Epic Drive France: Bourgogne to Bordeaux

Epic Drive 2017: Bourgogne to Bordeaux

By Karen

I am the Karen of karenable and am pretty much everything my husband describes. You will be convinced by the end of this series that brings you inside a one-week trip from Bourgogne to Bordeaux with us, a few of our closest friends and family who all share a passion for supercars, traveling and wining and dining in Michelin starred restaurants. In this first blog, I will share the Plan: the who, the how, the where and the when.

The travel group was comprised of us, SSO’s brother and his wife and 2 near & dear friends from Switzerland. How dear is a Swiss friend that ‘lends’ your brother a Porsche GT3 for a week? A loving brother who lets his wife to fly ahead and spend a few days shopping in Geneva?

You might be familiar with our collection of McLaren’s, Porsche’s, Maserati and Ferarri’s. His younger brother also has a Ferrari. The Swiss gents each have a very impressive collection of Ferraris & Porsches. This is just their current collections – it doesn’t include their past or what they have on order for the future. On this particular trip we took the Ferrari F40.

Our Ferrari F40 has been renting a room at a very discret supercar ‘hotel’ outside of London. When we arrived the F40 was sharing a room with a beautiful Series 1 Jaguar E-Type. The only predicable downside of the F40 is the ‘boot’ space. It limits us to travelling with 2 duffle bags, in total. It just requires very careful wardrobe planning; mix & match evening wear and clothes that can be rolled and not wrinkle. Thank goodness there is Lululemon by day and Missoni, Hermes scarves (that double as tops) & Issey Miyake by night. Add a travel size La Mer and I’m good to go. It’s never been a challenge for SSO. Jeans, t-shirts, his BV shoes and Lora Piana blue jacket; job done.

When mapping the route from Bourgogne to Bordeaux, we did not use Google Maps or Waze. We weren’t interested to get from A to B the fastest way. The real enjoyment of a supercars is driving the great ‘green’ roads on the Michelin maps. It’s about the journey not the destination (well not exactly!) But in this case, the driving on great roads was a core objective of the trip. People who are passionate about driving get it – that is when driving is at its best and most enjoyable. Also for the passenger.

Flying in and out of big cities for a few days can be fun. We have done a lot of that, and continue to do as the Bucket List is long and alive. But the real gems are the little towns and villages barely on the map. Certainly none that most people have ever heard of. Most are unexpected. The need for a bio break or caffeine fix can find you in the quaintest village where the locals come out in groves at admiration and awe at the cars (not us!) Some of the best meals were completely unexpected in a small little bistro that you would barely think to go into let alone make it a 2 hour ‘pitstop’.

With but a few exceptions over 20 years, Relais and Chateau has never let us down. Consistently high standards, elegant, understated, exceptional quality (high threat count linens, thick plush towels & robes, fresh flowers, signature amenities) and exceptional service – all the little things taken care of without asking. It is our go to when looking for accommodation at a destination. It’s not just the quaint rooms but also the manicured grounds, the special areas inside and out for cocktails, their gourmet breakfasts and of course, their extensive wine collections & Michelin Starred Dinners that we cherish all night. This is not a plug for R&C, just the facts.

Tomorrow, the next blog:

Day 1: The Sound of the Arrivals, The Taste of Fois Gras & Chassagne-Montrachet vs Puligny-Montrachet …

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May 2018

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Summer Recommendations for Every Budget - 2018 Edition

I original wrote a short blog on summer recommendation for different budgets six years ago (the original blog is attached below). Recently I was asked by a group in Australia for an update. As I am now based on the west side of the Atlantic, the budgets are now in US $ and I have given a few American cars more consideration. I have also extended the time frame to go back to 1970.

The 2018 list, starting with the more modest budgets is:

$15k-25k range: Porsche 911 (996), Maserati GranSport. It’s hard to go wrong recommending a Porsche. In terms of bargains these days, the Porsche 911 (996) offers tremendous performance and value. 996s have taken the place of the 993s at the bottom of the 911 price ladder currently but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still terrific driver’s cars. In this price range you can find a huge selection of 996s. The Maserati GranSport is another car that had a spot in our garage about a decade ago. In sport mode, the GranSport comes alive and responds well to being pushed. The Ferrari supplied V8 that sits in the nose is wonderful to hear sing and provides plenty of grunt. Of the early 21stcentury Maseratis, the GranSport is the best of the breed.

