evo magazine/Alpine free track day at Brands Hatch
Discussion
I'm an evo magazine subscriber and today I had an email from them offering:
As a loyal evo subscriber we would like to give you the opportunity to join evo’s editorial team and Alpine Cars UK at the iconic Brands Hatch circuit for a day of high speed track driving courtesy of Alpine Cars UK. This is a unique and exciting opportunity for up to 35 evo subscribers to take their premium sports cars on track as well as driving the brilliant Alpine A110 S and experience the A110 R.
To guarantee you get the most from yourself and the A110 S, a race instructor will ride along to help push you and the car to its limits in a safe and controlled environment. You will also have the opportunity to sit alongside three-time British Touring Champion Gordon Shedden as he demonstrates the remarkable capabilities of the A110 R.
If you are an owner of one of the cars listed below, hold a valid UK driving licence and you’re available on Tuesday 17th September 2024 then simply register here.
The list of cars is any A110, Audi TT S and RS, BMW M2, Jaguar F-Type, Porsche 981 Cayman, Lotus Emira, Evora or Exige.
I replied within an hour and it's first come, first served so hopefully I'm in.
It's an interesting list of cars that they are targeting owners of, I'm an existing owner of an A110GT but I guess they are looking to convert owners of the other marques.
As a loyal evo subscriber we would like to give you the opportunity to join evo’s editorial team and Alpine Cars UK at the iconic Brands Hatch circuit for a day of high speed track driving courtesy of Alpine Cars UK. This is a unique and exciting opportunity for up to 35 evo subscribers to take their premium sports cars on track as well as driving the brilliant Alpine A110 S and experience the A110 R.
To guarantee you get the most from yourself and the A110 S, a race instructor will ride along to help push you and the car to its limits in a safe and controlled environment. You will also have the opportunity to sit alongside three-time British Touring Champion Gordon Shedden as he demonstrates the remarkable capabilities of the A110 R.
If you are an owner of one of the cars listed below, hold a valid UK driving licence and you’re available on Tuesday 17th September 2024 then simply register here.
The list of cars is any A110, Audi TT S and RS, BMW M2, Jaguar F-Type, Porsche 981 Cayman, Lotus Emira, Evora or Exige.
I replied within an hour and it's first come, first served so hopefully I'm in.
It's an interesting list of cars that they are targeting owners of, I'm an existing owner of an A110GT but I guess they are looking to convert owners of the other marques.
I have signed up, though despite being an Evo subscriber I didn't get the e-mail. Fortunately a friend forwarded it.
It will be particularly interesting for me because I test drove an A110 and ended up buying a new MX5. I'm not a trackday regular these days and wanted the roof-down experience for my fun car so I'm expecting the A110 will show up the MX5 quite a lot on track.
Will see if I was early enough to get a space; if so, see you there
It will be particularly interesting for me because I test drove an A110 and ended up buying a new MX5. I'm not a trackday regular these days and wanted the roof-down experience for my fun car so I'm expecting the A110 will show up the MX5 quite a lot on track.
Will see if I was early enough to get a space; if so, see you there
Jobbo said:
It's not aimed at existing owners, I'm sure - it's to sell cars. And I signed up before I'd actually read the list of cars so maybe I won't make the cut despite being squarely in the target market.
I think existing owners will be a target for them, especially if you track your car. It will show how good the R is on track and convince people to upgrade like a few already have done.Cheekyweekesy said:
I think existing owners will be a target for them, especially if you track your car. It will show how good the R is on track and convince people to upgrade like a few already have done.
Or how capable the standard car is.... I guess it depends whether you want to point and squirt and rely on mechanical grip from sticky tyres (like all the cup-tyre equipped Porsches I seem to meet on most TDs) or whether you like feeling the limits of grip at a lower speed and enjoying the car dancing around them - given it's non competitive 
I've now been emailed that I have a place at Brands on Tuesday, really looking forward to it.
Just need to decide whether to take my 2024 A110GT on track or just drive the A110S that evo/Alpine are bringing along, more than one hopefully.
I've done a lot of track driving over the years but always with cars that I could (just about) afford to write off, I certainly can't afford that with the Alpine so a call to MORIS for trackday insurance is needed.
Just need to decide whether to take my 2024 A110GT on track or just drive the A110S that evo/Alpine are bringing along, more than one hopefully.
I've done a lot of track driving over the years but always with cars that I could (just about) afford to write off, I certainly can't afford that with the Alpine so a call to MORIS for trackday insurance is needed.
Been on the MORIS website, trackday insurance arranged for £250 with a declared value of £50,000, given that the day is free, I'm happy to pay that.
Any advice on tracking a GT? Totally standard car, won't be pushing too hard.
Use track mode so it doesn't eat the rear brakes?
And tyre pressures?
Any advice on tracking a GT? Totally standard car, won't be pushing too hard.
Use track mode so it doesn't eat the rear brakes?
And tyre pressures?
