Three vehicles owned by Hairy Bikers presenter Simon King will be sold online this week.
For sale via Car & Classic, the lots include a Volkswagen California Type 2 Westfalia campervan and two motorcycles.
The Volkswagen was exported from America and has undergone a complete restoration since being in the TV star’s ownership.
Enhancements include all-new suspension, brakes, steering and a fuel system. The exterior has been resprayed and the interior has been restored, including the addition of modern electronic gadgets and UK three-pin plugs.
Simon King’s ‘Cosmic King’ motorcycle is also for sale. Its design is unique and was overseen by King for a publicity campaign. As such, it has only covered 750 miles since being built in 2010.
Car & Classic describes its 1,640cc V-Twin engine and belt-driven five-speed transmission as being in ‘almost-new condition’.
The final vehicle offered for auction is ‘Purple Haze’. This chopper motorcycle started life as a charity project and was bought by King via auction to help secure funds for The Archway Project.
It features a 1,638cc V-Twin engine and a six-speed transmission, and also includes vertical exhausts that finish at ear level. It has covered less than 1,000 miles since it was created in 2015.
The online-only auction for the Cosmic King motorbike ends on 3 August at 8pm, while both Purple Haze and the T2 Volkswagen Campervan end on 5 August at 5.45pm.
Four out of 10 driving instructors have increased the price of driving lessons since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Instructors ‘have been left with no choice but to up the cost of driving lessons as the backlog of learners mounts and pressure on the industry builds’, says insurance company Marmalade.
Its survey of 4,000 instructors also found that 30 percent of instructors have reduced the frequency of lessons a learner driver can book. Some instructors favour learners with experience as they require less time behind the wheel.
On average, driving lesson costs have increased by nine percent since the start of the pandemic, with the average now £31.15 per lesson, up from £28.47 in 2020. Marmalade says 21 percent of instructors are charging more than the current average.
Enquires up 227 percent
With demand for driving lessons outstripping the supply, instructors have experienced a 227 percent increase in enquiries since 2020, with an average of 8.24 more enquiries each week compared with the start of 2020. And 30 percent of instructors turn away five to 10 enquiries per week.
“Learner drivers are still feeling the impact of the past 18 months with the aftershock of the pandemic disrupting the industry at every level,” said Crispin Moger, CEO of Marmalade.
“Driving instructors have told us they are plagued by third-party apps that buy up all of the test slots, meaning they have no way of their pupils booking a test and leaving their capacity tight. This is a vicious cycle that is only making the situation worse for all parties, leaving learners unable to get on the road to freedom and impacting instructors’ businesses and lives.”
The 2021 Classic Sale at Silverstone produced a series of amazing auction results over the weekend.
Held as part of the annual Silverstone Classic motorsport event, the auction saw more than 130 cars and motorbikes go under the hammer.
Grabbing the headlines before the sale were a collection of vehicles owned by TV star Richard Hammond.
However, an array of modern classics generated some of the biggest bids at Silverstone.
The final 20v Audi Ur-Quattro
Billed as being the final 20-valve model produced, this particular 1991 Audi Ur-Quattro will be of real interest to Ingolstadt fans.
Despite the allure of a 217hp 2.2-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine, it has covered only 9,654 miles from new. The original owner kept the car for 17 years, with the second placing it into storage from 2008.
Being an icon of the 1980s, and with the promise of being the last 20v Quattro, expectations were high.
Even still, a final sale price of £163,125 is major money for a classic Audi. It makes for a substantial profit over the 1991 invoice of £38,995.
Ultimate financial evolution
Rally-bred superstars were clearly in demand at the Classic Sale at Silverstone. The 2000 Tommi Makinen Edition is often described as being the ultimate iteration in the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution series.
The car up for auction was the first of 50 painted in Passion Red to be officially imported into the UK. It also received the bold WRC-inspired decals, along with the performance upgrades fitted to the Evolution VI Makinen Edition.
Being rare, desirable, and driven for just 11,000 miles, the Makinen Edition was always likely to attract big bids.
Yet the final price of £146,250 surpassed the record set earlier this year for Mitsubishi’s own heritage fleet Evolution VI.
