Discussion
Ascari Resort, Ronda, Spain.
What a venue. I was lucky enough to be invited there to mess about with some cars by an old friend of mine who is a member of this amazing club. I spent a couple of days there with Phil Bennett, who is always good value when you want some fun.
The resort is about an hour’s drive from Marbella, in the mountains near Ronda. The drive there is superb. The road is wide and sweeping, rising to nearly 3,500ft in places, but the wreaths on the side of the road were not there for Valentine’s… The track, clubhouse and pit complex are complete, and the workshop area about 95% done. In the next year or two, an exorbitantly luxurious hotel will be added to the complex, completing the whole concept. It will be an amazing place for a holiday.
The track has had a huge amount of money spent on it, with no shortcuts on track construction or facilities. Klaas Zwart (the owner and designer) is an incredible enthusiast, who has built his own personal F1 test track, and runs a collection of his F1 cars there, EVEN IN THE WET!! He has become a bit of hero of mine. It runs about 5Kms and has 26 corners, with some elevation change and some great cambered corners. It is a technical and rewarding track that takes some time to learn and a lot of courage to wring the speed out of. There is a very ballsy straight with two kinks that is taken at very high speed, followed by a tightening radius right that flows into an uphill chicane section, followed by a steeply banked corner. Amazing the first time you nail it. The marshals seem to acknowledge the fastest entering cars with a nod….and a step backwards There are three chicanes with low kerbs, and a good lap time is down to how much of a liberty you are prepared to take over them. Set a car up low for aero purposes it will storm round, but will clatter over the kerbs, but set a car high, it will wobble a bit in the fast stuff, but leap over the chicanes and make up time.
I drove a 325ti compact on slicks (provided by the resort) to familiarise myself with the circuit, and testament to the circuit, even after 3 laps the car feels a bit out of its depth. There was more exotic machinery nestling in the pitlane that needed pedalling!
Then into one of the club’s SR3 Radicals. These cars are set up to be quite forgiving, as not to freak out visitors. They run quite high and understeer benignly if you press on. They are well maintained and the engines were as crisp as the day they were delivered. My first impressions were how good a Radical is, and gradually how difficult and straining the track is. I did three sessions in the club SR3 and was getting faster and beginning to join the track up. Then Bennett went past me and I tried to follow. He is a bit good, that lad…..
On the first day the weather was glorious and we had to make the best of the time, as tomorrow was due to be wet and windy. So, 911 time! John (my host) has a nice 1999 996GT3 with a Manthey K400 kit and various aero and suspension mods. Unfortunately he has had a setup problem and the car had been ruining a set of cups a day, so he had fitted some dodgy Falkens for the sake of economy. Moved about a bit… The car howled round, and after the initial fear of sticking it in the wall, I started to enjoy it. The right hand gearchange was a bit of handicap, as you really don’t want to be slotting 2nd instead of 4th round some of the fast curves… I managed to get a 2.37 lap out of it, but was a bit dismayed to see Phil was 7 seconds faster. Nuts.
The last session of the day was in a brand new Radical, setup perfectly. I slotted first and left the pitlane and the car felt tremendous. Following John I was brim full of confidence and he was getting a bit irked I was 2 ft off his tail in his identical car. His corner entry method was a bit different to mine, and brakes a bit earlier than me, and CR*P!!! I am nearly into his tail, so panic braking and round I go, backwards over a kerb and goodbye diffuser.. Sorry guys. Some more lappery sans rear downforce, but the car not quite as good, as you can imagine. Diffuser needed a bit of fibreglass to mend, but no real damage otherwise.
The evening flew past as we all spout and gush about how un-crowded the track is, how hard it is to learn and trying to work out how Matthew (another member, who has never raced) is so heroically quick. He has managed a 2.12.5 before and did a 2.14.7 today in sub-optimal conditions. Bennett has managed a 2.14.00 but knows there is more to come. Banter for tomorrow’s fun…
The next day is 5 degrees and pouring with rain. Klaas is on hand and has heard about this funny little man with a strange Brummy accent who is going fast, and a wager is drawn. Klaas is super competitive and very quick, but our money is on Bennett to take the lap record in the SR3 (1.12.1). Phil reckons with a setup the car will get into the low tens.. Rain stops any proving of the bet, so some unfinished business there and a return trip is promised.
