Teens could learn to drive at Silverstone
TEENAGERS could be given the chance to learn to drive at Silverstone as part of a safety initiative launched by car manufacturer, Mercedes.
The German firm has revealed plans to open a Young Driver Training Experience at the Northamptonshire track.
The facility would allow children under 17 years old to take part in supervised sessions on private roads where they would be taught skills such as parallel parking, three point turns and driving at up to 30mph.
The company said: “Through a tuition programme designed to take a young driver’s skills to beyond driving test standard, the facility offers a chance to use a safe environment to build confidence, develop safety awareness and increase experience of manoeuvring before beginning to drive on actual roads.”
The facility at Silverstone would be similar to one run by Mercedes in Surrey where up to 200 youngsters a weekend take part in driving courses.
The company said it hoped replicating the courses in Northamptonshire would help to improve young people’s driving standards when they got their full licences.
It said: “It is hoped that the Young Driver Training Experience will make a significant contribution to improving the driving skills of young people across Northamptonshire and in Buckinghamshire, as it has done in Surrey.”
The course would be run from a top-of-the range Formula 1 motorhome, which was used by the McLaren team between 2002 and 2007.
When it was used in the Formula 1 paddock, the building provided facilities for world champion drivers, including Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen.
Mercedes said: “The pavilion is steeped in Formula 1 history and is befitting of the motor racing excellence associated with Silverstone Circuit.”
Officials from South Northamptonshire Council will decide if the development can go ahead in the coming months.
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Comments
There are 4 comments to this article
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20th Century Cynic
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 12:38 PMI thought I was cynical! Yeah willi, fancy applying for planning through for "driving cars" at "Silverstone circuit", by a "private" firm. You're right mate, skullduggery will doubtless be afoot, obviously...!?! And Reverend, a man of the cloth making such derogatory remarks about the "squeezed middle". How uncharitable. Especially as previously, all you had to do to get some cool driving and mechanic courses was to TWOC a few cars, smash em up and burn em! Yeah, the "white middle class" get it so easy, especially when they are behaving themselves not clogging up A&E on a Thursday afternoon after having a fight in a betting shop. BTW, have a look in the Merc showroom at Riverside. The clientele may surprise you. And Lady Muck, much as I know, and quite like Northampton, I think you'll find the ignorant attitudes and behaviour you describe are rife everywhere these days. Sign 'o' the time my dear. Look at this story without your gloom goggles on folks, and you may find its actually quite a positive one.
lady muck
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 10:25 AMWhat young drivers need is special training in Northampton Driving. This will involve opening car doors and damaging other vehicles (Supermarket Extra), Running Red Lights, General Abuse with optional Rude Gestures and Saving up to Pay & Park.
Reverend
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 03:32 PMOoooh, that'll be just like the Casualty Reduction Partnership's CarKraft & Drive 16 then...only more costly, so only middle class white kids will benefit.!! Still, that's Mercedes for you
willi eckaslyke
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 02:08 PMShouldn't be a problem with either planning approval or licensing; Silverstone 'sponsors' both South Northants & Aylesbury Vale district councils and has a Director at the top in NCC.
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