Silver anniversary present
Could a 2002 Mk4 Volkswagen Golf GTI really be worth more than a brand-new Mk8 Golf GTI Clubsport? Yes, if it happens to be a 25th Anniversary model with 8 miles recorded on the odometer.
Fitted with a special bodykit, 18-inch BBS wheels and a retro-inspired interior, Volkswagen made 1,800 25th Anniversary cars. Due to the era, buyers could even pick a 1.9-litre diesel engine, although this GTI is fitted with the ubiquitous 1.8-litre turbo petrol.
With such a scant mileage, the GTI had only just had its first Pre-Delivery Inspection by a VW Dealer. Being in showroom condition led the bids to reach £38,250, more than the £37,380 needed for a modern Mk8 Clubsport.
Other auction highlights included £31,800 for a 1983 Mk1 Volkswagen Golf GTI Cabriolet, and a 1985 Ford Escort RS Turbo that sold for £63,000.
It was created in 2018 to promote the best women drivers in motorsport, with the ultimate aim of delivering the first female Formula 1 World Champion.
An inaugural season, held in 2019, saw British driver Jamie Chadwick crowned as champion.
After the 2020 season was postponed due to Coronavirus, expectations for this year’s W Series are higher than ever.
Does motorsport need an all-female championship in 2021?
The organisers of the W Series believe an all-female competition is needed to help fast-track the best women drivers to Formula 1. A gender-specific championship is seen as the most effective way of doing this.
Whatever your opinion, what cannot be denied is that female drivers are underrepresented in top-level motorsport. For example, only five women have entered Formula 1 races, since the championship began in 1950. The last female to actually start a Grand Prix was Lella Lombardi – in 1976!
Although other series such as IndyCar and NASCAR have seen more recent, and regular, female entrants there is still a clear gender imbalance in motorsport.
Competing in the W Series rewards top finishers with points towards gaining an FIA Super Licence. These points are required to race in Formula 1.
What impact did the 2019 W Series have?
The W Series has seen previous racers move further up the motorsport ladder.
After winning the 2019 W Series, Jamie Chadwick became a development driver for the Williams Racing F1 team. Along with competing in the 2021 W Series to defend her title, Chadwick is racing in the new Extreme E championship.
Jess Hawkins has also edged closer to Formula 1. She is now a driver ambassador for the Aston Martin F1 Team, supporting them on race weekends. Appearances in the British Touring Car Championship have been added to her CV, too.
Fellow British driver Esmee Hawkey bagged herself a championship title in 2020. Hawkey won the Pro-Am class in the prestigious Porsche Carrera Cup GB, and is driving a Lamborghini Huracan in the 2021 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters.
Beitske Visser finished as runner up in the 2019 W Series. Since then, she has competed at the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans, and is taking part in the 2021 World Endurance Championship.
What happened to the W Series in 2020?
Like many motorsport championships, the W Series was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Having consulted with various partners, the decision was taken to postpone real-world W Series racing to 2021.
Instead, the W Series switched attention to a virtual sim racing esports competition for 2020. Open only to female drivers, ten races were held throughout the summer.
Broadcast through YouTube and BBC iPlayer, the 2020 W Series Esports League was won by Dutch driver, Beitske Visser.
How were the 2021 W Series drivers chosen?
The top twelve drivers from the 2019 W Series were automatically eligible to compete again the following season.
For the rest of the grid, a three-day driver test was held at the Almeria race circuit. Close to 40 applicants were evaluated on lap times and data analysis, whittling this down to eight drivers to join the grid.
With the 2020 W Series cancelled, the drivers who had qualified for it were invited to compete in the 2021 season.
Who are the British contenders in the 2021 W Series?
Although 12 nationalities are represented in the 2021 W Series, British drivers account for five of the coveted 18 seats.
Inaugural W Series champion Jamie Chadwick returns to defend her title in 2021. She was the first female driver to win a British GT Championship, along with being the first woman to win a British Formula 3 race.
Esmee Hawkey has progressed rapidly through the motorsport ranks. She has gone from the Ginetta Junior series, to winning the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Pro Am class, in just five years.
