Formula 1 testing

[herc15]

Just a shot in the dark, last year i heard that Renault used Kemble airfield for testing. Has anyone got any pictures or information on it? Also how likely is it to happen again and is there other airfields where this takes place.
I would love to have the chance of seeing a 2018 F1 car in the flesh before the new season starts.

[TankBuster]

Both Williams and Renault have used Kemble in the past for straight line testing of their F1 cars, and I think the now defunct Marussia team had used Duxford for the same tests.
I know that several of the UK based F1 teams use Silverstone to carry out early testing of their new cars, although this is usually kept very hush hush to avoid other teams sending out their spies.

TankBuster

[jem60]

The Marussia team certainly did use Duxford. Sadly, it was where Maria de Villota had her accident the first time she drove the car, and subsequently lost her life as a result. I believe other teams have also used Duxford.

[AndrewBarclay]

When I received my first old age pension my family provided me with one of those Red Letter Days which consisted of driving a couple of Ferrari's up and down Enstone runway in Oxfordshire not quite up to Formula
One but I did manage to drive at over 165 mph unfortunately with an instructor.

Lots more to choose
https://www.redletterdays.co.uk/experience

[Dan D'Air]

It may be of interest to you that Sywell aerodrome hard runway is occasionally used by Dawn Treader Cars for fast runs.
Sywell website does notify when the hard runway is being used for fast cars and is not available to aircraft.
Also worth noting is the close proximity of Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains to Sywell. I have not seen anything from them using the facility though.

[herc15]

OK thanks guess i will just have to keep my eyes open. I thought that would be the case with the short notice with all the development being so secret.

[jem60]

Andrew. I have a Solicitor friend who once loaned me his Ferrari 308 GTB for an hour. I drove it around Aylesbury for an hour. I knew thousands of people in that town..... and I never saw anyone I knew. Sometimes life's a bitch, ain't it!!.

[herc15]

typical

[Andy_99]

Could always book a cheap as chips flight to Barcelona in March for the Pre-Season testing.

I did this year & hoping to do same next

Flight - £45 return
Car Hire for 5 days - £35
Fuel for 5 Days - £15
Hotel - £200 (That included evening meal)
Entrance Tickets for the 4 days of testing - 20 Euros per day

Got a nice dose of winter sun, plenty of track time for the cars (9-6 daily with 1Hr Lunch) , No crowds (2000 ish people tops I reckon)

Recommendation is to do the 2nd session of testing as in previous years not all teams are ready for the first week.