Prescott Speed Hill Climb – Atom Only Driver's School - Friday 15th April 2011

[Richard Marler]

The factory are organising and the club are supporting this event. We may still try to get a hooning and honing day early in the year, but this will certainly be a good way to blow away some cobwebs.

Exciting, challenging and undeniably thrilling, Prescott Hill Climb near Cheltenham is renowned for its demands on drivers and their expertise...are you up for it?

If you would like to perfect your driving skills on the UK’s dare we say, finest, Hill Climb Course, then don’t hold back.

Whatever your present level of skill, we guarantee you will find a day at Prescott exciting, challenging and memorable.

Driving your Atom, you will be in the hands of expert MSA and AHASS registered instructors, who will enable you to develop extra car control abilities. At the same time you will learn how to apply these to mastering this historic course, with a lasting effect on how you drive on road or track.

This is the ideal course for you to discover hill climbing, whether you are seriously embarking on a motor sport career, just want to see what all the fuss is about or indeed just have a bit of fun!  After all you will be following in the footsteps of such well-known stars as Stirling Moss, Peter Collins and Graham Hill who started their motor racing careers here.

We offer something quite unique – a day of motor sport which will be long remembered a mixture of fun and excitement without any unwanted demands either on you or your car.

Ariel will be in attendance all day to help and give advice with car set-ups and anything Atom related.


Timetable of Events

8.45am   Arrive, sign on and get that first cup of coffee and a bacon sandwich

9.30am   Introduction to your fellow drivers and instructors

9.45am  Walking the course in groups with instructors

10.30am  The fun really starts with convoy runs on the Hill and then individual runs - that means you!

11.15am  Review of first runs

11.30am  Individual runs continue

12.30pm  A well-earned buffet lunch followed by a video review of the mornings runs

1.45pm  The individual runs continue

4pm  We stop for tea and a review of the afternoon runs

4.45pm Flushed with success and with some new driving skills in your repertoire you will take your leave

Certificates are presented to every participant at the end of their day at Prescott; the person with the highest marks in the year will receive either an award or, if preferred, a free entry to compete in one of the Hillclimbs taking place in the following year.

Marks are awarded for tidiness of line through corners and general car control abilities; speed is not a criterion as runs are not timed.

What you will need

Your Atom - properly silenced within road legal limits, taxed and on road legal tyres
(Cars can be shared between 2 drivers but each will need to pay the full fee and apply separately)

Insurance - we will need to see a valid certificate

A full Driving Licence valid for the UK

You need to bring with you; an umbrella (in case of rain – there is no cover in the paddock), a long sleeved shirt or jacket and a crash helmet (helmets can be provided on loan)

What does it cost?

The cost of one place on the Driver's School is £175

This covers a full day of instruction, video feedback, a convoy drive of the course, individual runs and refreshments (including a buffet lunch)

Each Driver can bring one guest (to share in their moment of glory!). Guests must be aged 18 or over and you will need to book a place for them in advance - the cost is £21 (this includes all refreshments and lunch - but excludes the introduction and instruction sessions)

How do I book?

Booking and payment is done directly with Maggie at Prescott - Maggie Webster is on 01242 673136 or 679796 or e-mail maggie@bugatti.co.uk but first you need to contact Tom at Ariel on 01460 78817 or by e-mail tom@arielmotor.co.uk to get a booking form and register with him.  If you have any further questions on the event please also make Tom your first port of call.


A Driving School Students Perspective – Tom Siebert, Ariel Motor Company

I attended this course in September 2010 using our Atom 3 300 demo – what a fantastic day!!  The emphasis here is you and your car vs. the hill, not outright speed so no timing is allowed which makes things much more relaxed.  That way you get to concentrate on your own performance without worrying about outright speed - and not driving above and beyond your capabilities.

The morning runs are an eye-opener to say the least as the hill is very technical; a good run of the course relies on line selection as well as being as smooth and precise as possible.  The instructors are extremely approachable and are always happy to answer your questions on line choice, the techniques required for certain corners and anything to do with the hill in general.  There is also a ‘fast ride’ car (you would never think a diesel Fiesta could be so fast!) piloted by the Chief Instructor which it is well worth getting a ride in to get some hints and tips on where to go.  After lunch and the video analysis of your morning runs (combined with some gentle ribbing from the instructors) it is amazing how much speed and confidence you carry into the afternoon.  This is where the hill climb bug starts to really bite!

The Atom is absolutely perfect for hill climbing and this school in particular as it is fast, nimble and forgiving – I would urge anyone who fancies giving it a go to sign up.  In fact I will be returning to the school as regularly as possible and probably starting to compete in some hill climbs in the next few years – this course has really given me a taste for it!

