Feature | ‘Real Life Gran Turismo’ - A Day with DTO Motorsport & Damon Hill
As petrol heads, we've all dreamt about the idea of owning a garage full of racing cars, sports cars and super cars with access to a collection of iconic motorsport circuits. Now imagine also having unlimited 'on demand tuition' from a familiar friendly face who is willing to sit with you in each car and show you how to improve your driving lines and braking points to get the most out of each car you're driving.
It all sounds like an impossible dream, right? A dream limited to the confines of a computer game such as Gran Turismo or Forza. Well, not any more, thanks to DTO Motorsport.
DTO Motorsport is a relatively new company that has appeared to fill an aspirational gap in the driver events market. It's a company that gives mear mortals like you and I the chance to drive cars we'd otherwise only ever fantasise about driving. However, don't assume that this might be a typical 'performance car experience day' where you're limited to a few tame laps around some cones in a glorified car park because it's not; it's so much more and with the likes of Karun Chandhok heading up the motorsport division, it’s very unique.
The team at DTO invited us along to experience what they call a DTO Drive Day. The event took place at the world-famous Donington Park Circuit amidst an open pitlane track day. I was told to head to the paddock and to look out for the DTO Motorsport racing truck (always a nice thing to hear). Close to the truck would be a few garages where DTO had set up their hospitality for the day.
No stranger to Donington, I'm fully aware that the pit garages are not renowned for their luxury or glamour. Picture a polished grey concrete floor with grey concrete walls and some grey rusty roller shutters that clatter in the wind, and you've pretty much got the entire vision. However, when I walked through the door to the garage, the grey box I was expecting to see had been somehow transformed into a luxurious suite with plush carpets, sofas, TV screens, and even a coffee bar. I'd walked into an environment that felt special, and with a warm welcome from the DTO team, plus my very own named coffee mug, I started to realise this was not your average experience day set-up at all.
Once I was settled and having been welcomed by the team, I was given a short briefing about the day with a clear overview of what I should expect from the day and what was expected from me. As someone that is familiar with the world of hospitality and circuit driving, this all felt very encouraging and reassuring. In the intimate briefing, just myself and one other driver were informed that we would be paired up with an instructor for the day who would be with us at all times. DTO’s instructors include personalities such as; WEC racing driver Charlie Fagg, BTCC racing driver Jade Edwards and Porsche Carerra Cup driver Adam Smalley. I was teamed up with racing driver Ryan Lyndsay, who has competed in more racing series' than I can count, including the Radical Challenge Championship, The Britcar endurance series and the Dutch Supercar Challenge.
Once some much-needed espressos and biscuits had been consumed, Ryan first welcomed me into a Porsche Cayman GT4 (718) - a strong start! I've been fortunate to have driven GT4s several times but never on track. Once we were strapped in and I was made familiar with the controls, Ryan gave the nod to drive out of the pitlane and onto the circuit.
Inside the cars, drivers are connected to their instructors through an intercom system between the crash helmets, allowing for crystal clear conversation, even in the noisiest of environments. On our 'out lap', I could sense that Ryan was observing my lines and ability, which would later lead to his level of instruction in the selection of cars DTO had lined up for me. As we completed lap one, the GT4 lost traction on the left side due to a change in tarmac and slightly damp conditions. The car was unsettled, but experience and instinct enabled me to catch the slide and carry on with a bit of a joke through the intercom - something which Ryan later explained was reassuring for him as he knew he could gauge my car control and encourage fast laps later on.
As expected, the GT4 on track was phenomenal, and with the added input from Ryan tidying up my driving lines and braking points, we soon started achieving encouraging lap times. After our session was complete, it was time to swap cars. As it turned out, I would be climbing out of a sports car and into a rocket ship in the shape of a McLaren 720s.
As we walked towards the McLaren, Ryan came out with something I wasn't expecting;
"Right, we're in the 720s next. Something worth noting is that the rear end feels really light and strange under hard braking, but I think you'll get a feel for it pretty quick."
Initially, I thought that was quite an odd thing to say, 'does this mean the car handles badly? Should I be approaching this drive with apprehension?' - but on further reflection, as we sat in the car and plugged in the comms system, I realised that it was, in fact, a confidence boost. Our time in the Cayman GT4 had shown Ryan that I was keen to crack on and drive hard. The lightweight rear sensation he was referring to was only really relevant when slamming on the brakes hard and turning into fast corners, something I was obviously going to do.