Alice Powell was the first female driver to win a Formula Renault race, and won the 2014 Asian Formula Renault Championship. Along with driving in the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy, she has become an accomplished TV commentator.
Now a driver ambassador for the Aston Martin F1 Team, Jess Hawkins has an extensive motorsport CV behind her. From stunt work, to setting a Guinness World Record for driving the fastest lawnmower, she has done it all.
Yorkshire-based Sarah Moore has already competed in multiple championships. She became the first woman to win the Ginetta Junior Championship, and the Britcar Endurance Championship.
Abbie Eaton admitted to being “initially sceptical” about the W Series. However, the GT racer and test driver for Amazon’s The Grand Tour, has been attracted by the competitive level of racing. This year will also see her drive in the 2021 GT Cup Championship.
What cars do they use in the W Series?
All drivers use equal-spec Tatuus F3 T-318 single-seater racers. Built to FIA F3 rules, it features a 270 hp turbocharged 1.8-litre engine, and a six-speed sequential gearbox.
Slick tyres are used, with the cars also featuring adjustable aerodynamic wings and spoilers. Just like in Formula 1, a HALO safety device is fitted over the open cockpit.
Where do W Series races take place?
For 2021, the W Series has secured a prestigious spot supporting eight rounds of the Formula 1 World Championship.
This means drivers will be sharing a paddock with F1 stars, and competing on the same circuits as them throughout the year.
A slight calendar change sees the Red Bull Ring host the first race of the season, with the championship concluding in Mexico City.
What is the format for a W Series weekend?
W Series race weekends will see drivers undertake a 30 minute practice session on Friday, followed by a qualifying session later that day.
The race itself takes place on Saturday afternoon, lasting for around 30 minutes.
As in Formula 1, the top ten finishers will each score championship points.
How will teams work in the 2021 W Series?
In a last-minute update before this weekend’s first race, the organisers announced a new teams format for the 2021 season.
Ahead of a move to a full teams-based championship in 2022, this year will see seven partner teams created. Two “home teams” will accommodate the remaining drivers.
Interest from existing motorsport teams, brands like Puma, and high net worth individuals will bring extra money into the championship.
The move to introducing teams is not intended to change how the cars are prepared and built. Instead, the biggest difference will come from the introduction of new liveries featuring third-party sponsorship.
An unofficial team championship will be trialed during 2021, and extended for future seasons if successful.
How can I watch the W Series on TV?
The W Series will be broadcast live on Channel 4 throughout 2021. After football, the 2019 W Series was the most-watched female sport in the UK.
For 2021, the W Series TV team has been expanded. Lee McKenzie, David Coulthard, and Ted Kravitz all return from the inaugural 2019 W Series.
They are joined by Anna Woolhouse as presenter, Amy Reynolds as a pitlane reporter, and Naomi Schiff as an analyst. Schiff previously competed in the inaugural W Series.
Alex Jacques, will be the lead commentator. This is an extension of his lead commentary role on Channel 4’s Formula 1 coverage. He will be joined by Billy Monger, who was a race pundit for the W Series Esports League in 2020.
How can I see more about the W Series?
To capture the drama of the inaugural W Series championship, the organisers commissioned an in-depth documentary to accompany it.
Six episodes cover the 2019 season, from initial driver selection to the individual race weekends.
For those in the UK, all episodes can be streamed now on Channel 4’s All 4 service.
Around 400 village shops close every year, and it’s estimated nearly 2,500 pubs closed their doors permanently in 2020 – a decline exacerbated by the Covid pandemic.
Admittedly, not all of these pubs are found in rural locations, but a boarded-up boozer in the countryside is a depressingly common sight. Time, ladies and gentlemen, last orders at the bar.
Soon, the only people left in the village will be Escape to the Country presenters, commercial property agents armed with ‘TO LET’ boards and Waze disciples on an alternative route home.
How can we inject new life into our rural villages? No, not a ‘guess the weight of a marrow‘ competition or a Strictly Come Maypole Dancing event. What every village in the country needs is an electric car charging point.
