Part 8 Trackday driving

Our Joy of Driving series concludes with a look to the place where there are no speed limits and you can drive your car to its limits - or yours

- by JOHN BARKER

TRACKDAYS ARE A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN push your car and your driving further than you can ever do legally on the road, in a safe, marshalled environment, surrounded by like-minded drivers. You need to ensure you come with the right attitude, though. Trackdays are not race days or test days - lap timing is not permitted and aggressive driving such as late lunge braking or blocking will get you a chat with the organisers and possibly kicked off. The same goes for smokey drifting, no matter how stylish. Trackdays are simply an opportunity to hone your car control and get to understand your car's dynamics and limits better.

Listen carefully at the briefing. This will tell you the protocol for overtaking - usually only on the straights, often only with the consent of the car in front - and what flag signals will be used. If it's your first time on track or you're at a circuit you've not driven before, a top tip is to drive it on a computer driving game beforehand if you can. This will establish the sequence and difficulty of corners and general speeds. On track for real, use your first session to establish the lap in your head and build speed gradually. Start with conservative brake points and, as on the road, use smooth steering inputs, slick, unhurried shifts and calm, progressive braking inputs to establish a flow, get into a rhythm. Try to maintain this smoothness as you build your pace. If you're comfortable with heel-and-toe downshifts or left-foot braking, bring these techniques in early.