Other cars of note were a 430 challenge car with twin superchargers, brand new and a real handful by all accounts, another GT3 driven by a Spanish GT driver and a collection of cars doing tyre testing for Vredestein on some Guigaro designed tyres. One of which was a RR sport s/c and it was making a hell of a racket with its tyres.. The new Chinese driving sensation Ho-Ping-Tun was there and was chuffed that so many people spoke to him about his mega move at the last round of A1GP and his podium. Going to be very famous, that lad.
And Klaas…. Whatever he drove he was entertaining. He had a brand new Bentley Continental GT convertible on its doorhandles and its owner going green. He was rallycrossing the BMW compacts and being a general hooligan in his 1500cc Radical. Rain falls heavier, and we are inside drinking cappuccinos and chatting, thinking about dull stuff like airports and Ian Flux’s knackered old helmet and we hear the F1 car blatt past. Surely not? Klaas is out, and he is giving it the full onions, twitching and snapping and filling the place with glorious noise. Only F1 cars do that. I think it is a 1996 Benetton with a Judd V10, but I could not hear the usual staccato gunfire of traction control. He was mighty, and I was truly concerned he might stuff it. A small spin contained within the tarmac and a flurry of vehicles surround the car. Whaaaarp! It’s off again, and he will come into the pits… No, he continues, fast as ever. He was still hard at it as we left for the plane. What a man. His own track, his own F1 cars and a few mates to enjoy the whole ensemble with him. If you get a chance, get there. Memberships are available, but it will never get crowded as there will be a limit on numbers.
I’m still buzzing. Pictures in the Gallery.
What a venue. I was lucky enough to be invited there to mess about with some cars by an old friend of mine who is a member of this amazing club. I spent a couple of days there with Phil Bennett, who is always good value when you want some fun.
The resort is about an hour’s drive from Marbella, in the mountains near Ronda. The drive there is superb. The road is wide and sweeping, rising to nearly 3,500ft in places, but the wreaths on the side of the road were not there for Valentine’s… The track, clubhouse and pit complex are complete, and the workshop area about 95% done. In the next year or two, an exorbitantly luxurious hotel will be added to the complex, completing the whole concept. It will be an amazing place for a holiday.
The track has had a huge amount of money spent on it, with no shortcuts on track construction or facilities. Klaas Zwart (the owner and designer) is an incredible enthusiast, who has built his own personal F1 test track, and runs a collection of his F1 cars there, EVEN IN THE WET!! He has become a bit of hero of mine. It runs about 5Kms and has 26 corners, with some elevation change and some great cambered corners. It is a technical and rewarding track that takes some time to learn and a lot of courage to wring the speed out of. There is a very ballsy straight with two kinks that is taken at very high speed, followed by a tightening radius right that flows into an uphill chicane section, followed by a steeply banked corner. Amazing the first time you nail it. The marshals seem to acknowledge the fastest entering cars with a nod….and a step backwards There are three chicanes with low kerbs, and a good lap time is down to how much of a liberty you are prepared to take over them. Set a car up low for aero purposes it will storm round, but will clatter over the kerbs, but set a car high, it will wobble a bit in the fast stuff, but leap over the chicanes and make up time.
I drove a 325ti compact on slicks (provided by the resort) to familiarise myself with the circuit, and testament to the circuit, even after 3 laps the car feels a bit out of its depth. There was more exotic machinery nestling in the pitlane that needed pedalling!
