Tyrrell F1 drive Impret-Sir

[mfewell]

Impret-Sir, difficult I know, but please could you have a go at describing what the F1 drive was like ?  Acceleration, cornering, brakes etc. I'd so love to do it. I gather even (!) the Minardi 2-seater is mind-blowing. Thanks.

[Impret-Sir]

When we got to the circuit in the morning the two F1 cars, plus all the 'lesser' machinery (Formula Fords, Formula Lotus) that we would also be driving that day, were all being warmed up round the circuit, the noise makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end! I have driven a lot of "performance" cars, including single seat stuff on tracks, but I dont mind admitting the prospect of driving an F1car made me nervous, after all, it was packing 600BHP, and would do more than 200mph, with a 0-60 time of under 3 seconds! The safety briefing seems to go on for ever, then its a fitting for race suits, then FINALLY, out onto the track to learn the circuit, in a Boxter. Lots of other cars to drive too, all great, then lunch, but always , in the background, this big black monster is waiting. Eventually you are just sitting there in the Car, in the pits, while the pit crew tug hard on your harness straps, so tight you can hardly breathe......then you raise your index finger and describe a circle in the air and a mechanic connects the high pressure air line to the engine and presses the button.......bloody hell! the noise of that 3.0l V8 is incredible! like a demented chain saw! I forgot my earplugs, but its too late now!

[Impret-Sir]

They push you out onto the circuit and you do a rolling start, aparantly no-one is considered good enough to get one of these cars off the line from a standstill (no launch control!), so, into second, and as per the briefing, GENTLY let out the clutch, at first all is calm, unlike some I didnt stall it, (thank God) speed up slowly, use the first lap to get used to the sensations, get a feel for the car, the steering is very direct, and quite heavy, clutch is also pretty heavy and bites low down, needs care...but at these speeds the car seems unhappy, lumpy, not fueling properly, the marshall gives me a wave as I trundle past....OK, second lap, this time I will go for it, round the long long Gerrards bend, onto the main straight, into third and then give it some berries.......dont stamp on the throttle, or it will spit me off, firm, even pressure...then...OHMYGOD!  for a second it feels like somthing big, going very quickly, has just run into the back of me! the car is TEARING up the straight, forth, fifth, sixth, 17000rpm, and sounding incredible, a long, almost painful, wailing sound, but at all times it feels completely at ease, as if the car is saying, "call this fast? Im not even trying yet!"

[Impret-Sir]

 Before I know it, im doing 150mph, and the bloody huge BRAKE!! warning board on the side of the track is flying past, so I lean HARD on the anchors, and come off the throttle, the damn car nearly stops dead! far, far, to much brakes! the power of these carbon stoppers literally force the breath out of my lungs against my harness, off the brakes, back on the gas, and hard right lock across the lake esses, then a short uphill straight, and you really NAIL it! the speed this thing can change direction is breathtaking, right lock then left lock, snick snick, in a second! remember quickly, there is a 30mph second gear hairpin at the end of this straight, and you are doing about 60mph too much!, but again, those incredible brakes just scrub off the speed without drama ( just a slight puff of smoke from the locked inside front, woops! hope they didnt see that!), round the hairpin at Shaws, up to third, down the hill round the Devils Elbow, the lateral G forces try to snap your head out to the right, and onto the pit straight, Kirkby, in front of me now is a guy learning the track in a 911, pretty fast car you might think? I swoop down on him in forth and floor it, suddenly it seems like the Porsche has thrown on his handbrake, and goes past me, backwards, I can still remember the look on the drivers face!

[Impret-Sir]

 I rocket past the pits trying not to split my face, im smiling so much, then cut acrossthe track for a full speed go at Gerrards, one of the longest corners in motorsport, the car is on slicks, and its a hot day, how fast do I dare go round here? quick look down, Im doing 75mph, and the car would probably handle 100, but I dont have the nerve! but the grip and roadholding is unreal, impossible to describe really, and once more the damn long straight becons, this time im on the throttle earlier and smoother, and we just touch 165 at the braking point, im working hard, but the car is in its element, alive. My seventh lap was the peach, it all seemed to come together, no other cars in my way, and every gear change and racing line seemed to be perfect, I touched 175 on the straight, (and got a mention in the post drive de-brief for an "impressive amount of commitment"), the 10 laps were over far too fast, and I was sweating and and a bit giddy by the end, how these guys go even faster, for two hours or more, is amazing! Its an expensive day out, but they put you up in a hotel overnight, and really look after you, feed you, and give lots of tuition and assessment, plus you get to drive some amazing cars, if you ever get the chance, do it!

[Loosehead]

And the track is Mallory, done it on my bike, somwhat slower by the sound of it. Did they have the bus stop chicane in after the hair pin?

[Impret-Sir]

Loosehead, the chicane was not in use on the day, that would have been a bit too risky for some of the drivers present I feel!

[Loosehead]

A wise precaution! How was Garrards? I imagine, for mere mortals, the speed round there is limited by the neck muscles as much as anything. Did it skick ok or was it breaking away? I've been around on my R1, the chicane makes it more physical, I mean 20 minute session is about as much as I can stand!