$25-50k range: Jaguar F-Type, Dodge Viper. The F-Type in my humble opinion is the most fun to come out of Coventry on four wheels since the misunderstood XJ220 ceased production back in 1994. My personal preference is the V6S convertible with an 8-speed auto gearbox with paddles. Relatively high production numbers mean there are always plenty available so finding a good one should not be too hard. I added the Dodge Viper to the list to make sure there was something a bit on the insane side. Raw and single-minded are how I would sum it up but it’s hard not to like anything with 2 seats and a V10 stuffed in the nose. In many ways, the Viper makes most TVR’s seem quite polished. If you’re looking for an adrenaline kick, it’s hard to beat.

$50-75k range: Aston Martin DB9 Volante, Ferrari 308 GTB. There are few cars more elegant and appealing than a drop top V12 Aston. The DB9 is a proper polished Grand Tourer which can also be driven every day. I would rate these as one of the best value per $ on the market right now. The Ferrari 308 GTB is a personal favorite. I believe the early carb cars are the best of the bunch and a well sorted one is a joy to drive. The 308 handles like a go cart. Back country roads and twisty mountain drives are where it shines.

$75-100k range: Maserati Grantursimo Cabriolet, Audi R8 V10. The Maserati Granturismo Cabriolet is another family favorite. The Ferrari supplied V8 is a gem and sounds fantastic. While more GT than Sports car, it is a car you can drive from Paris to Rome via the Swiss Alps in a day and emerge un-battered. The Granturismo is as happy cruising as it is being pushed. In this price range you should be able to find your choice of low miles V10 Audi R8 Coupes or Spyders. The R8 is both impressively quick and quite forgiving. Hence a great choice for a first supercar.

$100-150k range: Ferrari 550 Maranello, McLaren 12C Spider. When the 550 Maranello was launched in 1996, it was the 1st great front engine V12 Ferrari Grand Tourer since the demise of the legendary Daytona back in 1973. While a 550 is capable of handling the Swiss Alpine passes, it is most at home crushing continents. It has ample luggage space for a multiweek road trip, wonderfully supportive seats, and a gearbox that invites you to come play. The 12C Spider was McLaren’s first attempt at a “mass” produced road car. The combination of carbon fibre tub, twin turbo V8 producing 616 bhp, and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission combined to form a package that is still near top in class. Build quality on the 12C improved during the production run with a 2014 being the best of the breed.

$150-200k range: Ferrari 430 Scuderia, McLaren 650S Spider These are two of my favorites. It’s hard to top the experience of driving a 430 Scuderia across the Scottish Highlands. The single clutch F1 gearbox is quick, sharp, & as the last iteration developed by Ferrari, best in class. The Scuderia is a beautifully balanced car that urges you to drive it hard. It’s also the last Ferrari that still feels more analogue than digital. Definitely a future classic. The McLaren 650S Spider was the interim model between the 12C and 720S. The 650S addressed a number of the perceived shortcomings of the 12C and is a better car in a large number of small ways. I have used one as my daily driver for the last 3 years and can’t recommend it highly enough. Hugh amounts of performance, beautifully weighted steering, and the best suspension in its class.

$200-600K range: Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, Porsche Carrera GT Both of these sit right at the high end of this price range and for good reason. The Ferrari Daytona is one of the greatest GTs ever produced and the Carrera GT maybe the purest driver’s car to emerge from Stuttgart. The V12 in the Daytona is a work of art and produces perhaps the best sound track of any road car. The V10 in the Carrera GT had its roots in a development project originally for F1 and later resurrected for Le Mans. Neither car likes to potter around and both come alive near the speed limit. The Daytona is a work out to parallel park, but handling is light and precise at speed. The Carrera GT’s clutch requires patience to master but rewards when you do. It is hard to go wrong with either.

$600k-1.5M: Ferrari F40, Koenigsegg CCX. The Ferrari F40 makes most 10 ten greatest car list and for good reason. To drive one is to understand why. There is little that the F40 doesn’t do well. It is equally at home on a cross continental road trip, being wrung out on an alpine pass, or at a race track. The Koenigsegg CCX is my favorite of the Koenigseggs. Much more polished and drivable than the early cars but still full of the character and personality one would expect from a small bespoke manufacturer.

