Alternative
Moto Arena
Price: From £10 Contact: 01327 855549, moto-arena.co.uk
Where? Silverstone, Northamptonshire
All ages can enjoy a session at Moto Arena, as it boasts indoor and outdoor remote control car tracks plus a rock-crawling course, an eight-lane slot-car track and an F1 simulator. For as little as £10 you can borrow an R/C racer and tackle the track of your choice, with tuition if you want it. If you already have an R/C car, you can just buy track time.
Racing School Stunt Driving & Drift Experience
Price: £110 Contact: 0800 234 6034, www.racing-school.co.uk
Where? Rockingham, Northamptonshire
You’ll never have as much fun in a Nissan Micra as this, as you learn the mysteries of J-turns, reverse 180s and gated 90s from a Hollywood-trained instructor. You get a briefing and 20 minutes in the car, so you’ll have time to also tackle the Drift Experience (£110). This teaches you to drive a Mazda MX-5 (right) in a tyre-smoking figure of eight.
Car Limits Airfield Driver Training Day
Price: From £199 Contact: 01279 874797, www.carlimits.com
Where? North Weald, Essex, and Crail, Fife
This is more about the driver than the car, and helps improve your skills to get the most from your machine. It’s a day’s training with three others where you tackle a series of exercises in turn, showing you how to deal with front and rear end slides, left-foot braking and heel-and-toe gearchanging. If your car isn’t suitable, you can hire one for £250.
Silverstone Rally School Junior Rally Experience
Price: £89 Contact: 01327 857413, www.silverstonerally.co.uk
Where? Silverstone, Northamptonshire
Learn to drive on a special stage! Kids aged 10 and up can drive a rally-prepared, dual-control Ford Ka to learn the basics. Depending on their progress, budding Sebastien Loebs move on to powerslides and handbrake turns, and the two-hour experience is completed with a hot run through the stage with the instructor at the wheel.
MSV YoungDrive
Price: £79 Contact: 0870 950 9000, www.msvdrivinggifts.com
Where? Brands Hatch, Kent, Oulton Park, Cheshire, and Bedford Autodrome
You don’t have to wait until you are 17 to drive thanks to this MSV course. Car fans aged 11 and over are taught the basic skills by Driving Standards Agency-approved instructors in a safe environment without having to worry about traffic. You get 40 minutes’ driving in a BMW 1-Series with up to three other pupils in the car.
