Car Trackdays Questions Answered

Drivers

All drivers must hold one of the following licences and comply with the relevant regulations in order to take part in a track day: 

DVLA road licence - must be a fully unrestricted valid driving licence issued by the DVLA (or the equivalent foreign licensing authority in the driver's country of residence and be 17 years or above) with the appropriate category clearly indicated. NB: Where you have a restriction of an Automatic licence, you are only permitted on track in an automatic car.

Current MSA Race Club (Formerly National B) or higher race licence

N.B. Drivers aged under 18 years must book by phone and gain approval prior to the event. Drivers 16-18 with a senior Race Club (formerly National B) licence must use a vehicle that is relevant and of similar performance to their race car which must also be approved in advance by the MSV Trackdays team. They can only drive on circuit on their own or with an ARDS Grade "A" instructor. They cannot carry general passengers. 

For drivers aged 16 or under with a valid Motorsport UK Race Club Junior (formerly Junior National B) licence the additional criteria must also be met:

• Must be booked by phone 0344 2254424
• Such driver is using a junior championship vehicle
• Such driver has an ARDS Grade "A" instructor with them at all times when on circuit
• Such driver has, prior to the date of the event, provided written proof of their competence and licence, instructor's licence details, and what car they plan on using to the MSV Trackdays team
• Such driver's parent or legal guardian has signed and completed the relevant section of the Registration Form/Online check-in for the event being booked

Passenger Requirements

All passengers must wear the appropriate wristband. Only one passenger may be carried in the vehicle at any one time. Passengers under the age of 18 must have the appropriate section of the registration form signed by their parent or legal guardian. In any case the minimum age for passengers is 14 yrs except at Bedford Autodrome where the minimum age for anyone going on site is 16 yrs.

All participants

• All participants must wear a suitable crash helmet. Participants will require a full face helmet if you are in an open top/convertible vehicle. We recommend that helmets comply with current safety requirements designed for circuit use, or Motorsport UK/ACU/FIM/FIA standards. In all cases, helmets must be correctly fitted and securely fastened
• Seat belts or harnesses must be worn at all times on the venue
• Arms and legs must be fully covered whilst on circuit
• If you have any problems with any other drivers on the day, please report to the event team or the Race Control Supervisor, not the pitlane marshal
• No participant shall consume or be under the influence of alcohol at any time
• No participant shall be under the influence of drugs / medication (prescribed or otherwise) or have any pre-existing medical condition noticeable under the appropriate Road Traffic Acts that will adversely affect his or her performance
• No timekeeping or pace making of any sort is allowed on the track day
• When driving an MSV vehicle on circuit, you will be required to pay up to £2,000 in respect of any damage to the vehicle regardless of fault

Each driver will need to take part in the compulsory sighting laps at the begining of the event - either as a driver or as a passenger. This effectively limits the number of additional drivers that can be added.

You should always keep your car regularly serviced and in a road/track worthy condition, but for the avoidance of doubt please note the following requirements and recommendations: In the case of road cars - the vehicle must conform to MOT minimum standards for road use or Motorsport UK current safety regulations for track cars. All cars must have working seat belts/harness regardless of age and fit their towing eye.  The car must be in good condition both mechanically and bodily and suitable for its intended use on the track. It is your duty to ensure that the vehicle remains in this condition for the duration of the activity, in the interests of your safety and the safety of others at the circuit. Open wheels/single seater chassis are not permitted, nor vehicles exceeding 1.85m in height. If MSVT deem the vehicle not in keeping with the event booked it reserves the right to exclude the vehicle without refund.

BODYWORK AND CHASSIS

All vehicles must be 'closed-wheel' for track day events. Open wheels/single seater chassis are not permitted. All cars must have working seat belts regardless of age. The bodywork and chassis should be checked and in good condition. Vehicles must not exceed 1.85m in height.

TYRES

Must be in good condition and check pressures. Do remember to allow your tyres a chance to warm up. Slicks are permitted on General Track Days unless otherwise stated. A Motorsport UK approved roll cage must be fitted when using slicks.