Opinions and recommendations are just that. At the end of the day, always buy what speaks to you.

Below is the original list from about 5 years ago. Values on quite a few have changed significantly

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With Spring finally coming, quite few friends and acquaintances’ have recently approached me for advice on what to buy for summer motoring fun. These are normally discussions I quite enjoy and gain quite a few insights from. Most focus on the more modern cars, post circa 1990, as I tend to be more familiar with a wider range of makes and models in this era. My first two questions normally are: what is your budget, and how do you plan on using the car. On the first and for the sake of simplicity here, we will group budgets as £ 15-25k, 25-50k, 50-75k, 75-100k, 100-125, 125-150k, 150-200k, and 200-250k. In terms of use, focus here will be on weekend fun, with the emphasis on it being a great driver’s car. As these are all cars that the person would want for immediate enjoyment, new cars have not been considered. As this is a blog and not a book, I will limit my comments to my top two choices in each price bracket.

Starting at the top of the financial brackets:

£200k-250k range: I found this group to be an easy decision, clear votes for the Porsche Carrera GT and Jaguar XJR-15. The Carrera GT is a huge amount of car for the money and a real bargain (to the extent you could ever call a £250k car a bargain) right now. It is a proper old school supercar with a hugely impressive engine, CF tub, 6 speed manual gearbox, Carbon Ceramic brakes, and a reputation for biting if you don’t respect it properly. The Carrera GT has lots of character and it requires real skill to drive well. The Jaguar XJR-15 is basically a road legal Group C racecar. With a 6 liter V12, carbon tub, offset seating position, and huge AP racing brakes, it doesn’t get any more focused than this. The XJR-15 is a great uncompromised driver’s car.

£150k-200k range: This is another easy one in terms of recommendations. The two best supercars to be launched in the last several years sit in this price band right now and some early examples can even be found for slightly less. Both are V8s, mid-engine, ultra smooth dual clutch gearbox, and have everyday usability. Performance is staggering yet both can crawl through traffic without blowing a gasket or turning into a rolling BBQ. The two recommendations here are the Ferrari 458 Italia & McLaren MP4-12C.

£125k-150k range: I have always found this a much tougher range to make a call in. Looking at the market today, the two that would be the most tempting are the Lamborghini Murcielago/LP640 and the Ferrari 430 Scuderia. Finding a nice Scuderia for sale these days is not easy and there is a very good reason for it, they are great focused driver’s cars that will always put a smile on your face. The Scuderia is the last in the line of the V8 F1 single clutch models and by far the best of the breed. The Murcielago is Lamborghini at its best, large, loud, with tons of presence. Unlike some of the earlier Lambos, the Murci drives brilliantly and does not require physical therapy after more than 10 minutes behind the wheel.

£100k-125k range: Here I would have to go with the unloved and the little known. In terms of £ for performance you are not going to beat the McLaren Mercedes SLR or the Mosler MT900S. The Mosler has the pure driver’s car box smothered, and on the track will blow just about everything else this side of an Enzo into the weeds. In addition to what it can do on the track, the Mosler has excellent road manners and can deal with traffic and speed bumps. The McMerc is just a huge amount of car for the money right now, a nice balance of comfort in the best of the GT tradition with blistering performance. The new upgrade packages offered through McLaren Special Operations address many of the perceived negatives and make it an even more tempting choice.

£75k-100k range: Very tough to make a choice in this range as there are a lot of great options. Top of my recommended list would have to be the Porsche 911 (997) GT3. There is a reason the GT3 has won a ton of awards, it is simply an outstanding piece of engineering that is brilliant on both road and track. Of any 911 range, the GT3 has always been my favorite. For the second choice, I am going to bend the rules a bit and go with a good but not great driver’s car that gets the nod on looks alone. I have always has a soft spot for the Aston Martin DBS.

£50k-75k range: It gets even tougher in this group as there is a wealth of choices. For performance and fun to drive, I would have to give the nod to the Audi R8 V10 and the Porsche 911 (977) Cabriolet. Both are beautifully engineered, well built, and exciting to drive cars. Each has plenty of performance and high limits which make them a blast to push down an empty “B” road on an early Sunday morning. As a wildcard if you need 4 seats, the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti is a fantastic choice. It handles and goes like a car half its size.

