M4 Master at Brands Hatch via MSV
Discussion
What an incredible day!
I just wanted to give my thoughts on the day in case anyone else fancies booking it.
Following an expensive and slightly disappointing experience at Mallory Park with Everyman Racing driving the Huracan, 570S (fell in love with that car!) and an Atom a few weeks back I was lucky enough to be given this day from BMW.
From what I’ve seen it’s circa £160 for 2 x 15 minute sessions in an M4. Which compared to the Supercar Blast at Mallory is very reasonable. I believe the initial day was circa £100 but after seeing the state of the R8’s and the Gallardo I was due to drive I paid an extra £70 for the Huracan and 570S... 3 laps in each was over before I got in to any rhythm. I ended that day with an Atom that I wasn’t allowed to change down a gear from 5th the whole way round a lap. Granted, there was enough grunt in fifth to get you out of a corner but it was clear the day was setup for non petrol heads just wanting to experience a Supercar. Fair enough.
I arrived at Brands (my local and favourite track), straight in to a really good briefing, from there, jumped in the car and got myself comfortable. Met my instructor and he took the time to talk to me about what I had driven and what I currently drive. I explained that BMW gave me the ticket for the day and that I was looking to upgrade my Z4 to an M4 in the new year... with that he put everything in to Sport Plus and off we went using the paddle shift that is usually not used in the first session apparently.
The 15 minute session was brilliant. Long enough to learn a line, get a real feel for the car and what grip was available (there wasn’t a lot today!) but not too long to start getting tired and make mistakes (amazing how much you concentrate on track!). The instructor gained a lot of confidence and we ended up lapping everyone else on track (only 7 of us in M4’s).
The instructor gave me some great feedback and some areas to sort out in the next session (mainly trusting the front end more and trying to get round clearways with one steering angle.
A quick debrief and off out again.
Same as before but I pushed harder and carried more speed through corners... the M4 is incredible, it’s very lively but the instructor was right, the front end just kept gripping! The rear was all over the shot but it’s so controllable.
I enjoyed it so much I’d like to book another one before the end of year and see if they’ll do a double one as I’d like longer in the car!
I’m summary, as nice as it is driving a McLaren 570s and what a car it is, if you actually want to learn how to drive on track, improve your skills and really push a car you’re far better off with the M4 Master. I’m keen to see if there’s a way of hiring an M4 with an instructor and doing a half day track day or something.
I just wanted to give my thoughts on the day in case anyone else fancies booking it.
Following an expensive and slightly disappointing experience at Mallory Park with Everyman Racing driving the Huracan, 570S (fell in love with that car!) and an Atom a few weeks back I was lucky enough to be given this day from BMW.
From what I’ve seen it’s circa £160 for 2 x 15 minute sessions in an M4. Which compared to the Supercar Blast at Mallory is very reasonable. I believe the initial day was circa £100 but after seeing the state of the R8’s and the Gallardo I was due to drive I paid an extra £70 for the Huracan and 570S... 3 laps in each was over before I got in to any rhythm. I ended that day with an Atom that I wasn’t allowed to change down a gear from 5th the whole way round a lap. Granted, there was enough grunt in fifth to get you out of a corner but it was clear the day was setup for non petrol heads just wanting to experience a Supercar. Fair enough.
I arrived at Brands (my local and favourite track), straight in to a really good briefing, from there, jumped in the car and got myself comfortable. Met my instructor and he took the time to talk to me about what I had driven and what I currently drive. I explained that BMW gave me the ticket for the day and that I was looking to upgrade my Z4 to an M4 in the new year... with that he put everything in to Sport Plus and off we went using the paddle shift that is usually not used in the first session apparently.
The 15 minute session was brilliant. Long enough to learn a line, get a real feel for the car and what grip was available (there wasn’t a lot today!) but not too long to start getting tired and make mistakes (amazing how much you concentrate on track!). The instructor gained a lot of confidence and we ended up lapping everyone else on track (only 7 of us in M4’s).
The instructor gave me some great feedback and some areas to sort out in the next session (mainly trusting the front end more and trying to get round clearways with one steering angle.
A quick debrief and off out again.
Same as before but I pushed harder and carried more speed through corners... the M4 is incredible, it’s very lively but the instructor was right, the front end just kept gripping! The rear was all over the shot but it’s so controllable.
I enjoyed it so much I’d like to book another one before the end of year and see if they’ll do a double one as I’d like longer in the car!
I’m summary, as nice as it is driving a McLaren 570s and what a car it is, if you actually want to learn how to drive on track, improve your skills and really push a car you’re far better off with the M4 Master. I’m keen to see if there’s a way of hiring an M4 with an instructor and doing a half day track day or something.
I always fancy doing one of these but then I look at the amount of time on track for the cost and don't. I've been itching to do something this year as the car I use for trackdays has been out of commission most of the year.
I should probably give palmersport a go but it's close to a grand for a day, I wonder if the half day ones are worth doing.
I should probably give palmersport a go but it's close to a grand for a day, I wonder if the half day ones are worth doing.
IdiotRace said:
I always fancy doing one of these but then I look at the amount of time on track for the cost and don't. I've been itching to do something this year as the car I use for trackdays has been out of commission most of the year.
I should probably give palmersport a go but it's close to a grand for a day, I wonder if the half day ones are worth doing.
I definitely left wanting more, but I didn’t feel Short changed where as I left Mallory Park wondering how it cost over £200 (inc upgrading cars and pictures!). I should probably give palmersport a go but it's close to a grand for a day, I wonder if the half day ones are worth doing.
I’m looking in to track days with car hire and an instructor, you can share the car as well with a mate for no additional cost so that helps ease the pain. I’d definitely want something RWD as I’ve lost the appeal of a FWD hot hatch especially on a wet track, the M4 was just great fun but the aids stopped you from totalling the car! No heroics here!
4.7 said:
Caterham or MX5 hire plus instructor can be excellent value - especially off season.
That is what I’ve been looking at. I’m probably going to book the M4 Master again and do it soon, try to book a double session. The instructors really let you push on which was brilliant and quite unexpected. Looked into quite a few like bookatrack and once instructor, car and trackday still comes to a fair bit that I could not warrant spending the cash on. More looking at the £200-250 price area. Drove a radical last year, this year a formula ford aim for next year is caterham ( or similar).
Nearly did the caterham circuit experience a couple years on a weekday discounted but couldn't organise child care annoyingly. Might try them again next year.
Nearly did the caterham circuit experience a couple years on a weekday discounted but couldn't organise child care annoyingly. Might try them again next year.
IdiotRace said:
I always fancy doing one of these but then I look at the amount of time on track for the cost and don't. I've been itching to do something this year as the car I use for trackdays has been out of commission most of the year.
I should probably give palmersport a go but it's close to a grand for a day, I wonder if the half day ones are worth doing.
I haven't looked recently, but when I did it, the half day was the way to go - the full day got you more cars, but I wasn't interested in landrovers, caterhams around cones etc. I did a half which consisted of the 'sports prototype' style car (JPLM at the time), single seater, atom. (and karts, but whatever).I should probably give palmersport a go but it's close to a grand for a day, I wonder if the half day ones are worth doing.
Is that what the extra full day is? Yeah I don't care about most of that stuff.
Has anyone here ever done track day car hire with boss racing? http://www.boss-racing.co.uk/car-selection/ Seem a bit cheaper than bookatrack, any good?
Has anyone here ever done track day car hire with boss racing? http://www.boss-racing.co.uk/car-selection/ Seem a bit cheaper than bookatrack, any good?
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