Went out in a DTM car driven by a Formula 1 test driver yesterday!
#1
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Thought I'd share what I did yesterday as I certainly found it interesting!
I've been in and driven some fast cars over the years but this experience changed my perceptions of what a car is capable of, it was just incredible. I've read DTM cars are about as close to Formula 1 as you can get in a 2-seater and you can see why; they are essentially full carbon chassis cars with double wishbone suspension all round, 480bhp NA V8 engine revving to 9000rpm, sequential 'box, full carbon brakes, massive amounts of aero, DRS etc... Very, very advanced cars. They are actually quite heavy, minimum weight is 1100kg so straight line performance wasn't exactly phenomenal, but the braking and handling was genuinely insane.
I've never felt anything brake so violently, the forces under heavy braking are like being pushed against a wall - hard. And no matter how much you try your neck swings forward each time!
But the cornering ability was even more impressive. You can feel the difference the aero must make as I didn't think it was possible to go round a corner like that. It literally just went where you wanted it to go virtually no matter what the speed. At one point, I glanced over at the speedo as he went into a fairly tight sweeping corner and it showed 200km/h - which is 124mph! And it just held on! He didn't lift, just turned in!
Driver was Daniel Juncadella who is a test driver for a Formula 1 team I'm told. He was pretty handy! Bruno Spengler was also on hand, ex-DTM champion. He took me out in a road car and he can drive.
Anyway, couple of pics/vid:
![Name: IMG_3692_zps7145f308.jpg
Views: 33
Size: 82.1 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/general-car-related-discussion/68315d1501447650-went-out-in-a-dtm-car-driven-by-a-formula-1-test-driver-yesterday-img_3692_zps7145f308.jpg)
![Name: IMG_3685_zps58040c1a.jpg
Views: 12
Size: 74.3 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/general-car-related-discussion/68316d1501447650-went-out-in-a-dtm-car-driven-by-a-formula-1-test-driver-yesterday-img_3685_zps58040c1a.jpg)
Inside is a little cramped!
![Name: IMG_3686_zpsdf87b9e0.jpg
Views: 13
Size: 47.3 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/general-car-related-discussion/68317d1501447650-went-out-in-a-dtm-car-driven-by-a-formula-1-test-driver-yesterday-img_3686_zpsdf87b9e0.jpg)
Couple of vids, starter motor was loud!
![](http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y70/XRT_si/th_IMG_3696_zps6cef5a0e.jpg)
I've been in and driven some fast cars over the years but this experience changed my perceptions of what a car is capable of, it was just incredible. I've read DTM cars are about as close to Formula 1 as you can get in a 2-seater and you can see why; they are essentially full carbon chassis cars with double wishbone suspension all round, 480bhp NA V8 engine revving to 9000rpm, sequential 'box, full carbon brakes, massive amounts of aero, DRS etc... Very, very advanced cars. They are actually quite heavy, minimum weight is 1100kg so straight line performance wasn't exactly phenomenal, but the braking and handling was genuinely insane.
I've never felt anything brake so violently, the forces under heavy braking are like being pushed against a wall - hard. And no matter how much you try your neck swings forward each time!
But the cornering ability was even more impressive. You can feel the difference the aero must make as I didn't think it was possible to go round a corner like that. It literally just went where you wanted it to go virtually no matter what the speed. At one point, I glanced over at the speedo as he went into a fairly tight sweeping corner and it showed 200km/h - which is 124mph! And it just held on! He didn't lift, just turned in!
Driver was Daniel Juncadella who is a test driver for a Formula 1 team I'm told. He was pretty handy! Bruno Spengler was also on hand, ex-DTM champion. He took me out in a road car and he can drive.
Anyway, couple of pics/vid:
![Name: IMG_3692_zps7145f308.jpg
Views: 33
Size: 82.1 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/general-car-related-discussion/68315d1501447650-went-out-in-a-dtm-car-driven-by-a-formula-1-test-driver-yesterday-img_3692_zps7145f308.jpg)
![Name: IMG_3685_zps58040c1a.jpg
Views: 12
Size: 74.3 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/general-car-related-discussion/68316d1501447650-went-out-in-a-dtm-car-driven-by-a-formula-1-test-driver-yesterday-img_3685_zps58040c1a.jpg)
Inside is a little cramped!
![Name: IMG_3686_zpsdf87b9e0.jpg
Views: 13
Size: 47.3 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/general-car-related-discussion/68317d1501447650-went-out-in-a-dtm-car-driven-by-a-formula-1-test-driver-yesterday-img_3686_zpsdf87b9e0.jpg)
Couple of vids, starter motor was loud!
![](http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y70/XRT_si/th_IMG_3696_zps6cef5a0e.jpg)
![](http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y70/XRT_si/th_IMG_3689_zps54b3a857.jpg)
#6
Too many posts.. I need a life!!
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you lucky sod, the day sounded awesome
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#12
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I had a good look inside a BMW DTM car at Brands Hatch and they are unlike any other Touring Car: they are just so far removed from the production version.
Having seen them on track, a passenger ride must have been serious fun!
Having seen them on track, a passenger ride must have been serious fun!
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