Thruxton in a Formula Renault

Post by **Ronnie** » 28 May 2008 11:24 am

You can keep your supercars - these things are dirty, noisy, and extraordinarily quick round a track. Also, you have no instructor looking over your shoulder. Left me glowing all the rest of the day.

Definitely recommended

Post by **SteveP** » 28 May 2008 11:34 am

Awesome, great pic too! That thing must've been rather quick! How did you get on?

Post by **filthyjohn** » 28 May 2008 12:29 pm

Awesome. At the UK's fastest circuit too, you must have been hitting big speeds.

Post by **Ronnie** » 28 May 2008 12:33 pm

Thanks guys.

They didn't record any lap times for me, but these things do 120mph in top gear on the limiter - and I spent quite a lot of time there. Thruxton is the fastest circuit in the UK, breathtaking really. The brakes on these things have very little feel, locked up a front wheel on entering the chicane the first time, but soon got the hang of it. Pushed it quite hard, got the back wheels moving about a bit on the complex

Also got a lairy passenger ride in an RX8 - driftastic and very, very fast - carving up the racetrack traffic. I thought it was race prepped, but apparently it was completely standard. Incredible what those cars are capable of.

Post by **filthyjohn** » 28 May 2008 12:37 pm

Incredible what a racing driver can do in a good road car. How did you book the circuit day Ronnie? I've been meaning to do something like this for ages but there are just so many companies offering stuff, and so little time to trawl through them.

Post by **Ronnie** » 28 May 2008 12:44 pm

Missus sorted it out as a Christmas present - I think she used a few Tesco vouchers! Check http://www.thruxtonracing.co.uk/home.html. Oldest race school in the UK, really sound blokes running the day, so you're in good hands - well recommended.

Post by **Tourinki** » 28 May 2008 06:05 pm

You should try what it feels like to go really fast in a rally car on ice or snow. What i have heard it can make some people to mess their pants. And some people almost mess their pants when they are in normal road car and skillful driver at the wheel. It is all about the driver. I've seen something in last winter which i didn't expect to see and it wasn't because of the car.

Post by **Chris_C** » 28 May 2008 10:23 pm

Glad you enjoyed it mate! Kate organised a F355 run for me at Thrux a few years back, was awesome, that chicane is a pig....

My passenger ride was in an MG ZS, and again, the guy was 4 wheel drifting the thing, whilst overtaking a single seater. Pure nutcase, awesome skill!

Post by **Ronnie** » 02 Jun 2008 10:54 pm

Ah, I forgot the v300 content. The Mrs was with wee Nancy when they spotted one of these:

Melly asked her whether she liked it - Nancy replies idignantly: " NO! I like Daddy's car!"

Post by **foggyjames** » 04 Jun 2008 02:22 am

My mate is a mechanic for a Formula Renault team. IIRC, the engine is basically the 2.0 version of a B172K....as found in a 400s, early Lagunas, etc. Trick intake and exhaust, nice cam, 7krpm...and that little lot makes ~200bhp.

cheers

James

Post by **340GLT** » 04 Jun 2008 03:11 am

180BHP IIRC and the complete engine and loom can be bought fro around 1k on racecarsdirect.com
Adam

Post by **SteveP** » 04 Jun 2008 09:32 am

http://www.racecarsdirect.com/viewlisti ... view=16383

Someone stick that in a 340!

Post by **filthyjohn** » 04 Jun 2008 05:39 pm

That's well cheap. But surely you could go the other way and fit a 480 turbo lump to a formula renault? Overboost it and make it road legal?

Post by **Ronnie** » 04 Jun 2008 08:49 pm

foggyjames wrote:My mate is a mechanic for a Formula Renault team. IIRC, the engine is basically the 2.0 version of a B172K....as found in a 400s, early Lagunas, etc. Trick intake and exhaust, nice cam, 7krpm...and that little lot makes ~200bhp.

The car weighs in at 600kg - wide track, no body roll, ridiculous amounts of grip - nice equation.