Where to learn how to race drive?

5.0 and only 230bhp!! think some European, Japanese and even British cars are going to eat you for breakfast.

I know it's a bit far from you, but brands Hatch do it, but I don't know how much.

Dave

Nope. We all have to start somewhere, and a slow car driven properly has a good chance of killing a badly driven rocket ship.

It's a Yank Tank. Yo're extremely likely to come off on a corner.

The race school at Thruxton is good. You wont get to drive your car, but if you'll be taught all the basic skills and track etiquette. You'll to drive a few cars (Rover 214, MGF, F3000, Ferrari 355 IIRC) all designed to develop the skills they teach you in the classroom. You'l also get a flying lap or

2 with the instructor to show you how its really done. Obviously you're insured with them on their cars so its a good place to get experience before going it alone.

HTH

You should take a look at my old Mustang II, 5.0V8 and ~139bhp!

Cheers, Dan

If only I could afford the insurance! Currently pay around £950 fully comp (I'm 21) which I think is actually pretty good, dunno what they'd want if I started upping the power but I might look into it...

Cheers, Dan

You calling my car slow? ;-)

Had a look round their website and all looks pretty good, the F360 package is the most appealing to me but not cheap (~£300). I'm wondering if this is really the most cost effective way to actually learn how to drive "properly". It seems very similar to those Experience In A Box things you can buy at Smith, Boots etc. as birthday presents. I'll probably keep looking to see if there's somewhere I could learn with more actual driving time with an instructor, but the F360 package would certainly be a lot of fun... hmm!

Going off the point slightly, anyone know how F1 drivers tend to get started? Not that I have any pretension to be one, just curious really. Does Dad have to be a millionaire/own a team or something?

Cheers, Dan

you're too old, you would have to have won all the karting championships by the time you were 12

oh, and be v.v.rich

F360 - thats the one (can never remember any Ferrari models). We had the same problem when looking for my dads birthday present, but i'm sure they did a package without the Ferrari that was about £100 less, coz thats the one we got. this is going back a few years though! Certainly plenty of packages to choose from these days though, so i'm sure you'll find something suitable.

Karting. If you win enough championships, then you might be lucky enough to be spotted by a team. Of course the more money mummy and daddy has, the more competitive you can be!

In article , snipped-for-privacy@spam.com spouted forth into uk.rec.cars.modifications...

Did you spill my oil?

and thus spake the Capri-meister ;-)

Well, providing you're willing to listen and learn, and you don't get too gung-ho, you should be okay - but of course, accidents can and do happen.

Go to somewhere like

and check out their "newbie" or learner dates - well worth a look. You get some tutoring, and you're out on track with people who are also in the same boat (that may sound bad, but that's preferable then being with potentially impatient pros).

Mind you, in fairness, most pros I've met are very patient and understanding! :)

You can get insurance for the day, I know that much.

You'll be wanting your own helmet, of course.

It's not what you have, it's how you drive it /Ford Ka - wahey!/.

I've a few snippets on tracy days on my website, but nothing like as thorough as EasyTrack.