Then into one of the club’s SR3 Radicals. These cars are set up to be quite forgiving, as not to freak out visitors. They run quite high and understeer benignly if you press on. They are well maintained and the engines were as crisp as the day they were delivered. My first impressions were how good a Radical is, and gradually how difficult and straining the track is. I did three sessions in the club SR3 and was getting faster and beginning to join the track up. Then Bennett went past me and I tried to follow. He is a bit good, that lad…..
On the first day the weather was glorious and we had to make the best of the time, as tomorrow was due to be wet and windy. So, 911 time! John (my host) has a nice 1999 996GT3 with a Manthey K400 kit and various aero and suspension mods. Unfortunately he has had a setup problem and the car had been ruining a set of cups a day, so he had fitted some dodgy Falkens for the sake of economy. Moved about a bit… The car howled round, and after the initial fear of sticking it in the wall, I started to enjoy it. The right hand gearchange was a bit of handicap, as you really don’t want to be slotting 2nd instead of 4th round some of the fast curves… I managed to get a 2.37 lap out of it, but was a bit dismayed to see Phil was 7 seconds faster. Nuts.
The last session of the day was in a brand new Radical, setup perfectly. I slotted first and left the pitlane and the car felt tremendous. Following John I was brim full of confidence and he was getting a bit irked I was 2 ft off his tail in his identical car. His corner entry method was a bit different to mine, and brakes a bit earlier than me, and CR*P!!! I am nearly into his tail, so panic braking and round I go, backwards over a kerb and goodbye diffuser.. Sorry guys. Some more lappery sans rear downforce, but the car not quite as good, as you can imagine. Diffuser needed a bit of fibreglass to mend, but no real damage otherwise.
The evening flew past as we all spout and gush about how un-crowded the track is, how hard it is to learn and trying to work out how Matthew (another member, who has never raced) is so heroically quick. He has managed a 2.12.5 before and did a 2.14.7 today in sub-optimal conditions. Bennett has managed a 2.14.00 but knows there is more to come. Banter for tomorrow’s fun…
The next day is 5 degrees and pouring with rain. Klaas is on hand and has heard about this funny little man with a strange Brummy accent who is going fast, and a wager is drawn. Klaas is super competitive and very quick, but our money is on Bennett to take the lap record in the SR3 (1.12.1). Phil reckons with a setup the car will get into the low tens.. Rain stops any proving of the bet, so some unfinished business there and a return trip is promised.
Other cars of note were a 430 challenge car with twin superchargers, brand new and a real handful by all accounts, another GT3 driven by a Spanish GT driver and a collection of cars doing tyre testing for Vredestein on some Guigaro designed tyres. One of which was a RR sport s/c and it was making a hell of a racket with its tyres.. The new Chinese driving sensation Ho-Ping-Tun was there and was chuffed that so many people spoke to him about his mega move at the last round of A1GP and his podium. Going to be very famous, that lad.
And Klaas…. Whatever he drove he was entertaining. He had a brand new Bentley Continental GT convertible on its doorhandles and its owner going green. He was rallycrossing the BMW compacts and being a general hooligan in his 1500cc Radical. Rain falls heavier, and we are inside drinking cappuccinos and chatting, thinking about dull stuff like airports and Ian Flux’s knackered old helmet and we hear the F1 car blatt past. Surely not? Klaas is out, and he is giving it the full onions, twitching and snapping and filling the place with glorious noise. Only F1 cars do that. I think it is a 1996 Benetton with a Judd V10, but I could not hear the usual staccato gunfire of traction control. He was mighty, and I was truly concerned he might stuff it. A small spin contained within the tarmac and a flurry of vehicles surround the car. Whaaaarp! It’s off again, and he will come into the pits… No, he continues, fast as ever. He was still hard at it as we left for the plane. What a man. His own track, his own F1 cars and a few mates to enjoy the whole ensemble with him. If you get a chance, get there. Memberships are available, but it will never get crowded as there will be a limit on numbers.
I’m still buzzing. Pictures in the Gallery.
I think Phil was fighting for the most scruffy award, but it was a close run thing, due to Ian Flux showing off a crash helmet that must be 20 years old that he cherishs with love and will not let be carried in cargo hold on planes...