£25k-50k range: In the more affordable category are two of my favorite Ferraris, the 360 Spider and the 550 Maranello. On the 360 Spider, personal preference would be for the 6 speed manual. On a nice summer day with the roof down, the sound of the 400 bhp flat crankshaft V8 is enthralling. The 550 Maranello is more than a worthy successor for the Daytona and it seems to only be getting better with age. It is hard to beat a Ferrari V12 and the 550 is one of the best.

£15k-25k range: And finally in the budget category, two old favorites, the TVR Griffith and Lotus Elise. The TVR & Lotus are both hugely fun to drive, can be pushed hard, and have character in abundance. Before buying a Griffith though, taking out a RAC or AA membership is not a bad idea as the TVR can be as frustrating as it is brilliant. The Elise is the car that saved Lotus and for good reasons, to this day it is one of the sweetest handling cars ever produced.

The above is just one Petrolhead’s opinion. At the end of the day, you should buy the car you really love.

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April 2018

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The 1st of the "Epic Drives"

Over the past decade, my brother and I, along with a few close friends, have organized annual multiday road trips over some of Europe’s great driving roads. These “Epic Drives” all have three core deliverables, great roads, great hotels, and great restaurants. Over the years we have had Ferraris, Maseratis, McLarens, Moslers, and Lambrghinis on these trips. The article that follows is from the 1stof the adventures.

For me, the Epic Drive started officially at the airport when I picked up my brother in a newly acquired Maserati Gransport. He had flown in from the US for 5 days of driving nirvana. The first day was spent on the track at Donington flogging the life out of a poor Ferrari 360 Challenge followed by 1,400 miles on some of Europe’s best driving roads.

Day 1: The Road towards Reims

With a train to catch, we had to get off to an early start on Day 1. Today we needed to cover both a far bit of the UK followed by a good chunk of France. After a quick couple of cups of coffee, all the bags went into the 2 cars and off we headed. I started out driving the Ferrari 360 Modena with my brother in the Maserati Gransport. The trip down to the Eurotunnel terminal was both quick and uneventful. After a short wait we were loaded on the train with the brilliant roads of France now only a half hour away. At this point, one of our friends who would be joining us on the trip called and it appeared that we would be intersecting shortly after our arrival in France. We agreed the meeting point and thus our little convoy of two would shortly grow to three.

While in the tunnel, we agreed to switch cars and planned the route to the hotel. As it was still quite a distance, we agreed to a combination of both highways and country roads which would give us an arrival time well before dinner. Arrival in France went smoothly and within minutes, we were back on the highway pointed towards the meeting spot with our friend in his Ferrari 365BB.

As our friend had been caught in a bit of traffic, we arrived a few minutes ahead which allowed us time to get something to drink and stretch our legs. As we had parked around the corner from the filling station at the rest stop, we heard the 365 BB well before it was visually spotted. Fond memories (and a dollop of jealously) immediately flooded back. This 365BB was in terrific condition, sounded marvelous, and was impressive to watch as it carved up the highway. A quick round of greetings was exchanged before it was back to business. Off we roared towards the hotel where we would be meeting up with the other two members of our little group and their Ferrari 430 Scuderia & Ferrari 550 Maranello.

After another hour on the highway, it was time to head into the country and the “D” roads of France. These are truly the roads Ferraris are built for, smooth, beautiful, and challenging. The initial bit went very smoothly until all of a sudden I noticed a distinct lack of Ferraris filling my rearview mirror. After finding a safe spot to pull over, I quickly called my brother only to find out that our friend’s 365BB had “failed to proceed” at the last intersection in the small town that we had just passed through.

A quick U-turn and it was back to see if there was anything we could do to help. As it turned out the problem was the alternator had given up the ghost leading to a very dead battery. We were able to use the Maserati to get enough of a change into the battery to get the 365BB back up and running. With limited time and electricity, off we set at a very smart clip for the hotel. Fortunately the 365BB was able to make it without any further drama.

I guess our arrival at the hotel was slightly less than stealthy as our friends were well on his way to the parking lot when we arrived. We all checked in and agreed to meet up for dinner. Dinner was excellent and over not to late despite the long debate between the Europeans and Americans over the wine list and later the cheese platter.

