Last Saturday I was very kindly invited by one of my clients - Paul Swift - to participate in a driving experience event. Paul Swift (who is the son of Russell Swift) and his team are the guys behind Ford's driving displays, the Top Gear Live shows and the recent Audi R8 TV advertisement.

The morning consisted of being taught how to make a parallel parking manoeuvre with a handbrake-turn and a high speed J-turn. This was followed by a simplified auto-test to put one's newly acquired skills into practice.

I managed best time for the auto-test!

The cars we used were new Focus ST220's with the ABS and traction control disabled. Luckily for the company Pirelli sponsor the tyres...

It was fantastic fun and I have new-found respect for the skills these guys have.

The event was brought to a close with a passenger ride in a Mitsubishi Evo', with the finale being a very high speed J-turn and subsequent doughnut. The car control Paul Swift has is quite breathtaking.

A subsequent J-Turn in the Prius in the Waitrose car park wasn't nearly as exciting...

 

I once hired Russ Swift to do a caravan towing display,the man is a driving God!