the car? The answer was basically, pay for it and it's yours, but there were no spaces available until October this year. 2 seconds later he got a cancellation and offered me the place! I had 15 mins to decide then, 2 grand lighter of the wallet, I found myself getting togged up for a ride in an F1 car
The preparation included a medical (not too much of an issue as I have a pilots licence!) and a series of forms signing my rights away should I be involved in a crash. I then had to get into full Sparco fireproof gear; long johns, top, socks, balaclava and gloves, then a racesuit, earplugs and a helmet! Whilst I was standing waiting a young lad of 8 or 9 came and asked me for my autograph... bless!
As you can imagine, space in the car is tight and it took a bit of wiggling about to lower my sorry arse into the cockpit. Once you're strapped in and the protective bodywork's screwed into place around your shoulders, it's not a place for the claustrophobic! The view forward is restricted by the drivers roll bar/headrest, but you can move your head around enough to see out the side and even over the drivers shoulders looking forward. The strange sensation is that the driver (Patrick Friesacher in my case) has his forearms resting on your shins so you can feel every move of the wheel through your legs. With the engine fired up and the tyre warmers off, the car was lowered down and we were out of the garage like a bullet!!!
The first few seconds in the pit lane with the speed limiter on are quite mundane, but once we crossed the white line.... holy S**T
The acceleration is amazing, but combined with the noise and the lightning quick gear changes, it's an unbelievable experience. I fly aerobatics so I have some sense of G forces, but the cornering and braking G is something else in these cars... it really does take your breath away.
We did an outlap during which my visor kept popping up everytime I looked to the side. Once I got this secured, the flying lap was underway. No words can really explain the sensations... mind blowing accelearation followed by gut wrenching braking and, just as Patrick came off the brakes, the lateral G was almost painful as we fired into the corners. I still have a bruise on my left shoulder from hitting the side of the cockpit through the long right handers... especially the one at the end of the start/finish straight. During the second lap Patrick suddenly backed off the power as we went under the 'tyre bridge'. Wondering why, I glanced to the right to see the other car pass as through it were stationary! He was on his inlap and we were flying close to 200mph... some feeling. How the big boys do it with 20 other cars on the track I have no idea.
By the time we finished our inlap I was breathing like a marathon runner on mile 20 and my visor was fogging up. The sweat was running down my head and I hadn't been doing the driving!!!
The overall experience of going from the calm of the garage to the frantic, loud and physical environment of the car, then back to the garage again in less than 5 mins is quite something. I know it's expensive, but if you have to sell the house, car, cats and kids to do it, don't think twice. Believe me, you won't find another experience like it
Dom.
I went to Donington on Friday as a guest for a bit of corporate hospitality. Having watched the Minardi's fly past a few times I headed off to the garages to see if my pass got me in to look at the cars. The engineers were very welcoming and allowed us into the garage. Whilst in there I bumped into Paul Stoddart, a really friendy bloke... not what you expect in the world of F1. After 10 mins of chatting I asked the obvious question; how do you get a ride in the car? The answer was basically, pay for it and it's yours, but there were no spaces available until October this year. 2 seconds later he got a cancellation and offered me the place! I had 15 mins to decide then, 2 grand lighter of the wallet, I found myself getting togged up for a ride in an F1 car
The preparation included a medical (not too much of an issue as I have a pilots licence!) and a series of forms signing my rights away should I be involved in a crash. I then had to get into full Sparco fireproof gear; long johns, top, socks, balaclava and gloves, then a racesuit, earplugs and a helmet! Whilst I was standing waiting a young lad of 8 or 9 came and asked me for my autograph... bless!
As you can imagine, space in the car is tight and it took a bit of wiggling about to lower my sorry arse into the cockpit. Once you're strapped in and the protective bodywork's screwed into place around your shoulders, it's not a place for the claustrophobic! The view forward is restricted by the drivers roll bar/headrest, but you can move your head around enough to see out the side and even over the drivers shoulders looking forward. The strange sensation is that the driver (Patrick Friesacher in my case) has his forearms resting on your shins so you can feel every move of the wheel through your legs. With the engine fired up and the tyre warmers off, the car was lowered down and we were out of the garage like a bullet!!!
The first few seconds in the pit lane with the speed limiter on are quite mundane, but once we crossed the white line.... holy S**T
The acceleration is amazing, but combined with the noise and the lightning quick gear changes, it's an unbelievable experience. I fly aerobatics so I have some sense of G forces, but the cornering and braking G is something else in these cars... it really does take your breath away.
We did an outlap during which my visor kept popping up everytime I looked to the side. Once I got this secured, the flying lap was underway. No words can really explain the sensations... mind blowing accelearation followed by gut wrenching braking and, just as Patrick came off the brakes, the lateral G was almost painful as we fired into the corners. I still have a bruise on my left shoulder from hitting the side of the cockpit through the long right handers... especially the one at the end of the start/finish straight. During the second lap Patrick suddenly backed off the power as we went under the 'tyre bridge'. Wondering why, I glanced to the right to see the other car pass as through it were stationary! He was on his inlap and we were flying close to 200mph... some feeling. How the big boys do it with 20 other cars on the track I have no idea.
By the time we finished our inlap I was breathing like a marathon runner on mile 20 and my visor was fogging up. The sweat was running down my head and I hadn't been doing the driving!!!
The overall experience of going from the calm of the garage to the frantic, loud and physical environment of the car, then back to the garage again in less than 5 mins is quite something. I know it's expensive, but if you have to sell the house, car, cats and kids to do it, don't think twice. Believe me, you won't find another experience like it
Dom.
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