Day 2: Chasing the Scud

My alarm clock for Day 3 was the 365BB. Our European friends had gotten an early start on the day and were trying to see if we could get the 365BB sorted so that it could continue on the trip. Unfortunately it was not to be The unfortunate owner had to have his brother and father come down in another Ferrari 550 Maranello to rescue and escort the stricken 365BB back home using multiple battery swaps between the two cars.

The remainder of the group then set off in the general direction of Tours. We left the routing a bit up in the air with the only caveat being to avoid the highways and stay on the D roads cutting through the countryside. We agreed to 1st head south before turning west and to stop in one of the larger towns to pick up food for a picnic somewhere along the route. During the brief stop, a local classics group pulled up to admire our little group. We had a vibrant conversation utilizing broken parts of about six different languages before heading back off. The scenery in this part of France is beautiful and just a pleasure to drive thought. Keeping pace with the 430 Scuderia in the hands of a very skilled driver presented a continued challenge, just adding to the overall great experience. Watching the Scuderia move up behind traffic before accelerating coolly past in the blink of an eye reminded me of watching a great white shark toy with its prey. The 430 Scuderia was in a very different league from everything else we encountered on the road this trip. Not only is acceleration stupendous, the engine braking is phenomenal to watch.

After a few hours we stopped for a quick lunch in one of the great parks north of Orleans. As per Day 2, my brother and I took the opportunity to switch cars at the break. We agreed on the driving order with the 550 Maranello riding tail to keep the group moving smartly along. Settling into the Maserati, the question in my mind was could the Gransport keep pace with the Scuderia. Hope lay in the 4.2 liter Ferrari sourced engine and the sports settings. This would be a good test as to the Gransports true abilities.

Fifteen minutes into the afternoon’s drive, I was impressed with the Gransport. While the regular setting is fairly useless, hit the “Sports” button and Gransport transforms into a proper sports car. While it requires a lot more work and constant concentration to keep pace, push it hard, and it responds. The balance of the drive went smoothly and included a short stop at the Chateau de Chambord before a sprint across the Loire River to the hotel. As per Day 1, dinner was excellent and over not to late despite the long debate, again, over the wine list and later the cheese platter.

Day 3: Being Chased by the Scud

We got an early start on Day 3 as we had a significant amount of distance to cover. Within minutes of hitting the road we ran into a local bike group out for their Sunday morning ride. We got very lucky as at the 1st intersection, they went left and we turned right. Past experience indicates that most of these bike clubs seem to think they own the road and can be a major pain to get around. It would be much easier for all if they would just ride in a single file on the right hand side of the road vs. 3 across down the middle.

The first stint of the day was down the highway south towards Bordeaux. Shortly after clearing Tours we approached the first set of toll booths. Standing in front of the booths were a group of the ever friendly Gendarmerie. I was not particularly concerned as I believed we had been driving not too far off the 130 kph posted speed limit. Turns out I was wrong. As I passed through the tolls, I was waved over to the right hand side of the plaza and informed that they had clocked me doing 137 kph in a 110 kph zone. When I told them I thought it was a 130 kph zone, I was informed that it had been, but had been very recently changed. Seems that the rumored French Ferrari and/or driving with British plates tax was very much in force. After making a Euro 90 donation to the French Treasury, off we went again. The good news for the rest of the groups was that they had only gotten me in the lead car with the radar gun, so the others got off.

It was another hour on the highway before we turned off onto the smaller freeway. The freeway section ran for about 120 kilometers and was fairly unexciting. After the freeway it was back into the countryside. Here we found some brilliant roads and the pressure was on to set a pace that would not put the rest of the group to sleep. The narrow valleys served as the perfect sound stage for the 360’s tubi and the Scuderia. Using just the sound track between the two cars, it was possible to match gear changes and braking points. The next two hours were some of the best, most enjoyable driving I can remember. The type of drive you just don’t want to end.

Sadly, we finally reached the hotel. After a short walk around town, we meet up for a final brilliant dinner. As per each of the preceding evenings, the food was excellent and the debate over the wine list was far too long. The evening finished with all of us agreeing that we definitely needed to plan another Epic Drive in the Spring.

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April 2018

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A Day With Ferrari At Spa

I wrote this a number of years ago after my 1st track day at Spa, which till today, is still my favorite track.
To most people going to a Spa conjures up images of excessive pampering, blissful relaxation, body scrubs, thermal baths, and total escape from the stresses of daily life. This Spa is a bit different, far less than relaxing, actually quite terrifying in parts. This Spa does help release endorphins, normally right after the terror dies down.

