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Racing Car Driving Experience

£159.20 £199 Save £39.80

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Max Laps
12 laps
Duration
2.5 hrs
Mileage
28 miles

Drive a Formula Renault racing car on the UK's fastest race circuit. Lewis Hamilton won the UK Formula Renault Championship on his way to F1. Now you can feel like one of the F1 pack in one of our fleet of racing cars. You'll also get to drive the Porsche Cayman as part of this experience.

  • Drive a racing car on the UK's fastest race circuit
  • Feel like an F1 driver
  • Learn the circuit in a Porsche Cayman
Call 01264 882222 to speak to a member of our team

Need to know

START

Briefing

Our senior ARDS Race Instructor will give a full briefing detailing the important information you need to know before getting behind the wheel and heading out on track; circuit layout, racing line, turn in, apex, exit, braking, throttle control, driving Position, steering, pedal control, gear change, understanding paddle shift, overtaking and flag signals. As part of the briefing we have a unique CGI sequence which shows how a vehicle reacts to the inputs made by the driver including; chassis dynamics, weight transfer, oversteer and understeer.

3 laps

demonstration - Instructor drives

Driving on a race circuit is very different to normal road driving. To make the most of the cars guests will be driving on track you need to learn the racing line and braking points. Our ARDS race instructors will be on hand to help throughout your experience...

3 laps

Porsche Cayman - Guest drives

Three laps driving the Porsche Cayman. Nowhere else in the UK will you drive the class leading sports car as your introduction to a driving experience. With 3 laps behind the wheel you'll not only have a huge smile on your face but be ready to take on the next car, no doubt feeling like the next Lewis Hamilton..

5 laps

Formula Renault Racing Car - Guest drives

Watching Formula 1 will never be the same again after you've experienced driving a proper single seat racing car on a proper race circuit. Many of the current crop of F1 drivers have raced in this formula with Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton both winning the UK series. Once seated with the racing straps fitted around you the engine bursts into life you'll feel like a Grand Prix is about to start. Once up to speed, everything clicks into place as you and the car become one, getting quicker every lap, the car responding instantly. A truly unique experience and one that will be remembered.

1 laps

High Speed Passenger Ride - Instructor drives

Hold on tight as our resident Stig takes you out for the white knuckle ride of your life. Experiencing a car at its full potential with a professional racing driver at the wheel is incredible

What to expect from the Racing Car Driving Experience

Want to feel like Lewis Hamilton and experience real downforce? Now you can on the fastest race circuit in the UK.

You don't so much sit in a Formula Renault as get physically attached to the car. Tightly strapped into the cockpit, you become part of the car. Every bump, camber and vibration is transmitted through the driver, you know and feel exactly what is happening. Slick tyres and wings give razor-sharp responses. Try to relax behind the wheel, even the slightest driver input is a noticeable direction change.

Before the racing car, there's time to get to grips with the race circuit in the fantastic Porsche Cayman. The mid-engined car is great fun and incredibly rewarding to drive, it gives great driver feedback, accurate and responsive steering and great handling balance.

Experience the incredible grip, steering and acceleration that only a racing car produce

Tiff Needell

360º In-Car Videos are Available for This Experience

The ultimate memento of your visit to Thruxton. Our 360 cameras will capture all the action of your drive in 4K, true 360-degree video for you to enjoy afterwards on all your devices. Check out the video and click to look around!

From £20

The Thruxton difference

Quality experiences

Over 40 years of experience in operating driving experiences. Everything is geared around a quality experience and we limit numbers to ensure this.

FIA licensed race track

Thruxton is the fastest race track in the UK and a fully licensed FIA venue - not a disused airfield.

Pro instructors

We only use professional ARDS qualified race instructors who will make your drive more enjoyable.

No artificial corners

No 70mph speed limits or numerous "cone chicanes" to keep the speed artificially slow.

360º videos

The ultimate memento of your visit to Thruxton. Our 360 cameras will capture all the action of your drive in 4K, true 360-degree video for you to enjoy afterwards on all your devices.

After driving a single seat Racing Car, watching Formula 1 will never be the same again

Two Amazing Cars

Firmly strapped into the cockpit the car is an extension of you. It will react to every input. When you brake it stops, turn the steering wheel and it darts left or right. Road cars seem soggy and unresponsive by comparison.We also have the Sports 2000 racing car for customers who are too tall to drive the Formula Renault or Formula Ford 2000.

Specification

  • Power
    130 bhp
  • Torque
    110 lb/ft
  • Top Speed
    140 mph
  • 0-60
    4.5 seconds

The Porsche Cayman is a genuine junior supercar. Similar in looks to the 911 but with a mid-engine layout. Once seated in the car, it's unmistakably a Porsche. Out on track the car gives incredible feedback and is perfectly balanced, allowing the driver to build in confidence and enjoy the increased power and incredible grip that the car generates.

Specification

  • Horsepower
    261 bhp
  • Torque
    221 lb/ft
  • Top Speed
    163 mph
  • 0-60
    5.8 seconds

Skilled Instructors On The Day

Tony Claringbould

Tony has been racing for over 10 years initially in classic formula 3 500cc, then the Porsche Speed championship, followed by several years of classic Mini Coopers in the Mighty Mini championship. Now racing his Mondial T in the Pirelli Ferrari Formula Classic series, he became an instructor in 2021.

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Charlie Mann

I am a young enthusiastic racing driver and race team owner of Mann Motorsport currently competing in Mini Challenge UK, with race wins, pole positions and fastest laps. I also run a multi-championship winning kart team and have been developing drivers through the Karting ranks for many years.

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Owen Hizzey

I am a 19-year-old British Racing Driver. Racing has been part of my life ever since I went to my first race meeting at 2 months old, and from then on my passion has just grown. I started officially racing karts at 6, and then moved onto cars at 14. I am currently competing in the British Endurance Racing Championship.

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Learn more about our instructors

Upcoming Dates

April

5th, 6th, 19th, 20th

May

10th, 11th, 31st

June

1st, 14th

July

19th, 20th

August

2nd, 3rd, 16th, 17th

September

13th, 14th

October

11th, 12th, 25th, 26th

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