It’s half previous six within the morning, and we’re at Sydney Motorsport Park to participate in Anglo Racing Academy’s Formula Ford expertise. The chilly breeze brushes previous your barely awoken physique as you soak within the dawn, partially hid by skinny wisps of cloud.

The joy units in as others eager to participate, identical to us, arrive one after the other. You may virtually style the anticipation within the air. At this time is without doubt one of the few days a month Anglo Racing Academy hosts a Formula 1-style drive day of their Formula Ford open wheelers.

We’re parked outdoors the 2 South Circuit garages, the place there’s a race-ready specimen of the kind we’ll be driving, parked strategically subsequent to an indication directing us to the registration workplace.

Close by there’s a trailer emblazoned with the corporate’s brand. Extra pleasure. Fast greetings and exchanges with different folks will inform you there’s nothing however eagerness all spherical (and maybe some nerves).

First, some administrative formalities; a web based registration kind and a run down of how the day will go, together with the compulsory wrist band so the crew is aware of precisely what parts of the Anglo Racing Academy choices we’ve signed up for.

In our case that was a 10-lap racer bundle (the place you get to drive a Formula Ford full pelt round Sydney Motorsport Park), and a few trip laps within the passenger seat of a 2-seater Formula Ford.

It’s form of the perfect of each worlds, and an actual taster for what driving an open wheeler is like. Offered as a combo for $599 — it may be had at Japanese Creek, or Wodonga TAFE Driver Coaching centre (aka Wodonga Race Observe), which is simply throughout the border in Victoria.

However again to the matter at hand, and a security briefing, earlier than issues obtained a bit of extra severe. It’s you then realise it’s fairly arduous to pay attention when you’ll be able to see automobiles being prepped within the background, such is the anticipation for what we’re about to do.

After that we have been ushered to the garages for race fits, boots and helmets. Extra pleasure, and loads of dialog between contributors. It’s at this level you get your first style of Sydney Motorsport Park’s South Circuit, in a two lap journey in a highway automobile.

With an expert driver behind the wheel, this brief session is all about observe familiarisation, studying the undulations within the tarmac, and the nuances within the corners. Again within the pits, conversations proceed.

The whole Anglo Racing Academy crew have been on-point and tremendous pleasant, encouraging everybody, and blissful to reply actually any query we had. Quickly sufficient, the air was full of the sounds of the Formula Ford race automobiles.

It’s a spectacular noise, raspy however not overbearing, and virtually like sound from an age previous, however someway fairly acquainted. The 1.6-litre (1600cc) 4-cylinder Kent engine designed within the late Fifties takes up the again half of your entire automobile.

That is an engine you’d usually discover in automobiles such because the Ford Anglia or Cortina, which has been modernised and finely tuned for Formula Ford, outputting roughly 85kW of energy to the rear wheels.

As a result of this superior go-kart solely weighs 410kg, it’s actually tipping the scales at a few quarter of your common highway automobile. That makes it nimble and agile, excitable even, and doubtless nearer to a rocket than your common 4 door sedan.

The cavity you sit in feels tiny. The area housing the pedals is miniscule, explaining the necessity for race boots. After some steerage from our race engineer, we’re buckled in with a four-point harness earlier than the quick-release steering wheel is locked in.

A fast flick of the ignition change earlier than urgent the beginning button, and the Formula Ford roars to life. The helmet solely stifles a lot noise, however it’s the truth that you may have your again up towards the powerplant that invigorates you.

Maintaining the Formula Ford on the observe and away from partitions was our major goal, not making a idiot of ourselves was secondary. Psychological notice; hitting a wall even at low speeds in an open-wheeler is the equal of a head on collision in a highway automobile.

However by the point we hit the tip of the pit exit and have been on the observe, the insecurity dissipated and adrenaline kicked in. Hitting about 140km/h, you keep in mind it’s essential change gears.

It’s an all encompassing factor, the place you’re too busy specializing in the apex of every nook and never shedding the again finish to pay an excessive amount of consideration to the speedo or tacho. We listened to the sound of the engine to evaluate shift instances. There’s a lot occurring.

That mentioned, it’s immense enjoyable, and with the pedal to the steel, it’s attainable to thrust your strategy to 100km/h in 3.8 seconds and high out at 230km/h. Sadly, we didn’t have the mettle to check the latter for the sheer concern of an early grave.

The ten laps that made up the primary a part of our Anglo Racing Academy occasion got here to an finish all too rapidly, in an expertise greatest described as surreal. There wasn’t a lot to say after we climbed out of the automobile, as a result of we have been speechless. Properly, perhaps just some phrases:

“HOLY COW! THAT WAS F$%KING AWESOME.”

Earlier than we have been even performed reeling from all of it although, we remembered our morning wasn’t over as we have been ushered into the passenger seat of a line-astern two seater for warm laps with a number of Formula Ford champ Lachlan Ward.

Strapped in, helmet visors down, and Lachlan fires up the beast. This objective constructed trip car is powered by a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated Ford Duratec 4-cylinder engine making 208kW on the rear wheels and revving to 9,000rpm.

The engine proper behind your spinal column isn’t what instils concern although. Lachlan himself will do this, with the automobile sideways earlier than you’re even midway by the primary nook. He’ll keep that pose till you’re midway up the straight. In a nutshell, he’s loopy.

The whole expertise is loopy good, even should you do marvel in case your life is about to be over. Again within the pits, we stumble out of the automobile, attempting to catch our breath, and but grinning from ear to ear. You may’t not smile like a child who simply obtained away with consuming all of the lollies.

We caught round to talk to the engineers some extra and speak to the crew from Anglo Racing Academy, who carry with them years of motorsport expertise, and the blood, sweat and tears that goes together with that.

When you’re into Formula 1, or any kind of open-wheel racing for that matter, then each the drive program and trip expertise are to not be missed. A number of cheap packages can be found, ranging from $219 (as a passenger).

Drive laps kick off at $299 and there’s alternatives for company occasions and reward packs. Extra superior packages can be found too, with a daily Academy occasion held at Wakefield Park in Goulburn.

It’s an unforgettable expertise that’s inexpensive, in addition to being distinctive sufficient that you may do it a number of instances. Nothing ought to stop a automobile fanatic from experiencing what Anglo Racing Academy has on provide. Test them out and thank us later.

To search out out extra, you’ll be able to name them throughout enterprise hours on 02 9677 9003 or 0466 260 542. Alternatively, you’ll be able to go to angloracingacademy.com.au

Footage courtesy of J_Hui Design / Photography. Quoted costs are Australian {dollars}. Story written by Paul Pascual and first printed on Exhaust Notes Australia.