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Tried & Tested: AMG Driving Experience @ Yas Marina Circuit
Date: 2014-06-06
by Lily Lawes
There are all kinds of driving experiences on offer at Yas Marina Circuit, home of the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix. Everybody can experience this world-class track; non-drivers can take a passenger experience in an Aston Martin GT4 or join a drag racer in a Chevrolet Camaro, while speedy Vettel wannabes can hit the circuit in command of the closest competitor to an F1 car – the Formula Yas 3000. I took on the AMG Driving Experience and found out exactly what puts Yas Marina Circuit in pole position.
What do you need? Just the need for speed! And some closed shoes (no heels or flip flops) so you’re in full control of the pedals, and a driver’s license if you’ll be behind the wheel.
Who goes? Petrol-heads return to Yas Marina Circuit time and again to improve their driving skills and get a hit of the adrenaline that comes from taking corners at high speed, but it’s also a thrilling experience for first-timers who might not usually do this kind of thing.
What happens? A qualified instructor will take the lead car, and drivers will follow in a line behind – usually up to four cars. The instructor communicates over the radio, giving advice on how to take the turns (when to brake, where to position the car etc.) and encouraging you to make the most of these powerful machines. There’s a familiarisation lap to begin with, and then it’s time to open up the engine and floor the accelerator.
How much of my life will this take up? The AMG Experience takes around an hour – there’s a 15-minute safety briefing, followed by 15 minutes navigating the track in the powerful CLS 63 V8 Biturbo, and then 15 minutes in the driver’s seat of the sexier C class coupe. Other experiences vary – the Formula Yas 3000 Driver Experience takes around 80 minutes in total, but with a 20-25 minute driving time.
How much does it cost? The AMG Driving Experience costs from Dhs.1,300, while the SLS AMG Driving Experience – in the famous ‘Gullwing’ – starts at Dhs.1,900. The Formula Yas 3000 Driver Experience begins at Dhs.1,500.
In Short: The AMG Experience is not really a lesson in car racing, but there is some of that thrown in. The instructors are encouraging and really know their stuff – some have been racing for years – and include the only Emirati national qualified race car instructor. Mostly it’s a chance to experience these powerful, beautifully designed cars in an environment where they can really take flight. And of course, it’s a world-famous Formula 1 track – whizzing past the empty grandstands under the floodlights at speeds of up to 300km/h, in the tracks of the fastest drivers on the planet, is a truly spine-tingling experience.
There are all kinds of driving experiences on offer at Yas Marina Circuit, home of the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix. Everybody can experience this world-class track; non-drivers can take a passenger experience in an Aston Martin GT4 or join a drag racer in a Chevrolet Camaro, while speedy Vettel wannabes can hit the circuit in command of the closest competitor to an F1 car – the Formula Yas 3000. I took on the AMG Driving Experience and found out exactly what puts Yas Marina Circuit in pole position.
What do you need? Just the need for speed! And some closed shoes (no heels or flip flops) so you’re in full control of the pedals, and a driver’s license if you’ll be behind the wheel.
Who goes? Petrol-heads return to Yas Marina Circuit time and again to improve their driving skills and get a hit of the adrenaline that comes from taking corners at high speed, but it’s also a thrilling experience for first-timers who might not usually do this kind of thing.
What happens? A qualified instructor will take the lead car, and drivers will follow in a line behind – usually up to four cars. The instructor communicates over the radio, giving advice on how to take the turns (when to brake, where to position the car etc.) and encouraging you to make the most of these powerful machines. There’s a familiarisation lap to begin with, and then it’s time to open up the engine and floor the accelerator.
How much of my life will this take up? The AMG Experience takes around an hour – there’s a 15-minute safety briefing, followed by 15 minutes navigating the track in the powerful CLS 63 V8 Biturbo, and then 15 minutes in the driver’s seat of the sexier C class coupe. Other experiences vary – the Formula Yas 3000 Driver Experience takes around 80 minutes in total, but with a 20-25 minute driving time.
How much does it cost? The AMG Driving Experience costs from Dhs.1,300, while the SLS AMG Driving Experience – in the famous ‘Gullwing’ – starts at Dhs.1,900. The Formula Yas 3000 Driver Experience begins at Dhs.1,500.
In Short: The AMG Experience is not really a lesson in car racing, but there is some of that thrown in. The instructors are encouraging and really know their stuff – some have been racing for years – and include the only Emirati national qualified race car instructor. Mostly it’s a chance to experience these powerful, beautifully designed cars in an environment where they can really take flight. And of course, it’s a world-famous Formula 1 track – whizzing past the empty grandstands under the floodlights at speeds of up to 300km/h, in the tracks of the fastest drivers on the planet, is a truly spine-tingling experience.
