CAT Driver Training

[Bibs]

The Lotus Forums have teamed up with new advertiser CAT Driver Training to bring a Lotus focussed driver training event to our members.

http://www.catdrivertraining.co.uk/

Date: Saturday 29th August

Time: 9am to 5.30pm

Where: Millbrook Proving Ground

Costs:

There are a maximum of 8 people, first come first served and this is across the Esprit, 2Eleven and Evora forums. I'll keep a list of attendees updated on all 3 sites.

3 participants =

CAT_Mag_Article.pdf

[TomE]

Excellent! I drove Millbrook in - of all things- a vintage Bentley many years ago and the different circuits are a great experience for anyone interested in improving their driving. I've heard good things about CAT too - think it was a day for Aston dealers to take customers and prospects.

Off to rattle the piggy bank .....

[Bibs]

It will be a good chance to sink your teeth into the Elise SC and see what it (and you) can really do

From a value perspective, this day is just

[CATDT]

Thanks Jo & mayesprit for your

[chris]

Unfortunately I have seen this too late to be one of the lucky 8. If you run this event again can I get my name down early please?

cheers

-Chris

[Bibs]

You sure can or you can be added to the reserve for this one if you like Chris?

[Bibs]

News story is now up...

http://www.thelotusforums.com/cms/index.ph...h&Itemid=89

Thanks Chris (PS, if you didn't know, Chris (internets) is the TLF news editor and working really hard for us, doing a grand job, thanks Chris )

My first early morning of the weekend, I left the house at 6.30am to head up to Millbrook Proving Ground. If you don't know of Millbrook, please take a peek at their website (http://www.millbrook.co.uk).

First off, introductions and a briefing on the who/why and where plus a safety and procedures brief. Millbrook is a live testing area for all shapes, sizes and types of vehicles so no cameras, apologies for no pictures. Jo of CAT gave us an introduction to our trainers and the format of the day. Each instructor would have 4 drivers in our own cars and they would demo the exercise we were about to do in the CAT vehicle, explain what it is and how it improves our skills and how the techniques are put into practise then accompany us as we ? . Colin then gave us a talk regarding vehicle dynamics and balance and the theory of successful and fast cornering before we headed off to the Mile Straight to experience threshold and cadence braking plus improve our observation skills. This exercise had us accelerating up to speeds of 50, then 70 then 100mph and braking with such force to bring the car to a halt as quickly and safely as possible. Surprisingly, the faster you are travelling the harder you can brake and I experienced some rear wheel lock towards the end, but it was an eye opener to see what the car could do and how it would react, excellent lesson learnt.

The next exercise was on the famous high speed banked ring. Initially we were executing high speed lane changes to demonstrate the stability of the car under different circumstances. Then moving out into the outer lanes of the banked ring we progressed up to 130mph to learn how the cars dynamics are affected and to massively improve observational skills at high speeds, a useful tool in any drivers armoury. After 4/5 laps at this speed we slowed down and had some fun, I'll leave it to you to learn what we did but it was a laugh out loud moment!

After this we moved to the Handling Course. A very technical course designed to test both car and driver, there are blind summits, double apex, late apex, transitions, adverse camber and built into the surface are waves designed to unsettle the car, nice! This was where we learnt that using the engine we could balance the car through high speed corners and transitions, maximising the available grip and using the tyres slip angles to our advantage. The first few laps might as well be for warming the tyres since the last few are taken at speeds previously unimaginable but with confidence that you and the car will be able to carry out the manoeuvre. When you nail the corner just right, it's a great feeling and builds up your relationship with the car and how much you can trust it to perform as expected every time.

Our penultimate exercise of the day was for me the best as not only did it involve driving on the brilliant Alpine Loops but we'd learnt so much, it was good to put it into practise. Once again this section of Millbrook is there to test you and the car with technically difficult corners designed to push your skills to the limits and this was immensely satisfying to drive well. You can use the car to it's full capacity at high speed around the looping course keeping a careful eye for other, often unusual traffic (!) and learning the subtleties of a good line in a hairpin and again, using threshold braking and car balance to full effect.

Finally, well almost, we were off to the Steering Pad to trace the 40m radius curve and experience under/oversteer with varying levels of success. On a 40m circle, a car should break from traction and either under or oversteer depending on the setup. This was a good and safe environment to experiment with our cars and see what can be done and how they react when and if they do break from the normal driving experience.

Now for the fun part! CAT set up a gymkhana course on the Steering Pad to let us blast around in their track prepared Caterham. Felix, not content with having to retire his SE early on (CAT lent him their Elise all day!) destroyed the cars ability to use first gear. It was my first time in a Caterham and I'm pleased to have had a blast and seen how much fun they really are and was chuffed with my 3rd place despite the best efforts of the American to scupper my chances of the World Record!

What I wanted from the day was to experience what both myself and my Esprit were capable off and I was very impressed with just how good the car is. I've driven many Esprits and of course owned them for 10 years but this was the hardest I've ever pushed one and was really very impressed with levels to which the car can be pushed, it's responsiveness and how well it drives on the limits. I found mine before the cars and have a massive amount of new confidence and new skills. Thanks to CAT, awesome experience and I'm definitely booking up for further training with them in the future. We will also be organising more events with them ongoing with an annual group introduction and also a further training session. Make sure you book up next time, it's without a doubt the single best upgrade you'll ever do to your car, you!

[TomE]

I've just this morning booked (via SELOC) for a training day with CAT in April next year, so it's great to hear again how worthwhile it is. Nice write up Bibs - know you couldn't take any pics, but did you see any interesting stuff being tested?

[Bibs]

We're probably doing a day again in February but haven't confirmed dates as Millbrook won't have their calendar in order until Nov/Dec this year.

Saw lots of interesting stuff but were told to keep schtum I'm afraid. Suffice to say there were those cars with black and white sellotape all over them!

[Petrol feet driven]

I'm down for this the next time this comes around.. Maybe next year if its on then, wish it could of been this time but just spent out on loads of bits for the cars. But will it be ok just to turn up and view everyone driving, or if its you Bib's nicking kids BMX's again..

[Laura]

Dates & details for next year are here:

[Petrol feet driven]

Thanks Laura, I bet you didn't know my car can travel back in time as well.. (Yes i'm an idiot)