The government is dishing out grants for electric vehicle charging points like a car magazine gives out awards. So for parish councils, it needn’t mean a choice between a dog waste bin for the village green or a charging point.
Under the Workplace Charging Scheme, public sector organisations can apply for up to £350 per socket at 75 percent of the total cost of installation, up to a maximum of 40 sockets.
Most urban dwellers are too busy staring into their smartphone in Costa to visit your village fete or tombola, but offer them an electric charging point and they’ll be pulling up outside the derelict Crown Inn faster than you can say: “Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, peanut-free and soya-free cappuccino to go, please.”
Leave the motorway behind
A document published by the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee missed the point of the charging network’s role in reshaping village life. It said: “Rural areas are expected to be critical to the alleviation of so-called ‘range anxiety’, since they are home to the majority of motorway service areas, where rapid charge points would provide drivers with a means to refuel and complete long journeys.”
With all due respect, or whatever it is people say in parliament when they’re about to disagree with something, there’s more to rural regions than motorway service areas.
It wouldn’t take a lot to tempt EV drivers away from the motorway. Instead of tasteless fried food and coffees that cost a small mortgage payment, they could be enjoying the warm embrace of country folk.
With a steady influx of range-poor and time-rich EV drivers, you can tear down the Heras fencing that surrounds the pub and turn it into a community shop. Electric car drivers are accustomed to spending inflated prices for food and drink, so you’ll be earning cash faster than the Pimm’s tent at a village fete.
Revitalising your village
In next to no time you’ll have enough spare money to remove the Japanese knotweed from the duck pond, replace the roof on the parish church and send your parish councillors to that obscure village you’re twinned with in Normandy.
Admittedly, you’ll need to find a way to disguise the charging unit. Most are as aesthetically pleasing as pebbledash on a Georgian townhouse, so maybe one could sit in the disused telephone box.
It’s a win-win situation. The electric car driver gets access to a greater number of charging points, the village welcomes more visitors since the time the National Express coach took a wrong turning off the bypass, and the government gets a glimmer of hope that it might achieve its emissions targets.
Parish councillors, stick the installation of electric charging points on your next agenda. It’ll make a change from discussing late bin collections, dogs in the sports field and who should clean the public toilets.
The new Land Rover Defender has gained a limited-edition model aimed solely at enthusiasts in North America.
Named the Defender Trophy Edition, the new vehicle is officially said to have been inspired by the Works V8 Trophy.
However, Land Rover fans will also spot signs that point to iconic Camel Trophy competitors.
Land Rover models featured on the off-road challenge between 1981 and 2000, invariably painted in a distinctive orangey-yellow hue.
The spirit of adventure
Based on the 2022 model-year Defender 110 X-Dynamic SE, each Trophy Edition will be fitted with the P400 turbocharged petrol engine.
Air suspension will assist off-road action, with a rear-view camera and 11.4-inch multimedia touchscreen also fitted.
Special all-terrain features include an expedition roof rack with deployable ladder, front underbody protection and mud flaps. An integrated air compressor is also standard, with buyers able to specify a winch kit at extra cost.
The familiar Camel Trophy livery comes from a special vinyl wrap. An extended exterior black package completes the Trophy Edition’s visual makeover.
A memorable adventure competition
Land Rover will build a total of 220 Defender Trophy Editions, priced at $90,000 (£64,500).
Each one comes with an opportunity for a one-day off-road adventure, for two people, in the Land Rover U.S. Trophy Competition.
Following one-on-one training, competitors will test their skills on a special course around the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.
The winning team will gain an invitation to The Land Rover Trophy Competition in 2022.
This will be held at Eastnor Castle in the UK, known as the ‘spiritual home’ of Land Rover’s testing and development operations.
This weekend’s Classic Sale at Silverstone sees eight vehicles offered for auction by journalist and TV star, Richard Hammond. Proceeds from the sale will fund Hammond’s new Discovery+ TV venture, in which he runs a classic car restoration business.
The eight cars and bikes all have personal meaning to Hammond, but their sale will give “life back to countless other classic vehicles.”
