My Belgium experience
My colleagues at Auto123.com were all jealous that I was about to discover this unique driving school on the mythic track at Spa-Francorchamps… even though I’m far from having the soul of a race car driver. Racing enthusiasts naturally associate AMG with this Belgium circuit where, in 1971, a mighty Mercedes-AMG 300 SEL 6.9, nicknamed "Big Red", finished first in its class and second overall at the 24 Hours of Spa. This unexpected triumph propelled the small, four-year-old brand (founded by Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher) into the realm of elite European motorists.
Academy trainers quickly brought the "students" back to earth by reminding us the importance of consistency -- consistency in trajectory, speed, focus and driving position (with hands at 3 and 9 o’clock). That’s what leads to safe, efficient control of the car.
Trainer Thomas Jäger explained to the small group of Canadian journalists invited by Mercedes-Benz Canada for a two-day session that drifting can be spectacular but never an effective way of driving; smooth, well-calculated manoeuvres deliver better results, both on the road and the track.
This 30-something driver from Germany had just arrived from a trip to Silverstone, England, when our training began. He had taken part in a hotly-contested leg of the MINI Challenge (which he won back in 2006, by the way).
"On a race track, everyone wants to go fast, real fast. But it’s pointless if you don’t hit the right line!," he told me.
Once again, it’s a matter of consistency.
Getting to know AMG products
A driving academy like this one proves an excellent way of promoting AMG products. Mercedes-Benz Canada’s Marketing Director, JoAnne Caza, concurs: "When a driver learns the tricks of the trade with an AMG car on such a prestigious track as Spa-Francorchamps, he or she no longer sees these models in the same way. Even if they don’t actually buy one, they will certainly become great ambassadors for the brand!"
My colleagues at Auto123.com were all jealous that I was about to discover this unique driving school on the mythic track at Spa-Francorchamps… even though I’m far from having the soul of a race car driver. Racing enthusiasts naturally associate AMG with this Belgium circuit where, in 1971, a mighty Mercedes-AMG 300 SEL 6.9, nicknamed "Big Red", finished first in its class and second overall at the 24 Hours of Spa. This unexpected triumph propelled the small, four-year-old brand (founded by Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher) into the realm of elite European motorists.
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| That’s exactly what Thomas Jäger meant when he was talking about consistency and controlled apex! |
Academy trainers quickly brought the "students" back to earth by reminding us the importance of consistency -- consistency in trajectory, speed, focus and driving position (with hands at 3 and 9 o’clock). That’s what leads to safe, efficient control of the car.
Trainer Thomas Jäger explained to the small group of Canadian journalists invited by Mercedes-Benz Canada for a two-day session that drifting can be spectacular but never an effective way of driving; smooth, well-calculated manoeuvres deliver better results, both on the road and the track.
This 30-something driver from Germany had just arrived from a trip to Silverstone, England, when our training began. He had taken part in a hotly-contested leg of the MINI Challenge (which he won back in 2006, by the way).
"On a race track, everyone wants to go fast, real fast. But it’s pointless if you don’t hit the right line!," he told me.
Once again, it’s a matter of consistency.
Getting to know AMG products
A driving academy like this one proves an excellent way of promoting AMG products. Mercedes-Benz Canada’s Marketing Director, JoAnne Caza, concurs: "When a driver learns the tricks of the trade with an AMG car on such a prestigious track as Spa-Francorchamps, he or she no longer sees these models in the same way. Even if they don’t actually buy one, they will certainly become great ambassadors for the brand!"
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| JoAnne Caza, Marketing Director at Mercedes-Benz Canada, and race car driver/businessman Danny Kok have teamed up to create a Canadian equivalent: the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy. |