[Vito]

A day at Silverstone, living the R8 dream.

 

After weeks of anxious wait finally I have been able to take part to the Audi Driving Experience which took place at Silverstone on the inner circuit of Stowe.

I was offered this by Audi UK as a good will gesture for the well known RS3 break squeak problem.

 

Probably some have already done this but still, I would like to share my thoughts on the day and on the cars which I had the pleasure and fortune to drive around the track.

 

Me and my daughter Daniela set off from Preston quite early Saturday morning as we had to be at the venue for 8.30 am, so after a nice swift 2 hours and 15 min. drive down the M6 and M1, we got to the destination spot on time.

 

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After the initial greetings from the lovely staff at the brand new Audi Stowe Complex; we had breakfast, soon after the event manager took to the microphone spoke to all participants and spectators about the day programme and introduced the driving instructors.

 

To my surprise we was told that we would not have the instructor sat beside us in the cars but that they would have been “Barking commands in German” through a radio transmitter fitted in the car, and yes, they were German guys, spoke English and I have to say it was quite funny listening to them with their strong home land accent. “Whatever you say don’t mention the war” said the event manager and down went big a laugh and applause from everyone for the instructors whom smiled approving.

 

We had a 30 min briefing with the instructors explaining everything about the cars, weight distribution, the Audi Quattro System, how to take full advantage of the ABS, finding the apex on the bends and followed by all the recommendations on how to behave on the circuit.

 

All the group was split into couples, we all had a partner with whom we had to share the cars,  taking turns at the wheel by swapping seats, and off we went !!!!

 

Finally on the track !!! There they were waiting for us…….

You can feel the excitement and the adrenalin pumping like never before.

 

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Audi TTRS first…

 

First reaction to the TTRS: I was gob smacked by the sexy looks of this car.

My first thought is “ Will this have the same tendency to under steer like my RS3 when cornering hard !” “ Will it be wearing the same Conti boots ?”

A quick look around and they are brand new Toyo’s , let’s wait and see….

Get in the car after agreeing with my driving partner that I get the first go. It was 4 sessions of 4 laps for each partner.

Lovely smell inside, Wahooo!!! It’s brand new less then 1000 mls on the clock, couldn’t believe it.

The drive consist of driving around some obstacles, some sort of a slalom with long lines of cones set all over the track and then you had to slam on the breaks within a defined area.

I am ready the engine is running and………

 

“ GOOO!!!” barks the German, “ take it eazy “

 

Ah ah ah !!! “ Yeah right, take it easy ? What do you think I have come here for ? “ goes through my mind, and down to the floor the right foot goes.

 

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 I can definitely feel the extra 20hp compared to the RS3, lovely lower driving position and is louder, firmer and no roll at all, left turn, right turn and so on, the grip is good, then a left hairpin, the tyres start to screech I can feel the Quattro kicking in, but the under steer is present on TTRS as well, but that doesn’t stop me thinking “ OMG!! I love this car, but has only two seats, if I didn’t have children……….”.

Overall the car is exceptionally good, a two seater like it should be, with plenty of grip, power, very light, nippy and sexy.  

 

Swap cars now, now it’s the new R8 V10 Plus.

 

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God this can’t be real !!! I am looking at the monster, showing off the big V10 through the rear glass door, huge wheels, bits of carbon fibre everywhere, pipes that look like torpedo launchers…. the pretty TTRS is already forgotten.

I get inside, what an immense pleasure, start touching and caressing everything and start thinking all sorts of things : Am I ever going to be able to afford a car like this ? Running costs, etc.

 

In the mean time the instructor had got into another R8, got to the front of the queue and through the radio he orders to start the car and follow him.

Turn the key and Boooom!!! An almighty sound comes right from behind you, goes through all your body, it’s the V10 has just woken up, b###dy awesome. I can feel a shiver down my back as I am writing about it.

 

What we have to do now is accelerate up to 80 mph and go through a chicane while slamming on the breaks, it was an exercise to learn how to control the car in maximum breaking circumstances and get to know and take full advantage of the ABS system.

 

The off the line run at full throttle was just unbelievable, the power delivery was instant, the surge towards the breaking point was just so so brutal, total blistering performance

and the breaking was the same, so impressive, you could feel the ABS biting and fighting the slide searching for grip. Amazing !!

 

My second run was spot on and the instructor run to my car with his thumb up and shouted :    “ Yaaaahh !!” “That was just perfect, you made me so happy”

 

After about half a dozen runs each we went back to the pits for what would have been the last session of the morning programme, basically everything what we were doing and learning was all about safety, car control in extreme conditions and getting to know the cars handling.