Edited by phatgixer on Sunday 18th February 15:29
phatgixer said:
Ascari Resort, Ronda, Spain.
What a venue. I was lucky enough to be invited there to mess about with some cars by an old friend of mine who is a member of this amazing club. I spent a couple of days there with Phil Bennett, who is always good value when you want some fun.
The resort is about an hour’s drive from Marbella, in the mountains near Ronda. The drive there is superb. The road is wide and sweeping, rising to nearly 3,500ft in places, but the wreaths on the side of the road were not there for Valentine’s… The track, clubhouse and pit complex are complete, and the workshop area about 95% done. In the next year or two, an exorbitantly luxurious hotel will be added to the complex, completing the whole concept. It will be an amazing place for a holiday.
The track has had a huge amount of money spent on it, with no shortcuts on track construction or facilities. Klaas Zwart (the owner and designer) is an incredible enthusiast, who has built his own personal F1 test track, and runs a collection of his F1 cars there, EVEN IN THE WET!! He has become a bit of hero of mine. It runs about 5Kms and has 26 corners, with some elevation change and some great cambered corners. It is a technical and rewarding track that takes some time to learn and a lot of courage to wring the speed out of. There is a very ballsy straight with two kinks that is taken at very high speed, followed by a tightening radius right that flows into an uphill chicane section, followed by a steeply banked corner. Amazing the first time you nail it. The marshals seem to acknowledge the fastest entering cars with a nod….and a step backwards There are three chicanes with low kerbs, and a good lap time is down to how much of a liberty you are prepared to take over them. Set a car up low for aero purposes it will storm round, but will clatter over the kerbs, but set a car high, it will wobble a bit in the fast stuff, but leap over the chicanes and make up time.
I drove a 325ti compact on slicks (provided by the resort) to familiarise myself with the circuit, and testament to the circuit, even after 3 laps the car feels a bit out of its depth. There was more exotic machinery nestling in the pitlane that needed pedalling!
Then into one of the club’s SR3 Radicals. These cars are set up to be quite forgiving, as not to freak out visitors. They run quite high and understeer benignly if you press on. They are well maintained and the engines were as crisp as the day they were delivered. My first impressions were how good a Radical is, and gradually how difficult and straining the track is. I did three sessions in the club SR3 and was getting faster and beginning to join the track up. Then Bennett went past me and I tried to follow. He is a bit good, that lad…..
On the first day the weather was glorious and we had to make the best of the time, as tomorrow was due to be wet and windy. So, 911 time! John (my host) has a nice 1999 996GT3 with a Manthey K400 kit and various aero and suspension mods. Unfortunately he has had a setup problem and the car had been ruining a set of cups a day, so he had fitted some dodgy Falkens for the sake of economy. Moved about a bit… The car howled round, and after the initial fear of sticking it in the wall, I started to enjoy it. The right hand gearchange was a bit of handicap, as you really don’t want to be slotting 2nd instead of 4th round some of the fast curves… I managed to get a 2.37 lap out of it, but was a bit dismayed to see Phil was 7 seconds faster. Nuts.
The last session of the day was in a brand new Radical, setup perfectly. I slotted first and left the pitlane and the car felt tremendous. Following John I was brim full of confidence and he was getting a bit irked I was 2 ft off his tail in his identical car. His corner entry method was a bit different to mine, and brakes a bit earlier than me, and CR*P!!! I am nearly into his tail, so panic braking and round I go, backwards over a kerb and goodbye diffuser.. Sorry guys. Some more lappery sans rear downforce, but the car not quite as good, as you can imagine. Diffuser needed a bit of fibreglass to mend, but no real damage otherwise.
