Well it was a while coming but today I had my 4 laps in the R8 at Prestwold Hall in Leicestershire - what can I say but ****ing brilliant !!!
The event was being run by Everyman Racing and I must say after being on similar events in the past I was impressed by the setup and facilities at Prestwold - the setup was very professional and the staff were very helpful and friendly.
To the event and you got taken around the track in either a Impreza or D3 Alpina - this was to get you familiar with the brake and turn boards - the instructor was very informative and after 3 laps (he was driving) you have a decent understanding of the layout of the circuit and I was itching to get going !
Getting into the R8 you cannot help but be impressed - superb interior as usual. The R8 I drove had the manual box - very slick and precise in it's operation.
Anyway the instructor gave me a little bit of advice etc and we were off - and what a noise as I blipped the accelerator - absolutely awesome. Deep burbling rumble as I pulled away onto the track - as soon as I pulled onto the circuit the instructor told me to 'floor it' and not wanting to disappoint I duly obliged !
The noise is just unbelievable and the pull through the gears is never ending - this thing just pulls forever up to the 7,800 limit (the instructor kept telling me to change up at 6,500 but I just couldn't help it !)
Anyway after a couple of laps of building my confidence and understanding of the course my instructor really started pushing me harder and harder - beyond what my road sense would say was doable - the grip (I had the perfect day - hot and sunny!) was astounding and only once did it squirm slightly when I put the power down too early coming out of the chicane onto the long straight.
At one point we managed to catch up with a Ferrari F430 - the instructor was very keen for me to take it and told me to go for it - the memory of the Ferrari and the R8 racing against each other down the straight will take a long time to fade ! Eventually I had to back off as he had the line but the instructor was now determined that we could take him so I dropped a couple of gears and stuck close to him through the chicane and then absolutely floored it coming out and I took him - amazing !
Anyway four laps were over very quickly but what an experience - all for £74 !
R8 = amazing.:thumbsup:
The event was being run by Everyman Racing and I must say after being on similar events in the past I was impressed by the setup and facilities at Prestwold - the setup was very professional and the staff were very helpful and friendly.
To the event and you got taken around the track in either a Impreza or D3 Alpina - this was to get you familiar with the brake and turn boards - the instructor was very informative and after 3 laps (he was driving) you have a decent understanding of the layout of the circuit and I was itching to get going !
Getting into the R8 you cannot help but be impressed - superb interior as usual. The R8 I drove had the manual box - very slick and precise in it's operation.
Anyway the instructor gave me a little bit of advice etc and we were off - and what a noise as I blipped the accelerator - absolutely awesome. Deep burbling rumble as I pulled away onto the track - as soon as I pulled onto the circuit the instructor told me to 'floor it' and not wanting to disappoint I duly obliged !
The noise is just unbelievable and the pull through the gears is never ending - this thing just pulls forever up to the 7,800 limit (the instructor kept telling me to change up at 6,500 but I just couldn't help it !)
Anyway after a couple of laps of building my confidence and understanding of the course my instructor really started pushing me harder and harder - beyond what my road sense would say was doable - the grip (I had the perfect day - hot and sunny!) was astounding and only once did it squirm slightly when I put the power down too early coming out of the chicane onto the long straight.
At one point we managed to catch up with a Ferrari F430 - the instructor was very keen for me to take it and told me to go for it - the memory of the Ferrari and the R8 racing against each other down the straight will take a long time to fade ! Eventually I had to back off as he had the line but the instructor was now determined that we could take him so I dropped a couple of gears and stuck close to him through the chicane and then absolutely floored it coming out and I took him - amazing !
Anyway four laps were over very quickly but what an experience - all for £74 !
R8 = amazing.:thumbsup:
