Driven Women – Continental Cars Driver Training

For the past 50 years, Continental Cars have been supplying New Zealand with some of the most desirable cars on the planet. However, for many people, getting behind the wheel of a supercar or sports car can be quite a daunting prospect; taming that many horses can often be a bit of a handful.

So, more than a decade ago, recognising the desire for both car and driver to be better acquainted, Continental Cars created a unique and tailored Driver Training Programme that did just that. It was a chance for owners to gain more confidence in their own driving ability and, more importantly, extend their enjoyment of the performance car they had in their stable.

I was invited along to their Ladies Driving Days at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park to witness first-hand what the programme entails.

The day started out in true New Zealand spring fashion, with clouds and strong winds joining proceedings, but the temperate weather did little to dampen the enthusiasm of the participants as they sipped on their barista-made coffees.

Each had brought along one of their prized possessions, a luxury performance car that had already been given a thorough ‘piece of mind’ examination by the specialised technicians at Continental Cars. The range of Ferraris on offer was somewhat diverse, in terms of year and styling, however each would take pride of place in anyone’s dream garage.

As it turned out, the drivers were fairly diverse too. In terms of life experience and time behind the wheel, they ranged from eager novices to consummate professionals, but everyone looked to be supportive and keen to learn.

Like all good training courses, there were both theory and practical elements to the day, but the focus was most definitely on driving-seat time, with more advice to be given on the tarmac rather than via sketched diagrams on the screens.

The Driver Training on-track exercises have been specifically designed to get car and driver more comfortable with each other, and involve vehicle handling skills such as slalom, emergency braking and speed – lots and lots of speed – with each task being expertly assisted by the team of racing professionals from Downforce Auto Events and Training.

With the buzz in the room beginning to grow, we headed out to the first event – emergency braking. In a nerve-appeasing, lighthearted fashion, the tutor first outlined what was going to happen and what to expect, all with helpful tips thrown in along the way, like: “It’s good practice to ensure your mechanic tests out the ABS system (anti-lock braking system) before doing a WOF.”

This was followed by a demonstration. The instructor headed down between the strategically placed cones at 70 kilometres per hour, slammed on the brakes and turned left (or right) to avoid hitting a cone wall. It looked very dramatic. Then, with the instructors in the passenger seat beside them, it was the pupils’ turn. Inevitably, most started out slowly, but as their confidence grew, so did the speed. Each run was discussed individually afterwards and suggestions made for improvements where needed. In truth, many people are, in general, too timid when braking; this exercise demonstrated that even under heavy braking, ABS allows effective control and steering to avoid collision.

Next up was the slalom, and a similar process of ‘tell then show’ was undertaken. However, the demonstration included a pillion passenger ride as the instructor talked through where to look, steer, which gear to be in, and where/when to brake. I’m reliably informed that the confusing bunch of orders all made sense when the pupils took control of the wheel and danced the car between the cones. It was soon learnt that keeping the head up gives a greater overall perspective and, therefore, better car control.

The last ‘exercise’ for the morning was a brisk series of circuits around the members’ track – again, with the instructor beside the driver. It was a chance to integrate the newly discovered handling and braking skills into the pace of track driving, and the results were fun to watch. For some participants, it was the first time they had ever been on a race track and to see them taking their highly-tuned performance cars down the straights at speed and hear the tyres squeal as they whizzed around the tight bends and curves with ever-increasing confidence, was terrific.

With the morning sessions over, we headed up to the corporate suites for lunch. It was a great chance to talk with the owners while the specialised technicians from Continental Cars double-checked the brakes and tyres.

As I said before, the participants’ experience was somewhat varied; several have been attending at least one of these events every year for the past decade and for others, this was their first time. However, their  comments as to why they were there seemed very similar, including: “it’s just fun honing your driving skills”; “to learn how to handle the car’s capabilities”; “the team are fantastic and encouraging, not intimidating.” From a tutorial point of view, they believed that the advice came in “thick and fast” and yet there were plenty of chances and time to “learn by experience.”

With lunch over, it was time to head back out to the track for an experience that very few people have had – to drive on Hampton Downs Motorsport Park’s full international circuit at helmet-off, followed by helmet-required, speeds. I have been to many a racetrack event, and to listen to performance cars such as Ferrari nearing full noise never fails to grab my attention. This was no exception, it was very impressive.
I watched everyone return to the pits and much of this story was told by the smiles on their faces. The adrenaline buzz was there and so was the sense of accomplishment. They had all pushed themselves beyond what they would consider their comfort zones, and what they found was that the experience was very addictive.

Having professional tutelage in a controlled environment gave them the freedom to explore the upper limits of what they and their performance vehicles were capable of. I’m not saying that all the cones made it out of there unscathed, but that is essentially the point. This is the opportunity for drivers to fearlessly test and expand boundaries, and that is exactly what they did.

It’s been said that success and drive often go hand in hand. Continental Cars’ Ladies Driving Days is a perfect case in point. Having spent time at the track with this great bunch of people, I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that they all have a competitive spirit.

For further information or for 2018 dates, check out the website, or feel free to send an email to: [email protected]