We have another Day at Croft (coz it’s nearest for me - selfish git) and all chip in to get the Stig (Perry McCarthy) to appear for the day and rag everybodys car (in question) for a few laps.
This will sort out the driver question and give Top Gear something interesting to broadcast for a change???
This is the autobiography of Perry McCarthy, who decided at the age of 18 that he wanted to reach the top in the world’s most expensive sport. With no racing experience, no cash and little going for him except a passion for speed, the exuberant Cockney shouldn’t have stood a chance. He never gave up, however, and his relentless search for backing and recognition led the man “The Times” dubbed “the world’s unluckiest driver” to heroic, hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking efforts to make it in Formula 1.
Renault don’t lend their F1 cars to just anybody, so whoever he/she/it is is clearly a very talented.
I went round Brands GP with Perry in a 4.2 Audi A8. He out braked a 340R and then drove round the outside of it off line. He then promptly chased my Exige around in the A8 and had the gall to get out and tell me I was driving well - blooming cheek! That boy can really drive!
Surely the point of this debate should be reliability/durability, or am I am missing something?
A 200bhp, or 250bhp or whatever power of engine is chosen, of whichever pedigree (& of roughly similar weight), if dropped into the same car & driven flat out by the same driver, will produce similar performance on track. For sure, weight will be an issue in a race situation where tenths of seconds are important, but most people are simply trackdayers, who want a certain level of performance, coupled with reliability, & acheived economically. Choices between NA, Turbo or SC are really down to personal preference/budget, & will affect the ultimate choice made by the individual customer.
Whilst on the subject of budget, only the Honda & Audi (& I think Duratec) are “in the open/quantified”, & are also “commercial” eg including labour, some profit, & also the dreaded VAT @ 17.5%. Hopefully, Simon E will be able to provide figures for “King K” in due course, so everyone has a chance to compare like with like, or as near as is possible to do so.
Unfortunately the reliability/durability of Simon’s “King K” will not be known for sure for sometime yet - that’s not at all a criticism, but until some engines have been out doing their stuff…
Sorry this ain’t a technical addition to the thread, I’m just trying to add some input from a regular punter’s angle, whilst trying not to upset anyone along the way.
Yes that’s exactly what I am trying to organise , that and a back to back with EVO, Jethro is very keen.
simon
Have you signed up to that event Thorney is organising? Sounds like the perfect opportunity for the various engines to be tested in an unbiased way. Evo have been known to manipulate results in the past and the last thing any of us need is questionable results. It has been suggested that Walshy drive the cars as he has no allegiance to any of us.
I think that you’ll find Silverstone a little on the expensive side to hire exclusively eg more than �20K plus Vat, I understand.
Timing is definately not allowed on an ordinary trackday, so that only leaves general test days, which during Aug/Sept are �210 per car (National circuit), giving 3 sessions of 45 mins each, plus one of 30 mins. The available dates in Sept are the Fridays of 2nd, 23rd & 30th.
I’ll help you out so long as the test is properly conducted. This Tuner GP does sound like a good one as the organiser is totally unbiased and has no connection to any of the Lotus guys, its done on a proper track with proper timing and also we get to show other tuners how quick our little Lotus’s are. Should reflect well on all of us especially if we get a good driver like Walshy in the cars.
Renault don’t lend their F1 cars to just anybody,
Ian
I would be amazed if the Renault was driven anyone other than one of their test drivers.
Rumour has it that there is more than one “Stig” who drives on the show.
Both correct.I don’t know who drove the F1 car but I’m sure Pesky is right. I do know that when they had the Aston on recently it was driven by a Prodrive development driver (Darren Turner, I think) and not the usual Stig but, of course, Top Gear call them all ‘the Stig’.
I also agree with Russ, all this my dads bigger than your dad stuff isn’t all that relivant.
But to question one of Randys points. Surely if you were 3 - 4 seconds quicker a lap than I was, I wouldn’t have been right up you bum after following you for half a dozen laps??
I know it is easier to follow, but I reckon my little metro engine (albeit bolted to a �5.5k gearbox) did an admirable job of keeping up. LOL.
I honestly don’t remember doing that many laps after I passed you I thought I came in about half a lap after passing you because I had been out on track for ages at that point and I don’t like to do too long stints because I have no proper oil cooler on my car yet (only the standard Honda one). Either way it was a fun few laps and I’m looking forward to being out on track with you next time .