Dawn came, and the skies were clear. As Spa is located in the eastern corner of normally wet grey Belgium, clear skies are not a given by any means. It seemed that the gods were smiling, and the day would be good. As I had brought a friend along for his first Ferrari trackday, rookie excitement meant that we had to get to the pits bright and early to see everything being set up. At 7:00 AM we met in the hotel lobby and headed out towards the track, a 30 minute drive away. Upon arrival we headed immediately to the pits. They were already covered in a sea of Ferraris being readied for exercise. With over 40 Ferraris present, ranging from a F40 to a F430 GT3, the scene in the pits was most impressive. As the engines were fired up to move the cars out of the garage area into the pit lane, the barely muffled exhausts of the Challenge cars were near deafening. Over a dozen Ferrari mechanics were swarming over the cars checking wheels, tires, fluid levels, and safety equipment.

We then headed outside to find my 360 Challenge which was already lined up and ready to go. A quick look into the cockpit indicated that a new driver’s seat had been fitted as the old one had expired. I dropped myself a bit less than elegantly through the roll cage into the seat to check that it had been positioned properly (the seat is not adjustable) for both the steering wheel and pedals. As usual the highly skilled crew had fitted it perfectly. Next it was time to pull the oversize oven mitt (race suit), driving shoes, and helmet out of the front compartment and so we could go get ready for the day. A quick walk around the car for a visual inspection, and then we headed off to the lounge to check in and change.
At 8:45 AM the safety briefing started. It was the usual speech about rules, flags, and track tips. I find them always to be a good reminder before heading out but this one had a slightly different twist at the end. A short speech on Eau Rouge was delivered by the Motorsports Director which got all of our attention. It started with a statement that if we went off at Eau Rouge our cars would not become a banana (i.e. bent) but rather two bananas. This was followed by the instruction that the proper way to take Eau Rouge was flat out. This would be interesting.

Briefing complete, I found my instructor, and we headed off to the car. As I had not driven Spa before, we agreed that he would take the wheel for a few warm up laps (and yes, it is much easier to have a professional race driver warm up the tires and brakes). Out of the pits we rumbled and were waved immediately onto the track. As we were one of the first out, we had the luxury of gently climbing from Eau Rouge to Raidillon before setting a leisurely pace around the rest of the 4.3 mile circuit. First impressions were that Spa is a very challenging circuit with a range of fast and slow corners along with multiple elevation changes. For the second lap, it was time to pick up the pace and this only served to reinforce my 1st impressions. After the 2nd lap we returned to the pits and swapped seats.

Now that I was seated on the business side of the cockpit, the one banana, two banana comment immediately came back to mind. Even worse, I hate bananas. Flip the ignition switch, punch the starter button, check left hand side for traffic, and off down the pit lane we rolled. Before clearing the pit lane exit, I tapped the brakes for a quick check, and off we went. Clear tarmac both in front and in back, afforded us the chance to take a slow initiation lap. Even at cruising speeds, Spa is a track on which you have to keep your concentration levels up on at all times. As we cleared the pit lane entrance to begin our second lap, the instructor’s voice came through the intercom reminding me to not lift off going through Eau Rouge-Raidillon and to make sure we were lined up straight when we hit the crest. Sure, simple, right foot down, wheel straight. The first serious time through we did it at 75%, fantastic and the flow of the entire circuit started to come together. Once through Eau Rouge, it is a flat out run in 6th for about half a mile before a sharp right left 3rd gear combination leading into the slow tight Bruxelles corner. From Bruxelles you head downhill into fast Double Gauche where you need to run the gearbox from 3 to 4 to 5 to 4 to 5 before braking heavily into Stavelot. Exiting Stavelot in 4th you need to line the car up properly to drift across the track into the right line for Blanchimont. The Stavelot to Blanchimont section is a very challenging 4th to 6th gear section as it includes several shallow corners which again can be taken at almost flat out, if you hit the apexes properly. If you miss the apex, there are plenty of tires on the other side of the shallow gravel trap to impede your progress.

