Low Friction Circuit Training?

[rjben]

Hi,

I've done a search but not found anything other than the Silverstone Porche training days, can anybody help?

I'm looking for a training day on a low friction circuit. I'd like to use my own car (Exige) and learn how to catch, hold and control power and lift off over steer. Is there anything available in the UK?

Thanks,

Rob

[clk55pete]

I've spent time with both of these who may be of help. (Although Don's wasn't on a low grip surface it was a day to learn to catch slides and control the car)

http://www.driverdp.com/

http://www.donpalmer.co.uk/pricing.htm

[Munter]

Rockingham have a setup similar to the Porsche centre I believe.

[rjben]

Thanks Gents,

The http://www.driverdp.com/ looks good. I've asked for future available dates, fingers crossed.

Cheers,

Rob

[waremark]

Consider Andy Walsh who trades as Car Limits - used to be First Lotus, and specialise in Loti. Like Don Palmer, he works on hard surfaces on airfields (Harlow or West Sussex) - however limit handling control on hard surfaces is far more realistic than at low speeds on low grip surfaces, where weight transfer issues do not really come into play.

BTW, from my own experience I would say your first day with any of these guys will only give you a taster.

http://www.carlimits.com/

[RobM77]

waremark said:

Consider Andy Walsh who trades as Car Limits - used to be First Lotus, and specialise in Loti. Like Don Palmer, he works on hard surfaces on airfields (Harlow or West Sussex) - however limit handling control on hard surfaces is far more realistic than at low speeds on low grip surfaces, where weight transfer issues do not really come into play.

BTW, from my own experience I would say your first day with any of these guys will only give you a taster.

http://www.carlimits.com/

Bang on. I've spent a fair amount of time on a specially prepared skid pan with very low grip, and whilst a skid pan will de-sensitize you to the feeling of being sideways and promote good steering technique and throttle response (all of which are excellent skills to learn), they don't really teach you anything about oversteer and understeer in real life situations at higher speed with more grip, where the transition is different and weight transfer has a much bigger effect.

For proof of this, look at people playing around in an empty car park on a snowy day - anyone can hold their car sideways at low speed with low grip, or even go karting (low mass, low speed, no suspension) where most people manage to drift without an issue. Now compare that to a real life situation at 70mph on a motorway slip road, or 100mph round a fast corner at a race track, and you have a totally different kettle of fish, where most people fishtail and crash if they even get a whiff of oversteer, or what most people do on track just chicken out and drive slowly. For another example, compare Clarkson larking around on the TG test track with his attempts to lap an NSX quickly at Laguna Seca or lap the ring in a Jag S Type!

Controlling oversteer and understeer at realistic speeds with realistic levels of grip isn't a black art though, it's easy enough to master if you have the right appreciation of the physics going on, use the controls in the right manner and work up to it gradually. I haven't had any training from Andy Walsh, but from what I've heard about him and from the DVD I've watched I'd say he's definitely the right person for the OP to contact. He's a calm, knowledgeable guy, and he can drive extremely well. Incidentally, airfields on dry days are very harsh on cars, and that's the only reason I haven't taken my cherished Elise to Andy (it's is a road car only, not a track car). I think Lotus might do training in their own cars up at Hethel actually - it's worth the OP looking into if the wear and tear on his car bothers him.

[waremark]

Andy lets you hire an Elise from him. When I had a day with him I used my own car with the tyres pumped up to 50 psi. Coincidentally, for a day with Don Palmer (similar experience to Andy, a bit more theory from Don, a lovely man and coach) I used a hired Elise.

[RobM77]

waremark said:

Andy lets you hire an Elise from him. When I had a day with him I used my own car with the tyres pumped up to 50 psi. Coincidentally, for a day with Don Palmer (similar experience to Andy, a bit more theory from Don, a lovely man and coach) I used a hired Elise.

aha. thanks

[blackburn]

rjben said:

Thanks Gents,

The http://www.driverdp.com/ looks good. I've asked for future available dates, fingers crossed.

Cheers,

Rob

I'd not bother.