I check the tyre pressures when hot, it's not unusual to drop 6 or 7 psi out of them once up to temp (and obviously pump back up before leaving the track).
Track mode still doesn't disable stability control completely, you need to use the ESP button to do that.
Wish I'd had a days spare holiday to try and take up the offer!
Track mode still doesn't disable stability control completely, you need to use the ESP button to do that.
Wish I'd had a days spare holiday to try and take up the offer!
Derek182 said:
Been on the MORIS website, trackday insurance arranged for £250 with a declared value of £50,000, given that the day is free, I'm happy to pay that.
Any advice on tracking a GT? Totally standard car, won't be pushing too hard.
Use track mode so it doesn't eat the rear brakes?
And tyre pressures?
Derek - I’ll be there and I’m happy to help. I’ll be in my white PE with black wheels, reg ending KLA. Any advice on tracking a GT? Totally standard car, won't be pushing too hard.
Use track mode so it doesn't eat the rear brakes?
And tyre pressures?
A really enjoyable day today, very well looked after by evo and Alpine, including a decent breakfast and lunch and interesting to meet Dickie Meaden, Stuart Gallagher, Gordon Shedden and Nicola Burnside.
My first go on the track was in one of Alpine's A110S (these are the cars used at Thruxton) with an instructor giving the usual advice - use a balanced throttle, let the car run to the outside of the track, gradually leave your braking later etc. I didn't get the most out of the car, the instructor commandeered the rear view mirror so I was relying on the wing mirrors, one of which was pointing at the ground, to see what was behind me. He recommended Sport and manual which we used but I was rarely in the right gear, too busy steering and braking but at least the engine is torquey so being at lower revs wasn't too bad.
Then did 3 sessions of about 10 laps in my own A110GT, happier in my own car, left it in Sport and auto to give me one less thing to think about and by the third session I felt I was going pretty well. So impressed with the car, given that it's standard apart from Life 110 geo, very neutral and stable, no brake fade and properly quick, I saw 120 on the speedo before braking for Paddock Hill.
I could have had a fast lap with Gordon Shedden in an A110R but gave that a miss, those that did said it was a great experience bit I'm not a good passenger particularly around a hilly twisty circuit.
With only 35 cars there was plenty of space on the track, driving standards seemed great, I had to leave early due to work but no incidents or stoppages while I was there other than an Exige briefly ending up on the grass at Surtees.
And good to chat to James Elmer, Rob Boag, John Gunn and others.
My first go on the track was in one of Alpine's A110S (these are the cars used at Thruxton) with an instructor giving the usual advice - use a balanced throttle, let the car run to the outside of the track, gradually leave your braking later etc. I didn't get the most out of the car, the instructor commandeered the rear view mirror so I was relying on the wing mirrors, one of which was pointing at the ground, to see what was behind me. He recommended Sport and manual which we used but I was rarely in the right gear, too busy steering and braking but at least the engine is torquey so being at lower revs wasn't too bad.
Then did 3 sessions of about 10 laps in my own A110GT, happier in my own car, left it in Sport and auto to give me one less thing to think about and by the third session I felt I was going pretty well. So impressed with the car, given that it's standard apart from Life 110 geo, very neutral and stable, no brake fade and properly quick, I saw 120 on the speedo before braking for Paddock Hill.
I could have had a fast lap with Gordon Shedden in an A110R but gave that a miss, those that did said it was a great experience bit I'm not a good passenger particularly around a hilly twisty circuit.
With only 35 cars there was plenty of space on the track, driving standards seemed great, I had to leave early due to work but no incidents or stoppages while I was there other than an Exige briefly ending up on the grass at Surtees.
And good to chat to James Elmer, Rob Boag, John Gunn and others.
Hi. There were several non-Alpine cars - notable mention: an original NSX that was going very well and sounded great! An M2, an M2 Competition, a new shape M3, a couple of Cayman 718’s, a 981 Cayman, a 981 Boxster Spyder, an Exige 350, a Cayman GT4 (although it had dials saying ‘CSR’, running Yokohama A052 tyres that was being well driven and tough to keep with, with those tyres on), an Evora (maybe a 410 model?). A good mix! I think it goes to show how versatile and adaptable the A110 is - road/daily only, tick; road trips, tick; some track days, either an S or some mods to a regular model, tick; lots of track days and a bit of road driving, a modified S or an R, tick. It’s great on track and then, mine at least, travelled home in relative comfort and quiet, at 44.4mpg.
Popped down there yesterday on the off chance, so a big thank you to Derek and James for the passenger laps (was nice meet you both and put names to faces, as was Nicola's). We're a very amiable bunch, us owners.
I'm no track day expert but it seemed everyone was generally well behaved on track and in the paddock too.
Thumbs up then folks.
Regards to all.
I'm no track day expert but it seemed everyone was generally well behaved on track and in the paddock too.
Thumbs up then folks.
Regards to all.
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