Now, daft terminology such as 'rocket ship' is used all too often with even the most moderately fast cars, but I'm going to stick with it on this occasion because the McLaren 720s is-a-rocket-ship! Like the GT4, I have been fortunate, given my career, to drive McLarens in the past, including the 720s - but up to this point, exclusively on the road. We had barely completed half a lap once we'd left the pits at the point that I was coming out with all sorts of nonsensical anecdotes to Ryan about how utterly ludicrously this car accelerated. I can count on one hand the number of times I've felt the sensation of seemingly being pushed back into the foam of the seat in a car that I have been driving. The 720s is so fast that I had to re-wire my brain for the braking points. I'm no stranger to Donington Park; however, I found myself entering corners 2X faster than I'm used to and braking 2X later.
Ryan, of course, took it all in his stride, giving the perfect tips on turn in points, overtaking points and braking points whilst entertaining my incessant remarks of disbelief in "just how ****ing fast this thing is!".
After a stint in the rocket ship, it was time for lunch which unsurprisingly was fantastic. As a guest, you're fully catered for with food, drink, teas, and coffees throughout the day. Sat on the adjacent table at lunch is none other than 1996 F1 world champion Damon Hill chatting casually to paying guests about their day so car and his career in motorsport.
Following lunch, there was time for a quick go on the driving simulator, which was, naturally, set up for a drive at Donington Park to help drivers perfect their lines in between sessions.
Fully fed and rehydrated, I was reunited with Ryan to enjoy a BMW M140i. This was essentially a road car that had been equipt with a rear roll cage and some upgraded brake pads. Whilst it wasn't going to be the fastest car I'd drive on the day, it provided additional invaluable lessons and contrast between the sessions and the handling characteristics of the different cars.
After the M140i, it was time to experience a car driven by someone else; this would be the first time I'd be getting into the passenger seat on the day. The man in the driver's seat was none other than Damon Hill. The car was a factory-built BMW M2 Racing Car. Fully caged and set up by BMW's motorsport division, designed exclusively for competition use.
Flying through the esses of Donington Park in the passenger seat of a racing car as Damon Hill is chatting away has undoubtedly earned a spot in the 'pinch yourself moments' but just as remarkable was the moment shortly after parking up where Ryan reappeared to ask if I wanted to have a drive of the M2 as well.
The M2 racing car rounded off the day perfectly. A racing car in the purest form with slick tyres, bucket seats and a racing driver in the passenger seat encouraging me to push on and push harder. As you'd expect, the racing car was the pinnacle of performance and whilst it wasn't as fast as the 'rocket ship' McLaren, it more than made up for it through the corners.
On the cool-down lap in the M2, I thanked Ryan for his time and input. I'd concluded my day with the realisation that this was far more than a typical driver experience day. Throughout the day, tyres had been replaced, brake discs were glowing, and technicians frequently looked over the essentials before and after each driver session.
Despite being a relatively experienced circuit driver, I'm confident that I walked away from the DTO Drive Day a better driver. The day ended with Ryan talking me through the telemetry and data from the drives, all of which had been recorded and filmed throughout the day in each car. This footage and data would also be made available to keep, either to show off to friends or to put to use for tracking improvements on future events.
DTO Drive Days are priced between £1,950 & £2,450 (depending on various factors such as location and special guest instructors), it's not a cheap day out for many. Still, for a driver looking to experience an array of performance and racing cars with no concerns about the cost of tyres, fuel, insurance, or expensive servicing or repairs following a day in your own car, I feel the day offers exceptional value for money. Naturally, you're also rubbing shoulders and sharing your day with like-minded drivers and enthusiasts, not to mention the occasional F1 world champion.
Everything about the day with DTO feels special. You're a VIP, enjoying a day that revolves around you and your passion for driving. The hosts, the instruction, and the small touches and details offered through great hospitality put DTO at the top of the league in driving events.
Find out more about DTO Motorsport, including the full scope of events they offer at DTOmotorsport.com and follow their Instagram profile @DTOmotorsport to get a feel for their events.
Words: John Marcar
Photographs: Richard Fullbrook
Special thanks to: Dani Jordan and the entire team at DTO Motorsport
