Topic

As I mentioned 6 months ago. For a special birthday in March my kids bought me a Ferrari Thrill Day at Silverstone..well I eventually got round to taking it last saturday.

Sorry this is going to be a long thread....for those that have done one of these days I apologise

Carole and I went up the night before and stayed in the Premier Inn just off the A43 ( we had to be there for 12 and it's 140 miles from Dorset!) 2 of my kids brought their families down and we made a family event of it, arriving at the circuit at about 11.30. I haven't been to Silverstone for 40+ years, wow how the place has changed. On arrival at 'The Silverstone Experience' I queued to register as a driver whilst the rest made for coffee etc.

Briefing was at 12.25 I wandered into the room followed by probably 50 others mainly guys but there were a few ladies too. A safety briefing and a chat on cornering followed for about 20 minutes. Then we all got into our cars to follow the instructors down to the cars, momstly Ferrari 360s a Lambo, Aston, and an Audi R8

Issued with Helmets we then went out to see the cars and be sent to our relevant instructors. I guess there must have been 5 drivers per car, so we had to take it in turns, fortunately I was first in my car.

I walked over to the instructor and car and got into the drivers seat, right hand drive fortunately, now I am 6'2 and the height limit was 6'4 but I, with a helmet on, couldn't sit straight up in the thing. Undaunted we adjusted the seat and brought it forward, I am not a funny shape so can only think italians are! Italians must have small feet too cos I kept hitting brake and throttle at the same time,
( with my size 11s)

A quick scan of the controls, I was expecting a flappy paddle gearchange, but was greeted with the usual Ferrari 6 speed floor change, same as my 'F' but with an extra slot below where 5th is. This proved an absolute pain, trying to sort out 3rd and 5th or 4th/6th especially when driving as fast as you can trying not to embaress yourself! My car was a F430 not a 360 that the others were, and was not referred to in the paperwork they gave me.

Off we went, I won't bore you with the drive bits, I will upload a video when I have edited out, or bleeped over the swearing!

Now this is where I got to be a bit dissapointed... after 3 laps that was it, 3 laps of a 1mile and a few yards circuit. As you will see from the video, when I hae posted it, the whole drive was some 7 minutes, that includes introductions moving the seat, steering wheel etc and driving from the car park.
My kids had paid £120 for this!

Don't get me wrong, the time I had was excellent, but it could have been so much better

So my advice is if you are offered something like this, or thinking of buying one for someone else, do some research. Other circuits, I checked out Thruxton, run the same sort of things for perhaps a bit more, but a LOT more track time.

I believe Silverstone are cashing in on their name/reputation, whilst others offer much better value.

Oh and before someone puts up a banner saying this 'thread is useless without pictures', they will be here tomorrow I hope!

I did reach an indicated 140mph on Hangar Straight, but the video telemetry states 125

What a fantastic birthday pressie, just a shame it was slightly marred by the lack of track time.. Look forward to seeing the vid though

This is my worry with these experience days. I think, sometimes that 'the experience' is minimal.

However, there are good days as well. I got given a single seater experience at Knock Hill, and the on track time was initially being driven round in a race-prepared road car, being given advice by the driver on driving the track. Two laps driving the road car, being advised again on correct track use.
Then it was into the single seater and 5 laps driving around grinning like a loony! Even that wasn't long enough for me, but I felt I'd had Sheila's money's worth!

Well David from what I've seen of Knock Hill, it's always raining there!

Teri... it was a special Birthday! the vast majority of people there had it given them as a pressie!

Swerving;16600 wrote: wrote:

Well David from what I've seen of Knock Hill, it's always raining there!

It was completely dry until the end of the 4th lap!

Always fancied a track day, especially in someone elses car.

Sorry about the delay. A couple of piccies.

Didn't they let you keep it then?

I have often thought that there might be a market for GT experience days- hmm I wonder
Chris

Oooh. Sounds like a plan forming.

Definitely interested.

David Aiketgate;16757 wrote: wrote:

Definitely interested.

;)Did I miss something?????