Ferrari Experience
Circuit Mont-Tremblant; June 2009

This two day driving experience consisted of the following events; all conducted at the Le Circuit Mont Tremblant. The car was the new Ferrari 430 Scuderia, a 500+ HP “street-legal” race car. We 14 students utilized 9 of these fantastic cars as well as two 599’s (front engine V12) and F430’s for the skidpad (see below).

Day One, morning:
1. Classroom session
2. Evaluation lapping of the North Loop with instructor driving and then student driving with instructor as passenger.
3. Progressive breaking exercise; approach cones at speed (4th gear); progressively break and downshift to a rolling stop at last cone. Fantastic way to learn the stopping power of the Scuderia’s ceramic brakes.
4. Slalom to practice car control and the ability to “look where you want to go.”

Day One, afternoon:
1. Additional Evaluation lapping (beginning to “learn” the corners on the North Loop.)
2. Skidpad (one loop) to get familiar with the Scuderia’s F1 Trac system and to practice car control.
3. Classroom session
4. Lapping the North Loop. This was done with two cars, the first with instructor and student as passenger with one student following in the second car. The instructor would modulate his speed to the maximum abilities of the following student. Great technique. After three loops the students would switch positions. During the lapping the instructor in making continuous comments about the track and corners; where and when to brake, accelerate, etc …

Day Two, morning.
1. Classroom session
2. Multiple lapping of both the North and the South loop. The North loop is very technical where as the South loop is faster.
3. Skidpad figure-eight exercise. Exciting! Here we learn to continuously “drift” around two large loops in a figure -8 pattern. This helps to show the importance of looking “where you want to go” rather than where the car is going. This exercise utilized 6-speed F430’s.

Day Two, afternoon:
Lapping full circuit (North and South loops)! Absolutely amazing experience.
See some of my laps here!

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