As part of the Silverstone Classic event, Hammond’s vehicles will be sold on Sunday 1 August. We take a look at what’s up for grabs, along with other lots listed for the Classic Sale.
1969 Porsche 911T
Hammond is renowned for his love of the Porsche 911, so it’s no surprise to see one in this collection. Bought in 2018, he commented at the time that the 911T was “born the same year as me, though it’s in rather better condition”.
Imported from California, this 911T was one of the first to use the larger 2.2-litre flat-six engine. Although 125hp may seem tame by modern standards, the 911T can still deliver a rewarding driving experience.
The left-hand-drive Porsche comes with Fuchs five-spoke wheels, and is reported to have covered only 56,000 miles.
1999 Lotus Esprit 350 Sport
Hammond deliberated for months before buying this rare Lotus Esprit in 2017. Often claimed to be the ultimate road-going Esprit, fewer than 50 examples of the 350 Sport were produced.
Lotus made the 350 Sport totally track-focused, lightening the body and fitting OZ Racing wheels made from magnesium. The twin-turbocharged V8 engine was boosted to 350hp, with AP Racing brakes and stiffer Monroe suspension added.
A large carbon fibre wing on the outside, and blue Alcantara trim on the inside, were added features on the 350 Sport.
1959 Bentley S2
Subject to extensive restoration work during Hammond’s ownership, this Bentley S2 is noted as being ‘resplendent’. Four previous owners have enjoyed the 6.2-litre V8 engine before Hammond, with a replacement gearbox fitted two years ago.
The colour scheme of Silver Blue over Midnight Blue is how the car was first produced. A blue leather interior, featuring plenty of wood veneer, complements the exterior.
Hammond did specify to have whitewall tyres added during the restoration of the Bentley, but even he admits they are an acquired taste.
1927 Sunbeam Model 2
Having bought his first motorbike at just 16, Hammond has maintained a healthy number of bikes throughout his adult life. Several are part of this auction.
The Sunbeam Model 2 is one of the oldest bikes he has owned, produced at the Sunbeamland works in Wolverhampton. Powered by a 2.75hp 350cc single-cylinder engine, it benefited from a restoration in early 2000s.
1932 Velocette KSS Mk1
Birmingham-based Velocette set speed records and won two World Championship titles between 1904 and 1971. One of its most successful model lines was the K Series, created with an eye on the Isle of Man TT race.
The KSS owned by Richard Hammond is powered by a 350cc engine, with a reputation for reliability and performance. Restored to a high standard, the KSS comes complete with Isle of Man number plates.
1976 Kawasaki Z900 A4
Proving just how seriously Hammond is taking the sale, the ‘Big-Z’ Kawasaki was bought as a 40th birthday present to himself. Yet it still finds itself entered into the sale at Silverstone.
Often described as one of the best-looking motorbikes of the 1970s, the Z900 gained a stronger frame over the Z1 that preceded it. Originally a UK-supplied bike, Hammond’s Z900 was rebuilt in the 1990s. It comes with an extensive history file to support all the work done.
1977 Moto Guzzi Le Mans Mk1
A classic café racer from the 1970s, the Mk1 version of the Moto Guzzi Le Mans has become desirable to collectors.
Hammond’s own Le Mans comes with a rare period fairing, and is fitted with extras such as rear-sets and clip-on bars. Restoration work has been undertaken, with the engine rebuilt and numerous parts replaced.
2019 Norton Dominator 961 Street
Like with the Kawasaki Z900, the Norton Dominator 961 was a birthday present from Hammond to himself. In fact, the limited-edition Street was purchased for his 50th birthday, with Richard getting bike number 50 of the 50 made.
The fuel tank is handmade, the rear shock absorbers supplied by Ohlins, and carbon fibre is used for multiple parts. Despite the desirable specification, Hammond has added just 121 miles to the Dominator since buying it.
2016 Bowler CSP V8 Prototype
Along with the Richard Hammond Collection, the Classic Sale at Silverstone is packed with numerous other impressive cars and motorbikes. They include this prototype Bowler off-road racer. An earlier Bowler Wildcat is perhaps best known for Hammond’s “I am a Driving God” moment on Top Gear.
