Every time I talk to someone who is about to buy their first motorcycle, my advice is invariably to head to a race track and get some proper training: not to learn how to go fast, but to get a better understanding of what the machine is capable of and to learn the correct techniques for cornering and braking, body position, line of sight techniques and so on; to understand that the limits of the bike will always be far higher than the rider’s own personal limits.
After attending the Audi Driving Experience at Kyalami, I shall now have to start telling all the drivers I know to go and get some training, to properly understand the dynamics of the modern car, how to harness them effectively and to understand the levels of safety that modern electronics afford.
The full-day course is open to all drivers, no matter the car they drive, although deep pockets are required, as the cost is R16,000 or thereabouts. Is it worth it? Well, I can honestly say; yes, it is.
The day starts with a classroom session, dealing with simple explanations of vehicle dynamics and addressing driving position. Then, with a pleasing lack of delay, it’s out onto the track in either Audi RS3 or RS4 models.
Now, on a normal day, the instructor will sit with the driver, giving instructions as they drive. As this was a media day, however, the journalists paired up and the instructors had their own vehicle, communicating via walkie-talkie.
The track is divided up into four sectors. The second half of the start/finish straight was used for a braking demonstration, turns one to five, turns six to eleven and the last corner all attempted three times by each driver, following the instructor who gave a running commentary and instructions via the walkie-talkie. This is a good way of learning the track, which was important for what would take place after lunch.
What is most remarkable about the RS3s and RS4s are the electronics that help gather everything together if the driver is particularly unruly. Particularly in braking and acceleration, the electronics work overtime to keep the car pointing in the right direction and the way the car will brake for itself when it detects heavy braking from speed is uncanny, if not a little disconcerting until one gets used to it.
The braking exercise mentioned above was eye-opening. Accelerating hard towards a cone chicane laid out on the track, the way the throttle could be kept flat on the floor right beyond what the ordinary motorist would think suicidal, before mashing the brake pedal and flicking the steering first one way and then the other, while maintaining full control of the vehicle and bringing it to a safe stop having missed all the cones, was simply incredible. That is the benefit of modern ABS systems and the huge computing power available in today’s cars, which will apply and release individual brakes in order to keep things pointing in the right direction.
After a delicious three-course lunch, the time comes for stringing all the exercises together with full laps of the circuit. Again, three cars head out at a time with a fourth leading car driven by the instructor.
Each car got a chance to complete a full lap directly behind the instructor’s car, with the other two cars in close attendance. Each car took turns to follow directly behind the instructor and then we all headed for the pits to change drivers and repeat the whole operation.
It was fascinating to drive the circuit at full speed, putting into practice many of the tips so readily handed out by the instructors. One soon learned that real speed comes from carefully matching throttle and brake applications to the available grip and the old mantra, “slow in, fast out” when dealing with corners was proven to be completely accurate and extremely satisfying to put into practice. The way the cars’ all-wheel drive systems catapulted the cars out of corners had to be experienced to be believed and enabled all the (significant!) power from the willing engines to be put to full use.
A short break to let both cars and drivers cool down was mandated and, after that, it was back onto the track for more fast laps, every driver getting steadily faster, in complete safety, such is the ability of the Audi RS models, not to mention the calm encouragement of the instructors.
I could have carried on lapping for hours, perhaps spurred on by the knowledge that I wasn’t having to pay for the tyres, brake pads and fuel! But all good things must come to an end and, really, we had all had so much educational fun that there could be no complaint.
The Audi Driving Experience fully confirmed to me that the roads of South Africa would be safer by a large margin if more drivers took advantage of the various training courses run at most of the racing circuits around the country. It’s not about going fast – as intoxicating as that is – but fully understanding the extremely high limits of the modern car’s dynamics, and that accidents can be avoided by utilising these dynamics.
Our sincere thanks to all who make the Audi Driving Experience a thoroughly professional day and, especially, the expert and endlessly patient instructors, John Simpson, Phillip Kekana, Gary Lipchick and Gavin Cronje.
For more information on the Audi Driving Experience, head to experience.audi.co.za