 

RS5 the power house

 

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This coupe looks and feels so strong, powerful, beefy, something like a 200 mph bulldozer with gorgeous lines, angry looking front end and a sound to die for. An executive car in a league of his own I would say.

 

A small part of the track had been watered down and basically we had to learn how to keep the car under control in a high speed spin caused by a sudden swerve to avoid an obstacles.

Just like with the R8 we had to speed off the line towards a chicane and once entered it, turn the steering wheel as sharp as possible swerving to the left then right and left again only then we were allowed to slam on the breaks, this caused the car to go in to a 180 or over degrees spin and in to a halt.

This was quite hard to do with just an ordinary seat belt on and not even the bucket seats fitted.  I was time after time slamming against the door and sliding off my leather seat. My ribs are still sore now, but loved every second of it.

Other than that, the power off the line was just awesome accompanied by a deep and loud growl, but its just not the fun lovers cars, too big and not close enough to the ground for me.

 

We all drove back to the pits left the cars and by then was lunch time. The food was the only disappointment during all day, but it was good to sit around some huge tables and share your thoughts with the other participants while dining.

 

Soon after we had another briefing, not much was said except the fact that the morning training session was over and from then on all we would have been doing for the rest of the day was just drive ’n’ drive, using the full length of the Stowe track with the TTRS’s and R8’s and a smaller separate section for a run in the RS5.

 

First was the RS5, but it was a bit boring with almost no pace just following the best driving line along the already said smaller track behind the instructor leading car.

 

Then it was our choice which car to take, me and my driving partner decided to take the TTRS first, in order to get “ warmed up “ before taking on the big brother R8, so as soon we got back to the pits we just pushed our way through to the first one available.

 

In the mean time the instructor in the R8 had noticed standing in the pit lane my poor Daniela shivering in the cold, so invited her to go with him in the leading car throughout the whole of the 22 laps session, he didn’t need to ask twice ah ah ah !!!

 

So off we went in the TTRS, 5 cars in a line following the instructor, unfortunately no overtaking was allowed and every time we passed the finishing line the second car would slow down, pull over to one side, let the others through and rejoin at the back for the next lap.

Really it was the second car right behind the instructor that was setting the pace, basically you could push him to speed up more and more and the rest just had to keep up.

That’s when the fun really started, pushing the car to its full potentials through long bends, tight hairpins, chicanes, long straights, always at full throttle, breaking to the limit, tyres screeching in and out of every turn with the burning smell getting stronger and stronger.

Even though the TTRS under steering was constantly trying to spoil the fun the car responded on every other aspect

It was absolutely fantastic, the enjoyment was so overwhelming, that was the best time I have ever had in a car,…. up to that point !!! There was still the mighty R8 to come, and I am grinning by just writing and thinking about it. J

 

Well it was back in the pits to swap cars for the last time.

 

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And there they are all lined up, but first we all go in the pit garage for a 5 minute coffee break, the excitement is growing and the waiting is unbearable.

We decide to take the one at the back of the line so on the first lap we are not sandwiched between the others and can have a bit of a play with it.

“ Are we ready ?“ says the instructor, and off we go for the first five laps, I am in the passenger seat. Massive smile on both of our faces.

My driving partner is not putting in to practice what we had being doing during the morning sessions, is very cautious is not attacking the track, just flooring it down the straights and breaking way to early, the only pleasure comes from the sound of the V10 and I am thinking     “ C’mooon, what the bloody hell is he doing ?”…… I am dieing to have a go !!

 

Thank God for that !! Its my turn, we all pull in the pit lane and swap seats. I put the seat belt on, adjust the bucket seat, tighten it up around myself and I am ready…, feels like I am sat in the space shuttle and going to be launched in to space.

At last what I have been dreaming and waiting for is finally happening.                                                       I am on the track and as soon as I approach the first bend its hard breaking and start accelerating just before the apex, I want to hear and feel the tyres, then I bomb it down the straight, up to a chicane breaking as late as possible, I can feel the ABS fighting to stop the car and the nose of the R8 digging right in, the rear getting a bit out of shape, I have still got my foot firm on the breaks and can see a possible straight line through the chicane over the kerbs and down goes the accelerator again and I am thinking “ Holy s..t, this car is phenomenal “,      I drive through some more tight bends and the tyres are screeching like hell but are gripping and gripping, the R8 starts to feel just like an oversized go kart, I can throw it here and there with incredible ease and gives you so much confidence at attacking every bend, absolutely brilliant…..