This particular Bowler may look like a Land Rover Defender on the outside, but underneath it uses Bowler’s own Cross Sector Platform (CSP) chassis. Powered by a 5.0-litre supercharged Jaguar V8, power output is said to be close to 570hp.
A 300-litre long-range fuel cell, air conditioning and racing bucket seats are all included. An eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox handles the power, while Brembo brakes and Bilstein suspension are fitted to control it all. Oh, and it is road legal.
1997 Ferrari 550 Maranello
Richard Hammond is reported to have said his Ferrari 550 Maranello was one car he truly regrets selling. This particular car is not the one previously owned by the star, but is a similar specification, with Rosso Corsa paintwork and six-speed manual transmission.
First supplied to Hong Kong, this right-hand-drive 550 Maranello came to the UK in 2012. It has an extensive service history, with the 485hp V12 having covered only 26,000 miles.
We can only hope the current vendor has no regrets after the hammer falls on this 550.
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
For the ultimate in All-American performance, the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is hard to beat. Little more than a thinly disguised dragster, it packs a supercharged 6.2-litre Hemi V8 with an astonishing 840hp.
The Demon set numerous Guinness World Records when launched. This included the fastest 0-60 mph time of 1.9 seconds, and being the first production car to pull a wheelie. Imported into the UK by Clive Sutton, this Dodge has been driven for just 245 miles.
Having driven an SRT Demon on The Grand Tour, we imagine Richard Hammond would approve of this one.
Hennessey Performance has announced a limited-edition run of its wild Exorcist Camaro ZL1 muscle car.
The new release is intended to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the infamous Texas tuning company.
Instead of cake or balloons, Hennessey will celebrate in the only way it knows how: with 1,000 horsepower of supercharged performance.
Heart of darkness
Hennessey introduced the Chevrolet Camaro-based Exorcist as a riposte to the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. With such an incredible ouput, company founder John Hennessey believes the Exorcist could easily slay the Demon.
The headline 1,000 horsepower and 883 lb-ft of torque come from extensive modifications to the Camaro’s V8 engine. This includes a high-flow supercharger, custom exhaust system, and a host of upgraded internal parts for the engine.
It means that the Exorcist can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 2.1 seconds, and push all the way to a 217 mph top speed. Drag racing fans will be impressed by a quarter-mile time of 9.57 seconds.
Offered with either a manual or automatic transmission, Hennessey provides each Exorcist with a two-year or 24,000-mile warranty.
Super-fast celebration
A 100-car production run of the Exorcist Camaro had previously been planned by Hennessey.
Now, 30 of those cars will be designated as 30th Anniversary models. Identifying these will be easy, thanks to the commemorative logos set behind the front wheels.
A special Anniversary Edition chassis plate will also be added to each car. This will be individually numbered, designating the build number of the 30 cars.
The Anniversary Edition model will cost buyers from $135,000 (£96,500), a price which includes the base Camaro ZL1. Both coupe or convertible models can be specified.
‘Ferocious supercar slayer‘
Founded in 1991, Hennessey Performance has gone from working in a small rented garage to becoming a world-renowned turning company. Later, with its Venom GT hypercar, the company claimed Guinness World Records.
Along with tuning other performance cars, Hennessey is currently engaged in building its bespoke 1,800 horsepower Venom F5 hypercar.
John Hennessey, company founder and CEO, commented: “The Exorcist is the epitome of the American muscle car and has the off-the-line performance to embarrass almost any car on the planet. We’ve been making fast cars faster since 1991, so our 30th Anniversary Exorcist pools all we know into one ferocious supercar slayer.”
Even the professionals need a bit of guidance. At least, that’s what I’m told as I book a session with Rob Wilson, coach to racing superstars from the heady heights of Formula One, Indycar, the World Rally Championship and more.
Wilson has been doing his job for three decades. His wisdom and techniques won’t register on a telemetry box, but they will get you around a racetrack half-a-second faster.