The evening flew past as we all spout and gush about how un-crowded the track is, how hard it is to learn and trying to work out how Matthew (another member, who has never raced) is so heroically quick. He has managed a 2.12.5 before and did a 2.14.7 today in sub-optimal conditions. Bennett has managed a 2.14.00 but knows there is more to come. Banter for tomorrow’s fun…
The next day is 5 degrees and pouring with rain. Klaas is on hand and has heard about this funny little man with a strange Brummy accent who is going fast, and a wager is drawn. Klaas is super competitive and very quick, but our money is on Bennett to take the lap record in the SR3 (1.12.1). Phil reckons with a setup the car will get into the low tens.. Rain stops any proving of the bet, so some unfinished business there and a return trip is promised.
Other cars of note were a 430 challenge car with twin superchargers, brand new and a real handful by all accounts, another GT3 driven by a Spanish GT driver and a collection of cars doing tyre testing for Vredestein on some Guigaro designed tyres. One of which was a RR sport s/c and it was making a hell of a racket with its tyres.. The new Chinese driving sensation Ho-Ping-Tun was there and was chuffed that so many people spoke to him about his mega move at the last round of A1GP and his podium. Going to be very famous, that lad.
And Klaas…. Whatever he drove he was entertaining. He had a brand new Bentley Continental GT convertible on its doorhandles and its owner going green. He was rallycrossing the BMW compacts and being a general hooligan in his 1500cc Radical. Rain falls heavier, and we are inside drinking cappuccinos and chatting, thinking about dull stuff like airports and Ian Flux’s knackered old helmet and we hear the F1 car blatt past. Surely not? Klaas is out, and he is giving it the full onions, twitching and snapping and filling the place with glorious noise. Only F1 cars do that. I think it is a 1996 Benetton with a Judd V10, but I could not hear the usual staccato gunfire of traction control. He was mighty, and I was truly concerned he might stuff it. A small spin contained within the tarmac and a flurry of vehicles surround the car. Whaaaarp! It’s off again, and he will come into the pits… No, he continues, fast as ever. He was still hard at it as we left for the plane. What a man. His own track, his own F1 cars and a few mates to enjoy the whole ensemble with him. If you get a chance, get there. Memberships are available, but it will never get crowded as there will be a limit on numbers.
I’m still buzzing. Pictures in the Gallery.
What a venue. I was lucky enough to be invited there to mess about with some cars by an old friend of mine who is a member of this amazing club. I spent a couple of days there with Phil Bennett, who is always good value when you want some fun.
The resort is about an hour’s drive from Marbella, in the mountains near Ronda. The drive there is superb. The road is wide and sweeping, rising to nearly 3,500ft in places, but the wreaths on the side of the road were not there for Valentine’s… The track, clubhouse and pit complex are complete, and the workshop area about 95% done. In the next year or two, an exorbitantly luxurious hotel will be added to the complex, completing the whole concept. It will be an amazing place for a holiday.
The track has had a huge amount of money spent on it, with no shortcuts on track construction or facilities. Klaas Zwart (the owner and designer) is an incredible enthusiast, who has built his own personal F1 test track, and runs a collection of his F1 cars there, EVEN IN THE WET!! He has become a bit of hero of mine. It runs about 5Kms and has 26 corners, with some elevation change and some great cambered corners. It is a technical and rewarding track that takes some time to learn and a lot of courage to wring the speed out of. There is a very ballsy straight with two kinks that is taken at very high speed, followed by a tightening radius right that flows into an uphill chicane section, followed by a steeply banked corner. Amazing the first time you nail it. The marshals seem to acknowledge the fastest entering cars with a nod….and a step backwards There are three chicanes with low kerbs, and a good lap time is down to how much of a liberty you are prepared to take over them. Set a car up low for aero purposes it will storm round, but will clatter over the kerbs, but set a car high, it will wobble a bit in the fast stuff, but leap over the chicanes and make up time.
I drove a 325ti compact on slicks (provided by the resort) to familiarise myself with the circuit, and testament to the circuit, even after 3 laps the car feels a bit out of its depth. There was more exotic machinery nestling in the pitlane that needed pedalling!
