Thruxton Ferrari 355 Experience
Discussion
Recently had the opportunity to use the voucher my wife gave me for Christmas ... and I was not disappointed!
After a short briefing consisting of some basic cornering instructions and a DVD of the circuit (out of date as it mentioned their new MG ZS cars!), we were taken to the first stage of the experience: three laps as a passenger in a new Mazda 3 MPS (2.3 Turbo!). The driver explained the racing lines, etc and progressively took the laps at increasing speeds. Then back to collect a crash helmets and into a Porsche Cayman. Three laps as the driver with an instructor to test the theory of cornering. The instructor, Brian, encouraged you to use the full power where you could and was very good in getting you to push the car and yourself a little more if he felt you were capable. Back to the parking area, and a short walk to the pits where an array of exotic cars were sitting waiting for the next run: 355's, 430's, a Porsche 977, Aston Martin Vantage, and the Lambo LP460. My yellow 355 soon returned and into the driver's seat. A quick adjustment of the seat, and familiarisation withe control was followed by the howl of the V8 just behind your head. Into first and ease up the clutch ... and we are moving. Taking it a bit easy as we came out of the pits as you get the Mazdas and Caymans joining the same part of the track is was down on the throttle and away. Again the instructor, Bill, encouraged you go push the car. Giving time for slower cars to move over or taking you off the racing line to overtake was the name of the game and soon the laps were vanishing ...
Ok it may have been better if he had mentioned don't take Church faster than about 110kph BEFORE i went in at 145, but we lived and the car was none the worse for a bit of "daisy-cutting". Pity this was the car I decided to have video'd!! Oh well ....
Four laps just isn't enough but it does give you the chance to listen to that glorious engine as you hurtle around the fastest racetrack in the UK. And soon we were back to the pits. Quick chat about the drive and time for him to fill in the Driver Analysis card and you walk to the other end of the pits.
Here you put on another helmet but this time with a balaclava, gloves and racing boots as the next five laps are sitting with your backside a few mm off the track in a Formula Renault single-seater. Limited to 4500rpm and with only four forward gears you wonder what you are going to get. But that concern soon disappears as you burble you way down the pit lane and then give every other driver on the track the fright of their lives as you hurtle up and past them. Even limited the car is doing around 110mph with the pedal to the metal, except at Brooklands/Woodham where the slight downhill section gets you up to around 120. With your head sticking up in the elements and not cocooned inside a bodyshell, 120 is fast enough. I never realised how much the wind and breeze tries to rip your head from your shoulders in one of those .... And coping with the non-syncro straight-cut gearbox is fun as you thunder down to Club Chicane and realise that you have to brake hard and change down or go off!!
To finish off you get a fast lap with a driver in a race-prepped Mazda RX8 and realise just how slow you were going when you were driving!
Was it fun? Would I do it again? Is the Pope Catholic? If I have the chance, yes ...
But I have a feeling next Christmas it will be socks ....
After a short briefing consisting of some basic cornering instructions and a DVD of the circuit (out of date as it mentioned their new MG ZS cars!), we were taken to the first stage of the experience: three laps as a passenger in a new Mazda 3 MPS (2.3 Turbo!). The driver explained the racing lines, etc and progressively took the laps at increasing speeds. Then back to collect a crash helmets and into a Porsche Cayman. Three laps as the driver with an instructor to test the theory of cornering. The instructor, Brian, encouraged you to use the full power where you could and was very good in getting you to push the car and yourself a little more if he felt you were capable. Back to the parking area, and a short walk to the pits where an array of exotic cars were sitting waiting for the next run: 355's, 430's, a Porsche 977, Aston Martin Vantage, and the Lambo LP460. My yellow 355 soon returned and into the driver's seat. A quick adjustment of the seat, and familiarisation withe control was followed by the howl of the V8 just behind your head. Into first and ease up the clutch ... and we are moving. Taking it a bit easy as we came out of the pits as you get the Mazdas and Caymans joining the same part of the track is was down on the throttle and away. Again the instructor, Bill, encouraged you go push the car. Giving time for slower cars to move over or taking you off the racing line to overtake was the name of the game and soon the laps were vanishing ...
Ok it may have been better if he had mentioned don't take Church faster than about 110kph BEFORE i went in at 145, but we lived and the car was none the worse for a bit of "daisy-cutting". Pity this was the car I decided to have video'd!! Oh well ....
Four laps just isn't enough but it does give you the chance to listen to that glorious engine as you hurtle around the fastest racetrack in the UK. And soon we were back to the pits. Quick chat about the drive and time for him to fill in the Driver Analysis card and you walk to the other end of the pits.
Here you put on another helmet but this time with a balaclava, gloves and racing boots as the next five laps are sitting with your backside a few mm off the track in a Formula Renault single-seater. Limited to 4500rpm and with only four forward gears you wonder what you are going to get. But that concern soon disappears as you burble you way down the pit lane and then give every other driver on the track the fright of their lives as you hurtle up and past them. Even limited the car is doing around 110mph with the pedal to the metal, except at Brooklands/Woodham where the slight downhill section gets you up to around 120. With your head sticking up in the elements and not cocooned inside a bodyshell, 120 is fast enough. I never realised how much the wind and breeze tries to rip your head from your shoulders in one of those .... And coping with the non-syncro straight-cut gearbox is fun as you thunder down to Club Chicane and realise that you have to brake hard and change down or go off!!
To finish off you get a fast lap with a driver in a race-prepped Mazda RX8 and realise just how slow you were going when you were driving!
Was it fun? Would I do it again? Is the Pope Catholic? If I have the chance, yes ...
But I have a feeling next Christmas it will be socks ....
Edited by gazza82 on Thursday 20th September 17:00
I bought my son something similar for his 18th. He got driven in the rx-8, then drove the rx-8, then got to drive 6 laps in the 355, his first ever left hand drive car.
The instructor kept telling him not to be nervous, he'd talk him all the way through etc.
Once on track though he kept having to tell him to slow down
He took a great racing line through the chicane (both kerbs)
Just wished I'd booked it as well instead of being on the sidelines taking photo's.
There were lots of people there though. I did get the feeling it was a little production line at times.
The instructor kept telling him not to be nervous, he'd talk him all the way through etc.
Once on track though he kept having to tell him to slow down
He took a great racing line through the chicane (both kerbs) Just wished I'd booked it as well instead of being on the sidelines taking photo's.
There were lots of people there though. I did get the feeling it was a little production line at times.
Pleased that your son enjoyed the experience but IMHO they are overpriced for the amount of track time you get.. At the end of the day the punters want to drive the 'tasty' cars not various Mazdas etc and then 3 laps in a 'tasty car' like a ferrari. I live around the corner from Thruxton and have seen plenty of days going on there and they appear to be well run but according to their web site (www.thruxtonracing.co.uk/courses.html), the punters only get 6 laps in total for their 'taster' days (www.thruxtonracing.co.uk/experiences/taster_ferrari355.html)
and 16 laps for their 'full throttle' days (www.thruxtonracing.co.uk/experiences/ferrari355.html)
As I said - all my opinion but thats a lot of money for the laps.
Steve
and 16 laps for their 'full throttle' days (www.thruxtonracing.co.uk/experiences/ferrari355.html)
As I said - all my opinion but thats a lot of money for the laps.
Steve
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