TOWING EYES

Make sure that you know where your towing eye is located. Towing eyes need to be fitted prior to sighting laps.

BRAKES

In good condition and best to check them occasionally through the event.

ENGINE

Your engine will be under greater use than normal. Check all belts and fluid levels are correct.

ITEMS IN YOUR CAR

A simple tool kit is handy to have with you but before you go on the circuit make sure that you remove everything from the car that is not firmly fixed down. Also make sure you remove everything from the boot of the car. In some cases this also means the spare wheel.

LIGHTS

Lights must be in working order. Brake lights or rain light must be on the car.

FOOTAGE RECORDING EQUIPMENT

This is permitted for the car only, as long as in-car cameras and other equipment are safely and securely attached to the car using mounting systems specifically designed for that purpose and not obscuring the drivers vision. Professional 'designed specifically for the purpose' suction mounts/adhesive mounts need a secondary secure fixing such as a tether. The event team do reserve the right to insist on adjustments or refuse use of the equipment if they deem it unsuitable/unsafe.

FUEL

You must ensure that you have enough fuel at the start of each session. You are likely to use around three times as much fuel as normal road driving. If you run out on track your car will be removed to a safe position. This is an unnecessary disruption for other track users too.

INSURANCE

Insurance is not compulsory and is your choice. It is unlikely that your normal car insurance policy will insure you. There are several specialist companies who provide track day insurance.

Although we make every endeavour to ensure that risks are controlled, high speed driving is a dangerous activity and in attending the event you are choosing to accept those risks. 

For all MSVT events on circuit you will need to complete an online check-in prior to arrival. This involves an online indemnity and safety briefing for all drivers. The final joining instructions email sent to you prior to the track day will contain a 'link' that takes you to the check-in and safety briefing. You should complete the indemnity/check-in straight away. You will need to click the same link again 24hrs prior to your track day to access the compulsory safety briefing. If you have booked other drivers and passengers you will need to forward the final joining instructions email so they can click the same link to register - using their own email and details. On the day, after driver sign-on, there will be a short supplementary verbal briefing for all drivers. Passengers will need to complete the online check-in as a passenger which excludes the briefing.

Our office is open from Monday to Friday 8:30 - 17:30 (Closed Bank Holidays and 17:00 on Fri Nov-Feb)) should you need us in advance of your track day: 0344 225 4424 (local rate).

We prefer for all additional drivers and passengers to be paid for prior to the event for a smoother sign-on and avoids slowing down the process. If you need to add options after booking this will need to be done with us by phone in good time 0344 225 4424 (local rate).

Signing on
The registration/signing on point will be indicated on your final instructions email. To sign on you will need to have already completed the online check-in and safety briefing. If not you will be sent away to complete this before rejoining at the back of the queue. You must produce your valid licence at the point of registration; please note that photocopies/images cannot be accepted. Participants under the age of 18 will require their parent or guardian to be present, and have countersigned the online check-in. Please read our 'Driver and Passenger requirements' section or call us, in advance of your booking, if unsure. During sign-on you will be issued with a wristband and vehicle sticker (to go, ideally high, on the front of your vehicle). Arrive early - the registration process is not quick and you will miss track time if you all turn up at the end of registration period!

Noise Testing
At all circuits, except Donington Park, vehicles must be static noise tested before taking part in any on track activity. The noise test area will be indicated on your final joining instructions email, plus often on the day by a tall orange flag labelled 'Noise Testing'. The noise limit for your event is indicated on the individual event page. Please see the Noise Limits section for further details.

Garages
Garages are available to reserve at most of our circuits as an additional option when booking. There is a fair use policy in place for circuits that provide power. Low consumption devices are acceptable. High usage devices such as EV's, heaters and RV's are chargeable by the circuit on the day.

Sighting Laps
After registration and noise testing you will be needed for the compulsory sighting laps. All drivers must complete sighting laps prior to track activity. These are an opportunity for you to familiarise yourself with the the circuit and view circuit conditions at a reduced pace.

