The Audi Sportscar Experience: Pushing Limits On the F1 Circuit in Audi's Supercars

There are plenty of people who buy performance cars across the nation. Some of them are gifted these by their parents, while others actually put in their hard-earned money to buy the car of their dreams. The recently-gifted owners more often than not think driving up and down Carter Road dozens of times in an evening or that flooring the accelerator on the Sea Link is enough to test a car above 300+ bhp (Brake horsepower). Performance cars might also seem easy to drive in Fast & the Furious-type movies – but I found that reality tells a very different story. These cars are designed and tested on a race track, and a racetrack is the place where you can actually push the limits of the car and find out what it can really achieve – something that attention-hungry people test-driving their cars on a busy street should probably take heed of. Buying a performance car might be easy, but getting the right driving experience is tough – which is why car companies like Audi started their #AudiSportscarExperience, where they give existing customers, car enthusiasts and prospective clients alike the opportunity to drive Audi cars on a full-blown circuit. This year, the 12th of Feb was quite a highlight for me as I had been invited to be part of their first track day experience of the year at India’s only FIA-certified F1 circuit - The Buddh International Circuit.

This was almost an out-of-body experience for me as it’s been over 5 years since I’ve driven a race car or a high-performance car on a track; I actually used to professionally race until I was 21, and then I couldn’t raise any sponsorship/ask my parents for any more money. Suffice to say I was more than a little enthusiastic about the opportunity. I reached the BIC on the 28th of March for the second session, where all of Audi’s performance cars were parked in the pit area like a fierce squadron of fighter jets. I can hardly explain the feeling when I realised I was going to get to drive the cars in the next 30 mins. During registration, they tell you the cars you are allowed to drive – these were the Audi TT and RS5/S6. I had to choose between the two, so I went ahead chose the RS5, plus you get a hot lap with the instructor Aditya Patel, the son of veteran race car driver Kamlesh Patel, who currently drives in the Audi LMS cup where he recently stood on the podium.

Before anyone hits the track, there is a drivers’ briefing where the instructors take you through the basics of driving on the track, how to approach corners, what ‘understeer’ or ‘oversteer’ is and breaking down the meaning of track terminology like ‘apex’, ‘hairpin’ and ‘chicane’, and more.

SESSION 1:As the session kicked off, they put the attendees in groups of two and kick off the track experience with an Audi TT, and since my partner owned an Audi R8 in Mumbai, he knew a thing or two about cars and driving them to the limit. Before we hit the track, we were taken for a slalom/braking/accelerating course in the parking lot of the track to get a better understanding of how the cars ‘behave’. This is done mainly to give drivers an insight into the handling/braking/acceleration of the cars in a small cone-based track. Every car is given a walkie-talkie, where Aditya is instructing people what to do, how to take the corners and other details.

The first two laps are used to drive the cars around the small track, and then the next two are used to push the car to set a lap time. The fastest time gets the chance to drive the RS7 - a rare treat that is not generally offered to the attendees.

Next up: Taking the cars on an F1 circuit.

As soon as we entered the main straight of the track, the first thing you think of is gunning the accelerator - yes, I must admit that the thought did strike me, and it was really tempting - but the first few laps on any track is to get used to the car and understand what each of the corners are like. Driving the Audi TT on a racetrack is the perfect car to start with, as it is agile and light. With 200 + bhp under its hood, and no traffic, you learn to push harder and find out what both the car, and you, are capable of.
The TT is the perfect beginner’s car to buy if you want a performance car; it’s quick, handles brilliantly and is relatively easy to drive for a person with not too much experience with performance cars. After the first few laps, I got used to the car and started pushing it and making use of the entire length of the track to turn and stick to the racing line as much as I could. Before I knew it, the five laps were over and driving a car on an F1 circuit for the first time made me really happy, but it was time to up the performance and get into something faster.

SESSION 2:
Next up - the Audi RS5. This is the ideal car to own if you have a family, or want to just take a group of friends out where you have the perfect mix of luxury and performance. As we were put in batches of two, my partner drove the car first and I was sitting shotgun.

While sitting in the RS5 definitely doesn’t give you a full-blown sports car interior, the experience is still pretty close to an RS7 or an R8 for that matter. Under the hood it has a 4.2 litre v8, which is fairly close to the V8 & V10 in the R8. While being driven around the circuit, the phenomenal levels of grip were clear and my partner Swapnil Munde was able to make the most of the 444 bhp the car had to offer. The most interesting part of the circuit were corners 5-8, where the balance of the RS5 was really showcased.

Next up was my chance to drive the car, and then, when we entered the pits to switch cars we realized that the fuel level was too low to go for another 6 laps. I was barely able to contain my excitement and really couldn’t hold my horses until the car returned from refuelling. I was then told that I might have to wait longer, which didn’t turn out to be too bad as Aditya asked me if I would like to drive the RS7 instead - why on earth would I say no, as one of the two people out of 35 who had the chance to actually drive that beast?

As I wait in the pitlane, I see the 570 bhp matt black behemoth arrive for me. I knew that this was my last chance to experience such a car on the BIC to the fullest. The RS7 has pretty much the same appearance as the A7, but the sportier bumpers, bigger wheels and RS badging are what really show the potential it has. Like the RS5, this is the ideal car to own if you have a family, as you can let them all experience real speed and performance, unlike a two seater.

Inside the driver’s seat, I realised that it is very similar to its sibling, the A7. This one, specifically, had modified gauges, and a carbon fibre trim along with sports seats that are just perfect for driving a car on a race track. As we left the pit lane and approached the first corner, the power difference to the RS5 was very evident. We hit 260 KMPH very easily on the back straight and the cornering was relatively harder on this car because of the weight. But that was fun as the car’s rear would slide out when approaching corners, and it was an amazing experience trying to tame this beast. After 4 laps, it was my chance to follow Aditya in the lead, and this was the time we put the power down and experienced the car to its absolute fullest. Sadly, the fun only lasted one lap and we had to go in.

SESSION 3:
By now, as the driving session was over for all participants, everyone had the opportunity to sit with Aditya and the other instructor in the R8 for one hot lap. This was the main part of the three hours, which everyone was really looking forward to as it was a rare opportunity to be able to sit shotgun with a professional race car driver on an F1 circuit.
As soon as I sat in the car, the first thing Aditya asked was, “What do you think of my office?” That was definitely the smallest office in the world, but probably the only thing every car enthusiast could dream of. As we were exiting the pit, Aditya was talking to me and just like a doctor would engage in conversation and suddenly prick you with a syringe, Aditya did the same - but with the accelerator. I got sucked into the seat as we approached the first corner, and it is almost impossible to describe the magnitude of this feeling - the clear performance difference in a supercar like the R8, is just so evident. The unreal level of grip, the cornering speeds, the braking - everything was from another planet all together. The short 1.3 minute lap was probably one of the best things anyone can experience, plus Aditya knew how to push the car to its limits because of his motor racing history; I doubt anyone else could have done what he, and many other Indian racers, could do. Before I knew it - again - the lap was already over and we were back in the pits. I wish I could have gone for another lap with him or driven the car, but I guess I’ll just have to wait for the next round to do both.

The best part of the event? Audi makes driving fast and pushing cars to the limit so accessible for anyone. This experience is the closest you will come to racing a car on a track, or making use of a performance car till such a level. If you are a adrenaline junkie or just love experiencing new thrills, the Audi driving experience is definitely for you, regardless of whether you own such a car or not. This is something you must experience if the speed bug has bitten you, or if you’ve enjoyed the thrill of it when you were younger. An added bonus is that you have a step-by-step guide on how to drive a performance car like that and how to make use of the power.