What is a trackday ?
A trackday, which can be translated as "circuit day", consists of renting the track of a circuit over one or more days.
These days are open to all people who own a sports car or race and want to share one or more days on circuit with other car enthusiasts.
This allows you to drive your own car on a secure circuit to test all abilities and the power of these sports cars.
These days are usually organized by circuits, car associations, specialized schools or manufacturers clubs such as Lotus or Porsche for example.
Two slogans govern the circuit driving: pleasure and safety, pleasure because it is a day of leisure and not competition.
Indeed, the participants (gentleman drivers) meet in order to share their common passion and not for the purpose of making races.
And safety because the trackday is only on a circuit approved and secure for the practice of driving.
Almost a hundred circuits in France and Europe receive or organize this type of day.
The different types of trackdays
Several Trackdays are held every day throughout France and Europe, enough to satisfy the greatest number of enthusiasts.
However, it is necessary to distinguish the two types of trackday that each respond to different objectives or expectations.
"Open" rolling, that is to say free or rolling sessions.
The Open Pitlane
These days of driving are generally open to different categories of cars: GTI cars, sedans, racing or collector cars, prototypes, single-seaters ...
There is a limited number of places so that the ride is free.
The Gentleman driver rolls at the pace he wants and has no constraint of "sessions" or "series", the track is open access unlimited for the duration of the training course.
That's why, these open pitlane trackday are organized by car categories: a day for sedans, a day for prototypes, a single-seater day ...
The regulation of the circuits forbids, for example, the simultaneous rolling of GTs and single-seaters.
The trackday open consists of a safety briefing at the beginning of the day, a morning taxi and / or a taxi in the afternoon.
The « sessions »
The trackday by sessions or by series implies that the rolling is delimited.
It is divided by car category and driving time.
Thus, it is possible to roll all types of cars, from the GT to the prototype or the single-seater.
The rhythm on the track is thus alternated, which makes it possible to make debriefings between each session or to share a convivial moment with the other participants in the paddock.
The number of participants can thus be greater than on an Open day.