If the day is in 'sessions' rather than open pitlane then the colour of your vehicle sticker will indicate the group you are in. The group running order will be confirmed in your final joining instructions email or registration. During the day your group will be called by tannoy. Often the noise of engines and people can muffle the tannoy volume so keep half an eye on what’s on track.

Photography
Most events will have professional sports photographers taking high quality pictures of everyone out on track. Details will be given out in the morning drivers briefing. They can be purchased online after the event.

Don't worry. Your place is safe. Should you arrive late, please report to an MSVT member of staff, where arrangements will be made for you to be individually registered and sighted. Please note that you will naturally lose track time and it is likely you will need to wait for a member of the team to be available.

If you do not have your licence available you will need to use the online DVLA licence check service to prove you have a valid licence. You will need to go to www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence and go through the process and choose the option to download/print your licence entitlements and bring this with you along with official photo ID such as a passport. We cannot verify race licences on the day.

Track Notes

• On entering the circuit from the pit lane please keep to the right hand side and do not move over until the circuit behind you is clear. When pulling off circuit into the pit lane, use your indicator and move to the pit lane entry side early to allow following cars a clear route passed.
• Use the first few laps to build your pace, warm up your tyres and familiarise yourself with the conditions.
• Consider other drivers - leave plenty of space when you overtake other cars. Allow faster drivers past easier by 'lifting off' (do not brake) with indication and slow move to the right.
• Overtaking is only on the left and with consent. Do not overtake under brakes or through the corners. The consenting car should make a clear move to the right and ease off the throttle. Powerful cars will need to lift more to give the less powerful but faster car good opportunity to pass comfortably. Being overtaken is ok and a very regular part of track days that you need to get used to - don’t resist. Easy smooth overtaking will avoid ‘bunching’ of cars.
• Any driver deemed to be driving in a manner considered unsuitable, or to endanger themselves, or other track users will be black flagged and given a final warning. If the driver continues to give cause for concern a second black flag will be given and the driver and car removed for the rest of the day. The event team reserve the right to exclude the driver immediately if the situation demands it. 
• There is a warning tracker in place. All driver etiquette warnings issued are logged. The tracker covers the driver across all MSVT trackdays and circuits. Multiple warnings result in driver bans.
• If your car breaks down please pop your hand up to signal you are unable to restart. If involved in an incident do not leave your vehicle (unless on fire - move to a safe position behind the barriers). Keep your helmet on. If you see an incident, do not stop unless it is unsafe to continue.
• Anyone who ignores red flags or the direction of marshals will be asked to leave the venue - the marshals are there for you safety.
• Keep to short 15-20 min sessions. After this point everything starts to overheat. Build your pace as the laps tick by. Keep your adrenaline in-check at all times.
• The medical/safety car has a paramedic on board and can join the circuit via emergency access points. Please be aware that these vehicles have the right of way on the circuit and will overtake on the left so please move over to the right.

On a track day we use certain flags and lights to signal to all drivers. When you are on your sighting laps please familiarise yourself with the position of the live marshal posts and light positions. The following are the types of flags you will see:

• Green - indicates live marshal points during the sighting laps.
• Yellow - Minor incident at that part of the circuit. No overtaking, 30% reduction in speed. It is likely a car is rejoining.
• Red - Major incident somewhere around circuit. No overtaking anywhere on circuit. 50% reduction in speed. Come into the pit lane immediately. It is likely a car has stopped in a dangerous position.
• Blue - Reminding a slower car that a faster car is waiting to pass and will need to consent.
• Yellow & Red Striped - slippery surface or debris at that part of the circuit. Adjust your line or speed accordingly.
• Black - There is either a mechanical problem with your vehicle, your have failed the drive-by noise test or we need to discuss an aspect of your driving. Please return to the pits immediately and report to a pit lane marshal.
• Half black and half white – Indicates to a specific car they have exceeded track limits. Multiple flags will result in the black flag and loss of track time.
• Chequered - The end of the session. Please reduce your speed a little and return to the pits. No overtaking is allowed during this lap.