With the basic flow now down, it was time to get serious. Clearing La Sources for the downhill run to Eau Rouge, it was a quick 4th, 5th, 6th gear run before braking slightly and downshifting into 5th. The compression on your body, even when strapped down hard in a race seat, as you cut across the 1st corner and start heading sharply uphill is intense. Accelerator down hard, a short move right, back slightly left, look for the crest, wheels straight, and there is nothing but blue sky through the windscreen. Get the line right and you actually cut the corner. Clearing the crest (and hopefully not your bowels) you keep your foot firmly planted and aim straight for Le Kemmel. At Le Kemmel shift up into 6th and then run flat out before braking hard and dropping to 3rd for Malmedy Les Combes. Then it is through the tough back side of the circuit to Blanchimont and the pitlane straight. The strip of asphalt from Les Sources to Malmedy Les Combes has to be the single most thrilling piece of tarmac I have ever had the pleasure to drive. It is both terrifying and utterly thrilling.
After a further ten laps with the flow getting better each time, it was time to head back into the pits for a break. I have no idea how anyone could do a 24 hour race here, after 40 minutes I found my concentration starting to drop off slightly. At these speeds, slightly off, is what leads to “bananas”.

Back in the pits, I went and found my friend who was just minutes away from his first session out. I of course offered him a bit of less than helpful advice before heading into the lounge for water and coffee. It is only when you sit down that you start to unwind and realize how both fantastic and intense the Spa circuit is. As one of the first drivers both out and then back in, I had the pleasure of watching others come in with the same ear to ear grin and look of excitement in their eyes. However, I was not here to sit in a lounge sipping espresso so after 15 minutes it was back to business.
After the mechanics checked the tires pressures and wheel bolts, off we rolled down the pit lane. Spa is a very large track, but by now most drivers were out and with 30 plus cars on the track at any given time, pockets of traffic were beginning to form. That is traffic in the high speed, late braking, definition. The cars were an even split between 430 Scuderias, 430 Challenges, 360 Challenges, along with a couple of other exotics. With a bit over 100 more bhp, the 430 Challenges were definitely faster than the 360 Challenges through Eau Rouge and Blanchimont. An extra hundred horsepower does make a difference when doing up hill. As the 430 Scuderias were on road tires and the 360 Challenges were on slicks, the Challenges had a distinct advantage. Knowing the basic differences in characteristics between the Ferraris is important when you are driving with others on the track. While this was an open pit lane strictly noncompetitive day, there was still plenty of “gentleman” passing.

The second session was even better than the first. After about ten laps on a track you start to refine the driving lines. Braking points become more precise and your sight lines improve. This also means that speed starts to increase and at points you begin to feel where the limits might be. Both the track and car were starting to heat up quite a bit as well. The fans in a 360 Challenge are very effective at blowing hot air off the track right into the cockpit. Getting roasted is not much more than a minor annoyance but you do need to be careful not to get dehydrated. After pushing much harder for another 30 – 40 minutes it was back into the pits for a brief respite before one final session prior to lunch.
At this point I caught back up with my friend and started trading stories and tips. Clearly, he was having a great time. He had done sessions in both a 430 Scuderia and a 360 Challenge. I would have guessed that he would have preferred the more civilized Scuderia but it was the track focused Challenge that really won him over. It is hard for any car on road tires to match a track car on slicks.

After the hour break, the pitlanes opened back up and out we went. By this time, I had the lines through Eau Rouge down, the difficulty at this point was solely related to making sure the intestinal fortitude held through the crest. Most of the work now was concentrated to hitting the lines through Double Gauche and Blanchimont. After a few good laps, I was quite surprised at how much faster these sections could be taken by making a few slight adjustments to the driving lines. Blanchimont in particular is deceiving as you don’t really need to brake. If you hold 5th gear a bit longer going in, you can lift off slightly, use a bit of engine braking to slow the car, and then get right back on the power as you cross the apex. This then puts you in a perfect line for the final 6th gear run to the final chicane.

By the end of the final session in the afternoon, we were both drained. The 6 fantastic hours on the track had left us both simply wiped out. The speeds and challenges of Spa demand complete focus and concentration at all times. This is the first time I have ever felt completely mentally and physically sapped at the end of a day, but what a great feeling. Before changing and exchanging farewells, I climbed to the top of the pit building to take on final look at Eau Rouge. From the viewing platform, it is a thin black ribbon cutting through a majestic forest. For those who have had the privilege of driving it, well you understand.