Here’s a taster of Wilson’s advice for driving like a pro. Don’t try this at home, etc…
In search of Flat Car
“There’s fast driving and there’s race driving,” Wilson tells me. Conventional wisdom would have you take the smoothest line through a corner, maintaining the highest average speed possible. You carve an arc and keep it smooth.
Not here, Rob says. In a humble Vauxhall Astra estate, I learn about “Flat Car”: the first of many revelations to come.
If you think of conventional cornering technique as a smooth arc, carrying on in the same direction will make a circle – a penny. This is not the way to go fast, apparently. What you want is to drive in the shape of a 50-pence piece, turning that giant never-ending corner into a series of straights and bends. Accelerate, chuck it in, accelerate, chuck it in.
Flat Car is the point at which the car is going fastest, during those straights. Or, in the case of a conventional corner: never. The car is never flat, always loaded up. It makes sense when you think about it. A car will always be going its fastest in a straight line. Whenever you’re turning, you’re scrubbing speed.
The goal, then, is to keep the actual corners as brief as possible. If you want Flat Car, you need to be going straight. Then you can use the speed-scrubbing of the corner as your brakes.
The result is piling into the first turn for Wilson’s makeshift circuit, off the throttle for the rapid and aggressive turn, ready to plant it as soon as I’m flat. This only applies within reason, however – the act of turning in won’t reduce speed sufficiently for a hairpin after a long straight.
Heel-and-toe harmony
Why you may be asking, does a Formula One driver need to know heel-and-toe shifting technique? F1 cars haven’t had a manual gearbox for more than 20 years.
For those who don’t know, heel-and-toe is the process of smooth down-shifting while braking. As you’re on the brakes, you slide your foot across onto the throttle to get a blip as you shift down the gears. This puts the gearbox and engine speeds in sync, taking the jerkiness out of slowing down.
Wilson says the skill of heel-and-toe isn’t what’s important, it’s the sensation of feeling the way the car responds to smoother shifts. Being able to look out for the results of a bad shift versus a good shift, to feel the car rocking about on its suspension if you don’t quite nail it.
Tuning in to such chassis movements means drivers will be able to sense judders in a paddle-shift gearbox car as it downshifts, too. Movements the telemetry wouldn’t otherwise tell you about. They can then feed that back to engineers who recalibrate things for a smoother shift.
The result of a pro practising heel-and-toe in a diesel Astra is a faster, smoother, better F1 car come race-day.
Pre-tension the brakes
This leads us on to a theory of Wilson’s, where old-school feel and practice can win out even over the most sophisticated modern tech. He didn’t quite give a word for it but I’m calling it pre-tensioning. It was by far the most difficult thing to master when behind the wheel, given the delicacy of the inputs.
It’s best to imagine it via the medium of a braking system. When you brake, you put your foot on the pedal and you slow down. In between those two things happening, pressure builds up in the fluid systems of the brakes. It’s a matter of milliseconds but there is something of a preamble, a delay.
What Rob would have you do is brake very gently, before leaning in. The result is that the braking system is, for want of a better word, prepared, for your heavy-footed demands of deceleration. No preamble, just full braking force the instant you press with intent.
Get the weight transfer right
It’s the same when cornering. Turn in hard, as late as possible, and you can expect the car to roll a bit, taking a few milliseconds to settle onto the side that’s loading up. Rob would have you turn ever so slightly first, a matter of single degrees of lock.
At speed, that achieves a weight transfer of about 10-20kg onto the side you’ll be leaning on. Once you turn in properly, milliseconds later, the suspension system is pre-tensed and ready for the full force of cornering.
It all makes sense, but that’s not the mind-blowing thing. As with the computer systems not being able to tell you how to perfectly calibrate an F1 car’s shift, nor can they tell you what’s happening as you brake quicker and corner harder due to pre-tensioning.
You’re lapping tangibly quicker, but the lines on the graph show very little difference. It’s a ripple effect, the origin of which is almost imperceptible to even the most advanced of digital eyes.
Against the clock: the result
The results were pretty incredible, if we’re honest. The first proper lap that I felt proud of was a 1min 43sec. That compares to Rob’s 1min 29sec benchmark. After some practice, some lunch, a few pep talks and the times tumbling steadily, I got down to 1min 33sec.