We race around the track for another lap, then again on the finishing line, the car in front pulls to one side and I find myself behind the instructor leading car, that makes me more determined to push even more knowing that he would be going faster to stay at the front and to keep the distance from me.

We reach the first two bends after the starting line and I am trying my best to stay right up his arse, the fun I am having is unbelievable.

Then we race up to this hairpin, he is fling around it like he is on rails and I am right behind him playing with the accelerator trying not to lose him but can feel all the four wheels losing grip making the car slide out of the corner like in to a drift and then all of a sudden the back end steps out, first to the left then to the right, ( the co driver is going “ Woah Woah Woah “) so I just floor it and like nothing had happened the R8 regains grip and composure with unbelievable ease and thunders down the straight.

OMG I was in heaven.. WHAT-A-CAR  absolutely AWESOME !!!

Soon after the instructor came on the radio saying “ You accelerate to early out of the corner ”  I take a glance at my co driver and is pinned against his seat holding on whatever he can grab hold of and I ask “ Was he talking to me then ? ” and he replies “ YEEEESS !! “    “ Oooh what ever “  goes through my mind, “ I am having the best time of my life here… so I should just carry on with it “.

Those laps in the R8 are something I will never forget for long time.

We went back into the pits, parked the car up, got out and that was it, the day fun had come to the end, it was like saying goodbye to someone you love and you don’t know if you are going to see ever again.

Then a guy who had been driving behind us pulls up, he gets out of his R8 and amused shouts at us :    “ Who was it that kept going sideways with that car ?“  My co driver responds by pointing is finger at me and proud of myself I reply “ It was me, it was me “…ah ah ah!! 

 

The Audi Driving Experience team though had not finished yet, they had one last surprise for us, one by one every participant and spectator was taken out back on the track, but this time as passengers, with the instructors at the wheel of the R8‘s for one last lap, bear in mind they are all three ex racing drivers.

They didn’t disappoint us, that last lap on the Stowe track was at the ragged edge, at the very best of their possibilities and of the cars limits. Absolutely magnificent !!!!

 

Woah, what a day, what a fantastic day that was !!!

 

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[MacD]

Really good read and write up Vito! 

 

Very jealous as it sounds like you had a blast.... literally !

 

Hope i get offered something simular.

[Vito]

Yes I did, really, I am not exaggerating, they  were actually telling you to push harder, saying that I might have gone a bit over the top, but nobody seemed to mind, after all even if you went off there was plenty of escape route around the track.

YOU 'VE GOTTA GO AND TRY IT LADS, even if you have to pay the £500 is worth every penny of it.

My only regret was not taking the camcorder with me in the car, you wasn't allowed to but there was nothing stopping the co driver holding it up and do a bit of filming.  

[MacD]

I wonder what sort of other track day you'd get for £500 notes?

 

I'd have taken the Go-pro but like you say your not allowed..... shame

 

Did they do pictures for you or not?

[Vito]

just one, I'll post it when I get home

[MBK]

Great write up Vito! I could feel the excitement just reading that.

 

The TTRS is just that bit sharper isn't it?  Glad your Missus got the passenger laps too, Audi entertain well.

 

These Audi days are so much more fun when the instructor is on the radio and/or in the lead car.  You get to enjoy the cars without the constant nannying when they sit next to you.  In my experience very few instructors, as good racing drivers as they are, like being passengers!

 

The RS4 day at Oulton Park was awesome and I'm looking forward to doing one of these full Audi Experience days soon.

 

Oh and MacD I think they will let you use Go Pro cameras, it's just the handheld phones etc they get uptight about.  

 

£500 is good for a day like that where they supply the cars, sure it's not ever going to be a flat out track day with as much time as you would get in your own car but it's a good experience all the same.  For £500 you'd struggle to get a rented Clio or Batcat for the day.  I've paid £300 just for the track time at Silverstone.

[Vito]

Thanks Mark for the comment on the write up and thanks again for backing me up on the whole story.                                                   When I was writing it, I thought that it could have sounded a bit blown up out of proportion, but is all true isn't it Mark ? The Audi Driving Experience is so so brilliant and there is nobody there trying to spoil the fun for you, actually I can definitely say that those guys aim at making sure it turns out to be unforgettable for you.

 

I agree with you on the TTRS, it has got that little bit more..., but what I loved the most of it is the almost zero body roll and the lower driving position which made it so perfect for the track.

 

Maybe it could be something to take into consideration for future meetings if we could get Audi UK to give us a special price for a group buy and I bet they wouldn't even mind us having few laps with our cars as well.  