I look forward to seeing you there……

Regards

Tom

Further to our recent correspondence about the Hill Climb School at Prescott on Friday 15th April we have decided to make a bit more of this event and carry it on into the Saturday with another event that has proved to be very popular among Atom owners in the past.

‘Hooning and Honing’ is designed to teach you about car control and the handling limits of your Atom in a safe and controlled environment in the hands of Silverstone instructors.

The event will take place in one of the large car parks at Silverstone and will be of a similar format to the Auto-test at the Atom X event but on a larger scale.

There will be three areas marked out with cones - one for braking training, one for corner training, and one general auto-test which will be run against the clock – fastest time of the day here secures an Atom related prize!

Ariel Motor Company technicians will be on hand to offer assistance with car set-up to get the car sliding and lessen the wear on tyres and other components to make sure you get full enjoyment out of the day.

After the hill climb school the plan is to drive in a ‘molecule’ from Prescott to Whittlebury Hall hotel near Silverstone; you can find more details here http://www.whittleburyhall.co.uk/

Room prices are £140 including dinner, bed and breakfast for single occupancy and £195 including dinner, bed and breakfast for double or twin occupancy.  We will be having dinner together at the hotel to re-live the events of the Friday and
look forward to the events of the Saturday!

You will need to speak with Tracy Leavesley 01327 850465 or tracy.leavesley@whittleburyhall.co.uk at the hotel to book your room directly with her.  We have a block booking to guarantee the prices above so you need to quote reference 38758 when you call
to book so that she can group us all together.  I would advise that if you wish to attend you book sooner rather than later as we only have a limited number of rooms in our block booking and the hotel has another big event on at the hotel that night - they expect rooms to be fully booked not too long after Christmas.

In the morning we will head over to Silverstone for a 9am start and will run until around 4.30pm.  There is a Costa Coffee by the car park we will be using for snacks and refreshments throughout the day and we can have lunch in the paddock diner in the middle of the circuit.

This is effectively a separate event to the Hill Climb to enable people to attend either or both events as well as choosing whether or not they want to be involved in the hotel and dinner.  Price for the Hooning and Honing day will be £150 per person; it is possible to share cars and if you wish to do so then £150 is payable for each person driving - not per car.  Spaces are limited so please get your name down ASAP if you would like to attend either event.  This £150 will be paid directly to Ariel Motor Company Limited as opposed to the Hill Climb and overnight stay/dinner which is payable to Prescott and Whittlebury Hall respectively.

If you have any questions about the event or would like to put your name down/register interest in any elements of the event please contact Tom at Ariel tom@arielmotor.co.uk or 01460 78817.

[Richard Marler]

1. Richard Marler

[FlyingTrotter]

1. Richard Marler
2. Flying Trotter

[Dave W]

Well well actually looked at a house for sale a few years back that was 100 yards past the finish line of Prescott. Had to drive the course to view the house lol. 

Roughly how many runs do you get on the day out of intrest ?

Dave.

[supercharger]

ill be up for a day out , supercharger 

[Richard Marler]

[quote="Dave W"]
Roughly how many runs do you get on the day out of intrest ?
[/quote]

Tom said about 10 runs, but I haven't done the day myself so I can't confirm that. I will call tomorrow and check.

[Bruce Fielding]

[quote="Richard Marler"]
We may still try to get a hooning and honing day early in the year,
[/quote]

Just to make it clear, if you get this wrong you will hurt your car. A lot. It is a hill. With trees. And a sheer drop.

Do not confuse this with H&H. It's nothing like it.

I do love this hill though, I have done it Astons, Lotus Carltons; a vintage LM and an Atom - all with the Bugatti Owners Club (who own the hill). The Atom was the best car for the job! It is perfectly safe so long as you're not a cock. Walking it was always the hardest bit.

[John Lloyd]

1. Richard Marler
2. Flying Trotter
3. John Lloyd

[jpswift]

1. Richard Marler
2. Flying Trotter
3. John Lloyd
4.justin swift

[Alec]

Was going to try to make this along with the 'Hooning and Honing', as long as the Atom was ready and my arm was fully healed, but when I filled in this years dates on a new calendar I realised it clashed with a pre-booked wedding in Sheffield that weekend so will have to miss them both.

[Steve Gibson]

1. Richard Marler
2. Flying Trotter
3. John Lloyd
4. Justin Swift
5. Steve Gibson

[Richard Marler]

35 people are now booked on to this event, meaning there are only 3 places left. Book now if you don't want to miss out.

[davo]

1. Richard Marler
2. Flying Trotter
3. John Lloyd
4. Justin Swift
5. Steve Gibson
6. Davo

[bodnet]

1. Richard Marler
2. Flying Trotter
3. John Lloyd
4. Justin Swift
5. Steve Gibson
6. Davo
7. Bod

[Rob Evans]

Finally booked.

Hope I just managed to squeeze in.

Rob.