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Dear Sir,
I hope you are well, staying safe and keeping sane in these extraordinary circumstances. Anthony Coyne’s article [issue 191] had inspired me to reflect and put pen to paper about my own recent experience from a tour I co-organised and participated in back in October 2019.
It all started with a chat over a drink (doesn’t it always?) with a good friend of mine, a former president of Porsche Club Pforzheim (Germany). “Wouldn’t it be great if we came to the UK in our cars to sample all things British – it would be a dream come true,” he said. As the idea developed, friends and Porsche enthusiasts from other parts of Europe wanted to get on board and, being motorsport fans, it wasn’t long before a theme to visit iconic racing venues emerged.
On day one we made our way through wonderful French countryside to the port of Calais and the Eurotunnel for a 35-minute hassle-free journey to Folkestone. Destination: Goodwood.
After a good night’s rest at the fabulous Goodwood House Hotel, we were treated to an exclusive talk about the circuit, its rich history and how Goodwood Road Racing Club was formed. Following a delicious lunch we went on a guided tour of the entire estate. Being huge motorsport fans it was a real privilege to drive our own cars up the famous hillclimb taking in views of the famous Goodwood House, home of the Duke of Richmond – it doesn’t get any more British than that!
Heading out towards London we couldn’t resist a quick visit to Windsor and a view of the castle. Of course there was also a mandatory pint in Eaton after a panoramic drive past the famous school.
The next day we headed to Silverstone, where a warm welcome awaited us from the friendly staff at the Porsche Experience Centre. We browsed over the latest models on display and were treated to a fabulous lunch and a couple of laps of the technical driving centre circuit. Richard Attwood, the [917] Porsche legend was instructing on the day and took time away from his busy schedule to join us for a chat and photo. What a gentleman!
A Porsche tour wouldn’t be complete without a visit to ‘the club’ so having sampled some of the finest roads and sights in the Cotswolds, we found ourselves in the capable hands of Chris Sweeting at PCGB HQ in Moreton-in-marsh, who gave the group a tour of the clubhouse.
After a full English the group made their way down the M1 for a chance visit to Brands Hatch. The circuit was hosting a round of British Superbike Championship so access was restricted, and after a quick dash to Folkestone we headed over to Spa-francorchamps. With a visit to the famous circuit and a stop at SPA Racing shop, we set our sat navs for Nürburgring. Unfortunately the circuit was booked by Tesla for testing but the visit whetted many appetites for a return and to tick another box – to drive the Green Hell.
A goodbye drink at the Cockpit Bar in the Dorint Hotel brought an end to our memorable tour. Now the biggest challenge is finding our next adventure.
A superb report, Darek, highlighting just what’s possible between a group of enthusiasts with a little planning involved! For me, this is exactly what the Porsche 911 is all about.