[Vito]

This is what we got given Steve

 

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[MacD]

The track day i did involved the instructor sat in the car,  It was great while you learned the track but then i'd have rather been following a lead car later in the day!

 

Always better when its not your own car too,  You feel more confident to push on knowing if you have a moment you still have your car in the car park to drive home in 

[Vito]

I was talking to a friend last week and he did a track thing with a Lambo, paid 150 quid and all he got was 2 laps with the instructor in the car and did not allow him to go over 100 mph.

[Vito]

 as MBK says in his post the only thing missing at the Audi exp. was absence of a proper long straight where you could get to top speed

[MacD]

I was talking to a friend last week and he did a track thing with a Lambo, paid 150 quid and all he got was 2 laps with the instructor in the car and did not allow him to go over 100 mph.

 

I did an experience day and the first two cars Ferrari and Aston the instructor was making people take it easy...... Track was very wet at the start of the day tho and those things just wanted to go backwards! 

[MBK]

I agree Vito, I think you got the write up spot on, the way Audi do the days is way better than other days I've been on with Nissan (370/GTR), Mazda RX8 and a couple of other generic 'super car' days.

 

The Nissan GTR experience at Silverstone was a waste of time the Instructor in the car just kept telling me to slow down, short shift etc way within the cars ability, then he drove the car flat out on the demo laps...I just had to ask what all the 'slow down' had been about when I was driving "it's what we are told to do" was the response.  You don't get any of this on the Audi days which I like a lot.

 

Only Renault match Audi for the track experiences but their days are in your own car plus a range of their RS cars to drive on the day.  The thing  I like most with Renault is they actually encourage you to track their RS cars and arrange the track days for you.

 

If anyone has a contact at Audi maybe they could get us some free places on the launch events for the new S3 if they are dong something similar to the the RS4 launch.  Even better if they could get us places at the next RS3 launch but that could be some time away yet.

[MacD]

Trust me that's well up the priority list Mark lol

Fingers crossed there'll be some press day invites

[MBK]

If you want to be able to go flat out and reach higher speeds in other peoples cars I recommend these 2 ways:

 

Hire a BatCat - it's not cheap but if 2 people share the day it makes the price more reasonable. If you compre this to wear and tear on your own car it still makes sense.  Of course you need to like the wind in your face at this is Caterhams only.  Great fun though especially if you like catching slides and practicing your car control skills.

http://www.batcats.c...ats.php?pg=home

 

If you want a wider variety of cars this is a good way to to track days if you prefer to just turn up and drive a track prepared car.  I've driven the Clio, Caterham (Atom when they had one) and Exige S before and they are all good fun.  If you look at the headline price it may seem expensive but in the long run it's cheaper than the depreciation/wear and tear on your road car or owning a dedicated track car you only use for 6-10 track days per year.

http://www.track-group.com/club.html

[Mr_Freeze]

Hi Vito,

Great write up, sounds like you had a blast.

 

Did you get this offered just because of the brakes or have you had other problems?

 

How much complaining do you need to do to get one of these offered?

 

What am i doing wrong, i have had nothing other than the sniff of a free service once the fix is in place?

[Vito]

Hi Neil,

 

I just went ranting on Audi UK FB page and they got in touch with me, I disagreed on the fact that the break squeaking wasn't a top priority issue and told them that the car wasn't safe to drive because I was using the breaks in a odd manner to avoid the squeak, so they booked my car in at Preston Audi to have a temporary fix applied, which did solve the problem for just a couple of days.

I complained again on FB for wasting my time and the poor fix and they rang me again full of apologies, that's when they offered me a place at the Audi Driving Experience as a good will gesture. Why just me I don't know, maybe because I was going public on FB and they wanted to shut me up??.....Who knows.

 

And yes the day out at Silverstone was just brilliant, NEVER anybody said to me to slow down or anything like that so I just took advantage and  enjoyed myself.  

 

Sorry I missed a bit : No I hadn't had any other problems apart from the squeak.

Edited by LattyboyRS3, 07 May 2013 - 01:59 PM.

[Vito]

http://www.youtube.c...AuabKfkpmme4vOO

 

http://www.youtube.c...AuabKfkpmme4vOO

[dbm]

Very nice! I did a couple of these a few years back, one at Silverstone and another at Rockingham.

What was the car park like? People usually come in some nice cars.

[Vito]

It is a brand new complex/track now dbm and there wasn't much in the parking area, my RS3 and another red one stud out of the rest.