Carlos13

I was at Donington yesterday with Bookatrack (www.bookatrack.co.uk). A few weeks ago I was browsing their site and noticed a link to their instructor, Simon Mason (www.simonmason.com). I've had track training before, but only the 20 minute sessions that are available on most track days. These are good for learning the lines at the particular circuit on that day, but they don't really help you to improve your general track driving - they don't help you to drive better at any or all tracks.

I've spent quite a large sum of money over the past year on my car, engine, suspension, brakes, rollcage, you name it, and as a result am a lot quicker around the track than I was. But this is solely down to the machine. I have never thought of myself as a good driver, average track day hacker at best. It was time to spend a bit of money on me, to try to learn how to drive properly and make the most of my investment.

A day with Simon costs £300 plus whatever trackday fee you'd normally pay. This can be shared between two of you, so I roped in a mate of mine who is similarly minded to improve, and has similar experience. We were quite lucky to be able to book only about 3 weeks in advance, as Simon's been away for a while at the Ascari circuit working for Aston Martin. I think a local circuit (he is based in Northampton) can incur no additional expenses, but if you booked him for a day a long way from home, you might need to fork out for a B&B. In any case this looks like good value, bearing in mind that a Don Palmer day costs around £400 per person.

Ideally if you're sharing between two, it would be good to alternate sessions with Simon and by yourself, so you can put into practice the things you're learning. However in our case, my mate didn't turn up until the afternoon due to a technical problem, so I took the morning and he had the whole of the afternoon. Initially Simon wants you to get comfortable with the circuit, so if you've been before he'll send you off to get settled by yourself. If its your first time at that venue, he'll show you the lines. Then the first part of the coaching involves you just driving the way you normally would, with him observing. It takes him very little to time to spot the main areas that need to be improved, in my case it was one lap.

The first point he made was the location of the steering wheel, I have to stretch too far when I'm putting on lock, and as a result struggle to turn the wheel quick enough. Nothing I could do about that unfortunately, my seats are fixed and the poor old Subaru wheel only adjusts for height, not reach. He did suggest gripping the wheel lower down though, and that certainly helped. The coaching offered is obviously tailored to the individual, so I won't bore you with all my faults (could write a book). Suffice to say that the main issues were my focusing on the track immediately in front (eg the braking zone) instead of looking through the corner at where I'm going. Also he got me to use all of the road on the exit (including the kerb). The result was I ended up driving much smoother, concentrating on hitting every apex and looking as far ahead as possible which definitely made me a lot quicker. I can't say how much faster I was going in terms of laptimes, but I noticed that I was changing up a gear far sooner on the straight, meaning that my corner exit speeds were higher, which is absolutely the main thing. You'd certainly be talking seconds per lap.

In summary I can't recommend this highly enough. I enjoyed my driving far more than before, I felt I was driving the car through the bends rather than fighting it. In value for money terms, £150 each might sound expensive, but I doubt you could spend this money on modifications that would give you as much of an improvement. Simon is also a really agreeable chap, friendly, knowledgable and ready to deliver his coaching the way you want him to - happy to go out with you as many or as few times as you wish. He also offered some technical advice in my case, suggesting that the front is rolling around more than it should. THis is something that I can remedy with an uprated anti-roll bar. All in all I had a fantastic time, I will definitely repeat the experience.

Peanuts

iTrader: (15)

Great write-up Carlos, I think you've just sold it to me

JTaylor

Good write-up Carlos. A few hundred quid modifying the driver will see far greater returns then a FMIC or bling bling wheels. Nice one.

MBK

Thanks for the write up very informative.

I have to agree, we have spent a few £000's on various road and track driver training and it has been worth every penny in terms of general safety and safe speed. It also means that you get to learn so much more about the car at and sometimes beyond the limit (track only!) and can therefore make the most of any mods you do. Driving skills are the first mod I would recommend to anyone, only then can you start to understand both which car is for you and any other changes you want to make.

ClintUK

Thanks Carlos

To echo others, driver trainning is a modification you get for life and on all cars you have and lets face it we all need it.

However, I wonder if enjoyment / satifsfaction would be quite so high if your car handled very poorly or had poor brakes. Most of us modify for extra oomph of course, because inside we are all 6 years old and like the kick in the back. So it's hard to choose handling mods over power when you have limited £s

But with a few more write ups like that, hopefully you'll convice more of us to do it AND get out there and play and learn.

I have a feeling when you've spent a few hours lapping hard and learning about your car safely, you'll be less likely to drive like a hoolagan round built up areas.

Thanks again for the encouragement - idea for birthday presents this year me thinks

davyboy

Not sure I understand this. Your arms with still be streched when you put it on lock wherever your hand are?

Unless you do the old BSM shuffle...

Carlos13

The wheel isn't vertical, its angled back. So you the lower down you grip, the less far you have to stretch. Of course this effect is negated if you have to put on more than a 1/4 turn of lock. On track, except in the tighter bends, you aren't generally putting on a massive amount of lock.

prana

when I get into a car, after I am the right distance away from the firewall, I put my right arm over to the left (9 o'clock) placement and make sure my right shoulder is still flat on the seat. This should mean at the top of the wheel, your wrist should be in line with the steering at the top (12 o'clock) position.

I have had professional drivers come in to my chair and say I sit to close. Others say its dead perfect. I guess everyones different.