Then into one of the club’s SR3 Radicals. These cars are set up to be quite forgiving, as not to freak out visitors. They run quite high and understeer benignly if you press on. They are well maintained and the engines were as crisp as the day they were delivered. My first impressions were how good a Radical is, and gradually how difficult and straining the track is. I did three sessions in the club SR3 and was getting faster and beginning to join the track up. Then Bennett went past me and I tried to follow. He is a bit good, that lad…..
On the first day the weather was glorious and we had to make the best of the time, as tomorrow was due to be wet and windy. So, 911 time! John (my host) has a nice 1999 996GT3 with a Manthey K400 kit and various aero and suspension mods. Unfortunately he has had a setup problem and the car had been ruining a set of cups a day, so he had fitted some dodgy Falkens for the sake of economy. Moved about a bit… The car howled round, and after the initial fear of sticking it in the wall, I started to enjoy it. The right hand gearchange was a bit of handicap, as you really don’t want to be slotting 2nd instead of 4th round some of the fast curves… I managed to get a 2.37 lap out of it, but was a bit dismayed to see Phil was 7 seconds faster. Nuts.
The last session of the day was in a brand new Radical, setup perfectly. I slotted first and left the pitlane and the car felt tremendous. Following John I was brim full of confidence and he was getting a bit irked I was 2 ft off his tail in his identical car. His corner entry method was a bit different to mine, and brakes a bit earlier than me, and CR*P!!! I am nearly into his tail, so panic braking and round I go, backwards over a kerb and goodbye diffuser.. Sorry guys. Some more lappery sans rear downforce, but the car not quite as good, as you can imagine. Diffuser needed a bit of fibreglass to mend, but no real damage otherwise.
The evening flew past as we all spout and gush about how un-crowded the track is, how hard it is to learn and trying to work out how Matthew (another member, who has never raced) is so heroically quick. He has managed a 2.12.5 before and did a 2.14.7 today in sub-optimal conditions. Bennett has managed a 2.14.00 but knows there is more to come. Banter for tomorrow’s fun…
The next day is 5 degrees and pouring with rain. Klaas is on hand and has heard about this funny little man with a strange Brummy accent who is going fast, and a wager is drawn. Klaas is super competitive and very quick, but our money is on Bennett to take the lap record in the SR3 (1.12.1). Phil reckons with a setup the car will get into the low tens.. Rain stops any proving of the bet, so some unfinished business there and a return trip is promised.
Other cars of note were a 430 challenge car with twin superchargers, brand new and a real handful by all accounts, another GT3 driven by a Spanish GT driver and a collection of cars doing tyre testing for Vredestein on some Guigaro designed tyres. One of which was a RR sport s/c and it was making a hell of a racket with its tyres.. The new Chinese driving sensation Ho-Ping-Tun was there and was chuffed that so many people spoke to him about his mega move at the last round of A1GP and his podium. Going to be very famous, that lad.
And Klaas…. Whatever he drove he was entertaining. He had a brand new Bentley Continental GT convertible on its doorhandles and its owner going green. He was rallycrossing the BMW compacts and being a general hooligan in his 1500cc Radical. Rain falls heavier, and we are inside drinking cappuccinos and chatting, thinking about dull stuff like airports and Ian Flux’s knackered old helmet and we hear the F1 car blatt past. Surely not? Klaas is out, and he is giving it the full onions, twitching and snapping and filling the place with glorious noise. Only F1 cars do that. I think it is a 1996 Benetton with a Judd V10, but I could not hear the usual staccato gunfire of traction control. He was mighty, and I was truly concerned he might stuff it. A small spin contained within the tarmac and a flurry of vehicles surround the car. Whaaaarp! It’s off again, and he will come into the pits… No, he continues, fast as ever. He was still hard at it as we left for the plane. What a man. His own track, his own F1 cars and a few mates to enjoy the whole ensemble with him. If you get a chance, get there. Memberships are available, but it will never get crowded as there will be a limit on numbers.
I’m still buzzing. Pictures in the Gallery.
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