Goodwood: Learning to drive like the pros

The press invite from the people at Goodwood was, I imagine, designed to be an irresistible challenge to stir the blood: “Are you ready to follow in the tyre tracks of Hill, Stewart, and Fangio?” The answer to that question, directed as it was at this particular paunchy, ageing and frankly jaded motoring hack, was clearly going to be “no, not really”.

However… I remain dutiful, and so I bounded down to Goodwood Motor Circuit – sequestered in a particularly picturesque corner of Sussex – in a Subaru Forester press car.

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The idea was that I should have a driving lesson. Not like the first one I had, which, as memory serves, was in a Ford Escort Mark 1, at the introductory offer rate of £7.50. Yeah, it was that long ago. No. This lesson would cost a punter from £1,950, although for that you get a proper racing car, some highly expert tuition and a whole afternoon spent learning and developing your skills. That includes four quarter-hour sessions in one of their specific race cars (there’s a choice) and plenty of charts and videos to go through with your coach, showing where you went right and wrong. You end up doing about 150mph down the short straight, a bit less on the corners and chicane, and an enhanced sense of finding your racing “line” and, above all, staying as safe as possible.

Terrified as I was at the prospect of being let loose in such powerful machinery, even with an expert/guardian angel by my side, I soon found myself more exhilarated than frightened, and growing in confidence. The professional drivers are part of DTO Motorsport, and they know what they’re doing.

I was, if you like, your (appropriately) nervous guinea pig for this experience, but had the added treat of driving each of the four models on the menu, each so modified or purpose-built that they couldn’t be driven lawfully on a public road. These are: BMW M2 Cup, Ginetta G56 GTA, McLaren 570S GT4 and Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo car (£5,950 for a go in that one). Best part of a million quid’s worth altogether, I should say, and all now triumphantly ticked off the bucket list. Never mind the fancy Ferrari, when and where else is anyone going to get their hands on that most esoteric of sporting beasts, the British-made Ginetta? Niche stuff, to say the least.

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The most difficult part of the day was undoubtedly ingress and egress to and from the vehicles. Quite rightly, you’re togged out in a racing suit, full helmet and a “Hans” neck brace for maximum safety, but all that lot just makes getting past the massive safety cages and into the cramped driver’s bucket seat an inelegant affair at best. You should probably drop a bit of flab before you book your lesson.

Once in, you’re ready to roll, and the track is laid out with plenty of signs so you can see where and when to steer, brake, and get your foot down. By my side was James “Jiggy” Gornall, speaking into my ear via a microphone, telling me exactly when to flap my paddles and drop a gear or two. A professional driver and Formula 4 coach who started out go-karting at the age of nine (“a late starter” by these standards), I got the impression that Jiggy had seen it all before, and not even I would faze him.

After a few moderately quick circuits in each car, it was time to retire to the classroom to review the charts – speed, brake and accelerator pressure, lap times (which must, I’m afraid, remain confidential). Even allowing for the different capabilities and personalities of each machine, I managed to improve on each stage. My masterful braking was complemented; my tendency to lift off the accelerator mid-corner in the Ginetta – a really raw sort of machine that finds such behaviour hard to forgive – prompted words of warning.

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So that’s how I did, and the cars also acquitted themselves well. My favourite, for what it’s worth, was the McLaren, which despite (or maybe because of) its heritage behaved in the most predictable and obedient fashion. I could almost have been popping down to Asda in it.

The Goodwood course is an old one, last used on a truly competitive basis back in 1966, and nowadays more devoted to the retro scene and “experiences” such as this (other track day options with road cars are available – Alpine A110, Porsche 718 GT4 and the Mercedes-AMG GTR (a lot cheaper, too). The ideal accompaniment to ownership of one of these fine motor cars would surely be for their drivers to exercise their need for speed with proper supervision on a private track.

You certainly feel the weight of history here – pictures of Stirling Moss in his prime are all around, and the ProDriver Experience is as much an exercise in escapism from the modern world as anything. For the dedicated driver, I should mention, there’s also a classic racing version – Jaguar Mark 2, Mini Cooper and that sort of thing. I can certainly think of few better ways to spend a summer afternoon, and even more so if you base yourself at Goodwood’s on-base hotel. Stay for the night before and the night after, and you’ll find your sense of relaxation pleasingly heightened.

My only caution would be: never lose respect for the vehicles at your disposal. Retain a due sense of caution, and you’ll remain in control – that too is something an amateur driver needs to concentrate on. Motor sport of any kind is inherently dangerous, but also fun and, it has to be conceded, expensive. If Goodwood could get me some lessons at an introductory rate nearer to the rate of £7.50 per hour prevailing in 1979, and provide me with a metallic green Ford Escort 1300XL to tear about in, I might even book some more lessons.

You too can have some fun at: https://www.goodwood.com/motorsport/driving-experiences/