Lotus Driving Academy
Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2017 11:05 am
I went to Hethel on Friday for the "Bronze" training course. What a fantastic day! The factory tour was fascinating and we got access to every part of the facility and build process. There were several Evora GT430s in various stages of construction including a fully finished version which looked amazing (blue exhaust tip just seems to set it off). We met Clive Chapman during a tour of the Classic Team Lotus facility, some incredible cars there including the bare chassis of a Jim Clark racer which was about to undergo restoration after sitting in storage in the US for about 40 years. It was great to see the cars being kept in racing condition and not just as museum pieces. Could easily have spent all day there.
The day included 3 x 20-minute driving sessions in an Elise 220 Sport with an instructor. I was fortunate enough to get ex Lotus F1 driver Martin Donnelly. I had it in my mind that the on-track sessions would be a fairly gentle affair, slowly building your confidence and just having a bit of fun with the car. Not a bit of it, I have never driven a car so hard in my life! Martin is not one to let you sit in your comfort zone.......and he gives you the confidence to get out of It and appreciate the abilities of the car. The day ended with Martin giving me a few demo laps........I won't forget them in a hurry, that guy can drive!
If you have a lot of track experience and aren't interested in the tours (or want to do them separately sometime), it's probably worth skipping Bronze and doing the SIlver course. I'll definitely be back for that next year. Thoroughly recommended.
I'd like to do a Walshy day again sometime, but North Weald is a long way to take the Elise. I did a day with him back in 2002 at Crail just after I got my S1. However,the car took a hammering from the crappy track and the geo was way off so I didn't find it that enjoyable. Plus, following the skid pan, it stank of diesel for about a month afterwards
Cheers
Harvey
The day included 3 x 20-minute driving sessions in an Elise 220 Sport with an instructor. I was fortunate enough to get ex Lotus F1 driver Martin Donnelly. I had it in my mind that the on-track sessions would be a fairly gentle affair, slowly building your confidence and just having a bit of fun with the car. Not a bit of it, I have never driven a car so hard in my life! Martin is not one to let you sit in your comfort zone.......and he gives you the confidence to get out of It and appreciate the abilities of the car. The day ended with Martin giving me a few demo laps........I won't forget them in a hurry, that guy can drive!
If you have a lot of track experience and aren't interested in the tours (or want to do them separately sometime), it's probably worth skipping Bronze and doing the SIlver course. I'll definitely be back for that next year. Thoroughly recommended.
I'd like to do a Walshy day again sometime, but North Weald is a long way to take the Elise. I did a day with him back in 2002 at Crail just after I got my S1. However,the car took a hammering from the crappy track and the geo was way off so I didn't find it that enjoyable. Plus, following the skid pan, it stank of diesel for about a month afterwards
Cheers
Harvey