The sensation is quite incredible when you put some of these techniques into action and the results are evident in the speed at which you approach the next corner. I had heel-and-toe functionally down before getting in, but the Flat Car idea was something wholly new.
It’s actually quite terrifying to realise how fast you’re suddenly going. Hence the best drivers get into a ‘zone’ of sorts.
Coach class
Even a day with Wilson was enough to significantly refine my ham-fisted helmsmanship.
Top drivers visit for days and weeks at a time, and return multiple times year-round, to keep their heads in the game. Perfection is a moving target, after all.
McLaren has pulled the wraps off its new 765LT Spider. The latest ‘Longtail’ combines ferocious performance with a retractable carbon fibre roof. A 765hp twin-turbocharged V8 blasts it to 62mph in 2.8 seconds.
The Spider is the open-air version of McLaren’s track-focused 765LT. A run of 765 individually numbered cars is planned – the same total as the sold-out coupe – priced at £310,500 apiece.
The new folding hard-top disappears in 11 seconds at speeds up to 31mph, or you can lower the rear window to enjoy the ‘searing LT soundtrack’ even when the British weather does its worst. Just take it easy on those Trofeo R tyres…
The big numbers
Let’s start with some stats. That eponymous 765hp output is combined with 590lb ft of torque, giving the Spider a class-leading power-to-weight ratio. At 1,388kg (DIN weight), it’s 49kg heavier than the 765LT coupe but 80kg lighter than a 720S Spider.
With a racetrack to hand, that means 0-200kph (124mph) in 7.2 seconds and a standing quarter-mile (400m) in 10 seconds flat. Top speed is 205mph.
Downforce is also 25 percent greater than the 720S. An Aero button in the cabin automatically adjusts the elongated rear spoiler according to speed – and whether the roof is raised or lowered . McLaren says the car posts quicker lap times than either of its Longtail predecessors: the 600LT Spider and 675LT Spider.
‘Exhilarating and extreme‘
The Spider’s ‘Monocage II’ carbon fibre chassis is sufficiently stiff that no additional bracing is required over the coupe. Carbon fibre is also used extensively elsewhere to shave vital kilos. The hard-shell ‘Senna’ seats, for example, weigh just 3.35kg each. Forged alloy wheels with titanium bolts save a further 22kg.
Buyers can also dive headlong into the MSO options list. The Clubsport Pack includes track telemetry hardware with three cameras and upgraded brakes from the McLaren Senna. The Black Pack gives the car a more stealthy look, with a gloss finish for the front splitter, diffuser and air intakes. If you insist, you can even have a carbon fibre ignition key.
Ian Howshall, global product manager at McLaren, says: “When you lower the roof of the Spider, there is a step-change in character – almost a theatrical element, like experiencing a live orchestra from right in front of the stage”. Company CEO Mike Flewitt promises “exhilarating, extreme performance”.
A long tale
Flewitt is a particular fan of the 765LT – and McLaren’s harder, faster Longtail cars in general. In an interview last year, he told us: “Perhaps the LT brand is what I’m proudest of. The cars are daily usable and very exciting even at low speed, yet they’re amazing on a track. They absolutely hit the spot for McLaren – and for me.”
Referring to the 765LT coupe, he continued: “Before this, I’d have probably said [my favourite McLaren road car was] the 675LT. We took the 650S and made it a little lighter, faster and more aerodynamic, but the result was way more than the sum of its parts.”
Flewitt’s enthusiasm makes an LT version of the forthcoming McLaren Artura look likely. You can read our full preview of the new plug-in hybrid supercar here.
After driving it on-track at Silverstone, we said: ‘This isn’t a hold-on-and-hope rollercoaster ride. The McLaren’s hydraulic steering overflows with tactility and its chassis is benign and forgiving. Oversteer is there if you want it, of course, but the car rewards tidy lines and accurate inputs, not heavy-footed hooliganism… The 765LT sees Woking flexing its muscles and playing to its strengths.’
What are the odds on the 765LT Spider making our ‘10 best supercars of 2022’ list? We’ll find out later this year.
