As I walked into pitlane I was greeted with a happy smile from Tom Chilton. "You look really excited to be here," he chuckled. If the truth be known I was a tad nervous at the prospect of having a passenger ride round Brands Hatch.
Nothing new to me this kind of adrenaline rush. I've driven rally cars in the past and sat terrified as a passenger in Le Mans sports cars on slick tyres in the wet. Having been visiting Brands since I was a toddler, I am familiar with the ups and downs of this historic track. At least I thought I was.
It's one thing to stand trackside and admire driving skills, another to sit alongside and see how hard the drivers work. It's something everyone needs to experience. This may not have been a racecar but even so, the Nissan Skyline GT-R is one of the best cars in the world. This was going to be impressive to sit alongside one of the best racing drivers and watch him demonstrate high speed cornering and braking which would get the blood pumping.
Tom is known to have raced, and rolled in spectacular fashion, a double decker bus on Top Gear where he has also shown his raw talent driving airport vehicles, a people carrier and motorhome. No major risks today, he told me. "I have to drive home in this afterwards." He has spent his racing career racing touring cars and this season his target is to win the World Touring Car Championship.
"I've been very competitive in the opening races with podiums and fastest laps and it all feels very good," he nodded, reflecting on his season so far. A maiden WTCC podium at Monza where he finished second and then fifth in the RML Chevrolet Cruze, was followed by a third place in Marrakech.
I have known Tom since he was 13 when his racing career got started, so I reckon now at 28, he knows what he is doing behind the wheel. He has pretty much perfected the racing line on the Indy circuit at Brands which was still wet from an earlier downpour. If we kept chatting in the pits, I thought to myself, the track might dry out a bit more.
That ploy didn't work as I was presented with my helmet. A little bit of faffing about as I struggled to get the strap done up, did not delay the inevitable either. "Come here," Tom sighed, making the adjustments himself, and tapping the top of my helmet when done, with a smile that suggested he knew something I didn't. The smiling assassin I mused to myself.
I was not far out in my judgement as we sat in the pits ready for three hotlaps. "I'm going to switch off the traction control as it's very slippery. It will make it even more exciting," he stated in a matter-of-fact tone, one I associate with anaesthetists before you are taken into surgery. Gulp.
The 630bhp engine rumbled away and I did feel a bit uneasy with no seatbelt harness to pull over my shoulders as you would normally expect, just the usual buckle up you get in your everyday road car. Cruising down pitlane, this was nice, but the green to go light suddenly turned my driver into a mean racing machine. We accelerated from 0-62mph in 2.77 seconds with a lurch towards Paddock Hill Bend that left my stomach at the Dartford Crossing.
Up Hailwood Hill to Druids Hairpin, we got a bit sideways and down to Graham Hill Bend, slower cars on the track meant either hard braking or overtaking. I doubt they saw us as we sped by, disappeared into the distance, sweeping round McLaren clipping the rumble strips, drifting round Clark Curve, but fast and smooth at every point. Coming onto the Brabham Straight we started our second lap and I settled down for the ride, allowing myself a smile of satisfaction.
I took a glance sideways, well if the car was going that way so was I, to find Tom intensely focused, nerveless and unbothered about his passenger, who was now having fun.
"I only give three laps, one out, one flying and then come back to the pits," he explained. "People get a bit comfortable with more than that so I like to give them a bit of a blast, leave them wanting more."
"This car made you look quite good," I joked afterwards. Tom laughed before adding: "Did I tell you I was filming your reaction in-car to all that!" Touche.
Follow Tom Chilton on Twitter @tomchilton, @Hot_laps or email 1hotlaps@gmail.com for further information on the perfect gift.
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