At The Drivers Club we are happy to train you in our cars or your own, depending on your preference and ultimate driving goals.
We will carefully select the vehicles with you for their suitability - for example, if you aim to race one day at Le Mans in the LMP1 or LMP2 category for modern 'prototypes', our Radical SR3 or Ligier JS49 offer highly appropriate handling characteristics. These would not however be suitable for an aspiring historic racer who would require a vehicle with far less grip and substantially more body roll.
ALL drivers though, regardless of their preferred area of the sport or level of experience, benefit enormously from training conducted in a relatively simple road car as the exaggerated body roll, limited grip and relative 'slow-motion' fantastically highlights any areas of weakness and places the focus squarely on the driver's ability, rather than that of the car. Indeed, it is often little understood that if driver training was always conducted in a very high performance road or race car, the driver - unless a professional - is most likely to reach his or her own limits well before nearing those of the car and therefore learn nothing about exploiting a car’s full potential.
Below is a list of our current training vehicles, each of which is rigourously maintained and professionally prepared for both your safety and maximum reliability. Where relevant, they are also fitted with the very latest onboard camera and data-logging technologies to dramatically aid your development.
0-60mph: 3.5 seconds
Top Speed: 145 mph
Power: 250 bhp
Weight: 490 kg
The SR3 is a fully blown, no-holds-barred racer. The package has incredible performance, capable of accelerating from 0-60 in just 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 145mph. It’s aerodynamic design, racing-derived chassis and towering rear spoiler makes it the closest descendent to a Le Mans prototype available with two seats. This allows your instructor to first demonstrate the car’s potential before handing the reigns to you.
0-60mph: 3.2 seconds
Top Speed: 163 mph
Power: 240 bhp
Weight: 535 kg
A step up from the Radical and the final wrung on the sportscar ladder before fully fledged Le Mans prototypes, the Ligier is a lightweight endurance racer designed to compete non-stop for six hours or more. The Drivers Club currently runs two of these “LMP3” style machines for aspiring Le Mans clients in the European-based VdeV championship and the UK SPEED series.
“ The most fun you could have with your trousers on!” SD
While the Megane R26R (below) is the perfect tool for focusing on circuit technique, nothing comes close to a Caterham 7 for learning raw car control and understanding ‘oversteer’ and ‘understeer’.
If you are an amateur driver who has always longed to hold a high speed four-wheel drift in the style of Tiff Needell, or perhaps a historic racer looking for a bit more confidence to take your car to the limit, the Caterham 7 is the ultimate car to practice in.
We use a variety of different specification Caterhams depending on the objectives in question, but they all share the same front-engine, rear wheel drive, high power to weight ratio that makes them so fun to drive and such an effective training vehicle. Put to use on both full race circuits and vast expanses of airfield tarmac, we’ll create the perfect environment for you to develop outstanding car control in these fantastic cars.
0-60mph: 6 seconds
Top Speed: 147 mph
Power: 227 bhp
Weight: 1230 kg
Autocar describes it as “Without a single hint of a doubt, the most hardcore hot hatchback the world has seen.” And who are we to argue? Once the archetypal French family runaround, this meaner, leaner version holds the front wheel-drive lap record around the fearsome 14-mile Nurburgring Nordschleife.
We have chosen the R26R it because, while it very impressive to drive, it is still fundamentally a relatively simple road car and therefore in possession of all the characteristics explained above. The R26R though has been perfectly upgraded for track use and is therefore capable of tolerating the constant high loadings placed upon it without the need for regular stoppages to cool the brakes etc. Its handling is exquisite, but not so much so that it does all of the work for you - make the tiniest mistake and you’ll know about it but in a way that remains entirely progressive and safe! That the R26R is also fast enough to not be engulfed by more powerful vehicles on a regular track day and most importantly to put a big smile on your face makes it just about the perfect training vehicle!
0-60mph: 3.5 seconds
Top Speed: 80mph
Power: 28 bhp
Weight: 125 kg
It is no accident that most of motorsport’s current superstars have exceptional karting careers behind them. Karting is an outstanding way to develop raw ‘car’ control, great racecraft and a smooth and precise driving style. If you are relatively new to motorsport, karting also offers an ideal introduction to the concepts of ‘oversteer’ and ‘understeer’. Whether you are a modern sports car or single-seater driver or historic racer, we cannot recommend karting enough - we guarantee it will improve your circuit driving abilities dramatically.
