Driving a Formula Renault at the Michelin Pilot Experience, Sepang!

[aargee]

Idling was never constant in these cars. The revv counter keeps fluctuating between 1,000 - 1,600 rpms:

Wondering a reason as what this is for?

The V6 engine needed to be cooled (yellow pipe pumps air driven by a powerful compressor) each time she came to a halt. Stepping in for the ride of my life:

Why? I mean, I couldn't understand the purpose? Is it for quick cooling & then using the car again?

A much needed massage at the end of the ride:

Whoa!!! never knew this!!! Could be probably because of neck & G force.

[lancer_rit]

wow GTO, well done :-) Experience of a lifetime, and read every word and "lived" the experience through your superb narrative.

[McLaren Rulez]

Cool stuff GTO. Had no idea you won the Pilot Experience contest! And, as usual, your pics and write up did full justice

[nitrous]

Originally Posted by aargee

Wondering a reason as what this is for?

These engines run pretty wild valve timings giving them a lumpy idle.

Originally Posted by aargee

Why? I mean, I couldn't understand the purpose? Is it for quick cooling & then using the car again?

The radiators of these cars are most probably passive cooled. ie. they don't run fans which drain a lot of current from a battery and there is no alternator which saps engine power.
On the track, the air draft at high speeds cool the radiators, but when stationary, a similar draft is simulated using those flexible air hoses.

I'll have to reiterate the achievement by GTO here.
I'm sure almost everyone here is envious for not having had this opportunity.
It might look like just playing a video game or being in a roller coaster. But, driving a single seater formula car and producing one of the best times at the event and winning a trophy is really outstanding.

[maddy42]

WOW. Superb experience. The way you were thrown around in the two seater and the way you explained it i felt i was there!

Mental note: Take part in this contest!!

[avishar]

What a lovely narrative and pictures of the entire experience!And also respect to your driving skills by taming that Renault,the fact that you came fastest in the afternoon session!
Just hope when the India F1 track opens we will get to enjoy such experiences closer to home.
PS You got your own umbrella boy,just like the f1 drivers.Although they get cute girls.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Fascinating experience, and an excellent read.

Congratulations and thank you for the thread

[SDP]

Devoured the entire writeup and snaps in last 15 odd mins.
Congratulations GTO !!
Driving a F1 car is undoubtedly on the "Top 100 things to do before I die" list of every enthusiast. Its definitely on mine!
Wow! I can imagine the kick you must have felt.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by akshay4587

The go karting track looks too slippery

A deliberate move, all the better for slipping & sliding, no?

Originally Posted by nitrous

I don't know many auto enthusiast/reviewers who can kick serious butt in a open wheeler on an F1 track and you did.

Hey, all the participants were first-timers. I wouldn't say I kicked butt at all. More like, the best of the group of average drivers

Originally Posted by KRf1

Looking forward to trying my luck next year

There isn't a reason not to, that's the only way you can participate in the Pilot experience! In another such competition, Dippy had won an all expense paid trip to the F1 Grand Prix in Sepang.

Originally Posted by Dippy

That racing suit picture of yours makes for a good shaadi.com pic

Man, I knew that was coming!

Originally Posted by theragingbull

GTO, were you one of the lucky winners of the Michelin PE competition or wot?

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

Had no idea you won the Pilot Experience contest!

Michelin gave me a media invite. I did NOT participate in, or win any competition.

Originally Posted by aargee

Why? I mean, I couldn't understand the purpose? Is it for quick cooling & then using the car again?

Simple : Neither do these cars have a battery, nor radiator cooling fans. Their engines are cooled only at high speed by....well, air!

Originally Posted by avishar

Just hope when the India F1 track opens we will get to enjoy such experiences closer to home.

Suggestion made to Michelin.

[slicks]

Congrats GTO! must have been an awesome experience.

Really liked the writeup.

[Rehaan]

Oh man! What a sweet experience!!

They sure packed in a lot of fun on the track. Glad to see there weren't any cases of "we were going to put you in xyz car... but now we've run out of time"!

What RPM is the redline on the Formula Renault usually set at (ie during races etc)? Did you break traction at all? Lock up during braking etc? What if you spun out without going into the gravel, would they let you continue the rest of your laps?

And lastly -- what about the GT3?? Any track time with that one?

@aargee - when the Red bull F1 team came to mumbai, even when the car was driving it was so hot that they had to put dry ice inside the air ducts!

cya
R

[rkbharat]

Congrats GTO,

Though I have never been to rally cars as interest, but this one is just different. Awesome I must say.

[navin]

Rush, this has been on my most enjoyable reads of all of your review posts.

Anyone can review the next Mercedes Benz, only a chosen few can drive a Formula Renault, Ford, Nissan etc...Congrats and Thanks.

[sidindica]

GTO, man...thats an experience of a lifetime....driving a car "unlike any other" that you have driven in your life...

Congratulations on the trophy and hmm...dippy is right, in my view, you have lost quite a weight it seems experiencing all those G forces..lol!

[leadf00t]

Lovely Report GTO.

This is indeed a great opportunity for petrol heads like us.

And what a way to finish the day with the 1st runner ups trophy.