YouDrive@Porsche
Tim Saunders from testdrives.biz participated in a YouDrive@Porsche event at Silverstone where Fifth Gear presenter Vicki Butler-Henderson, who is also a Porsche driving consultant, ran the theory session alongside chief Porsche driving consultant Gordon Robertson.
“This is the third year I have been involved with YouDrive@Porsche,” says Vicki, who has been racing since the age of 12 and has been a racing instructor for 10 years. “I love the brand. I wanted to get involved to improve the driving skills of motorists and see how I could collaborate with the manufacturer. The course, which runs eight times a year at the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone, makes you aware of perception, peripheral vision and reaction times.”
Gordon Robertson, Chief Porsche Driving Consultant adds: “The £165 YouDrive@Porsche course, was designed for friends and relatives of Porsche customers who wanted to learn about driving regardless of the cars they owned. It’s all about thinking about the right way of driving. All driving consultants at Porsche have a mixed background. I am an ADI driving instructor while others are racing drivers and ex-police instructors.”
Tim Saunders adds: “It was a fabulous experience where I learnt much about driving in treacherous conditions and what to look out for and how to control my vehicle. Of all transport deaths (road, rail, sea and air) road deaths account for 96 per cent. Consider that 2,222 people die on UK roads annually and 24,950 people are seriously injured and that 75 per cent of these accidents occur in 30mph zones and you can see the huge importance of this course.”
Vicki Butler-Henderson, a motoring journalist for the past 20 years, is currently filming the latest series of Fifth Gear, which will be on our screens later in the year.
Schedule:
0930 Theory
1045 Human performance
1120 Porsche 911
1200 Ice Hill in my 10-year-old Fiesta 1.4 TDCi
1235 Kick Plate in my Fiesta
1300 Three course lunch in the Porsche restaurant including grilled mackerel starter, beef main course and chocolate mousse and strawberries for dessert. Highly recommended.
Photographs of the excellent YouDrive@Porsche course
Tim and Vicki Butler-Henderson stand beside a Porsche
Tim approaches in his burgundy Porsche 911
Tim and Formula 3 racing driver Kat Impey hit the bends
They struggled to take the keys to the burgundy 911 from Tim when he finished his course
Would Tim's Fiesta make it to the top of the challenging Ice Hill?
Tim's Fiesta at the top of the Ice Hill
Tim's Fiesta makes it through the Kick Plate in a straight line