Pit Lane Notes

• If you have use of a garage, please ensure you adhere to all the terms and conditions displayed therein.
• Fire lanes must be kept clear at all times.
• The pit lane is strictly one way, as is the track. The pit lane speed limit is 30mph.
• Only people taking part in the current session are allowed in the pit lane.
• It is forbidden to sit on the pit wall.
• It is forbidden to re-fuel in the pit lane.
• It is forbidden to smoke in the pit lane or garages.
• Children under 16 who are not participating are not allowed in the pit lane.

Services

• Passengers will need to register and sign on. Please see regulations and general Information (below) for conditions
• Instruction can be booked in advance, and your session will be allocated on arrival. Our professional instructors can provide you with valuable advice about circuit driving and how to get the best out of your car
• Most events will have professional sports photographers taking high quality pictures of everyone out on track. They can be purchased online a few days after the event.

If you are unable to attend the booked track day, please email our sales team as soon as possible. In these circumstances, provided MSV Trackdays are notified no later than 14 days prior to the original booking date, although unable to refund, MSVT will endeavour to reschedule your booking or provide an MSVT credit towards a later track day (subject to availability) up to the face value of the existing booking*. MSVT are unable to cancel, credit or refund bookings within 14 days of the event at the request of the customer. In most cases a name change is permissible.

Any MSVT credit must be used within a three month period. For example, if you cancel your track day on the 1st June 2021, you must have booked an alternative date by the 1st September 2021. Any credits not used within the three month period will automatically expire.

Any amendments/cancellations to track day bookings must be requested by emailing the MSVT team at trackdays@msv.com stating clearly the track day booking details to which the request relates too.

Any cancellations or amendments to track day bookings requested by you may incur an administration fee of 10% or £20 which ever is the greater. All offers of credit are entirely at the discretion of MSV.

MSVT may have to cancel a track day due to events beyond its control, for example adverse weather conditions. This will usually be in the interests of safety. Where a track day is cancelled in its entirety for such reasons, MSVT will endeavour to notify participants of the cancellation by email.

MSVT are unable to reimburse third party costs incurred due to the cancellation and unfortunately cannot guarantee that participants will be informed of such cancellation before the date of the event. Where a track day is cancelled in its entirety for such reasons, MSVT will endeavour to offer a credit note to the value of the original booking to be used against another MSVT event within a three month period.

*subject to administration charge. Link to the full terms and conditons here.

This information applies to both our car track days and drifting events. There are two parts to this. Firstly - it's best avoided and frowned upon! Very carefully re-join in the same direction of flow when traffic permits. You need to come into the pits immediately and report to the marshal. If you don't you will be black flagged.

We need to check your car is OK before continuing, discuss your error and note your wristband number. If you spin again the car may be excluded from the remainder of the day at the discretion of the Chief Instructor. A spinning car puts yourself and others (including the marshals) at risk. If broken down, stay in your car and put your hand up out the window. The circuit marshal will assume you are going to re-join if you don’t put your hand up. Breakdowns are the most frequent cause of track time loss – don’t let it be you.

The second part is putting one or more wheels off the outer 'limits of the circuit' i.e. beyond the white lines. We have the following system in place which runs hand in hand with Motorsport UK regulations:

You are permitted to drive on the track asphalt up to and including the white line, and on the full extent of any kerbs (marked red/white). However you are not permitted to put a wheel beyond the white lines or kerbs. If anyone does not comply, the following actions will be taken by the circuit:

• 1st infringement Black/white driving standards flag warning
• 2nd infringement Black flag, report to control tower, final warning without penalty
• 3rd infringement Black flag, 20 minute track time exclusion
• Further infringements Black flag, 20 minute track time exclusion

Decisions by circuit staff will be final and there will be no right of appeal against any penalty or right to review evidence. Furthermore if track limits regulations are abused, especially in a repeated and/or deliberate manner, then MSV reserves the right to exclude both the car and driver individually and MSV will make no refund or compensation.

Please keep it on the black stuff.

Choose your circuit by clicking 'more information' below.

More information

Yes spectators are allowed for track days. They are free and a ticket is not required unless specified on the booking page of specific events

Unless accompanied by an adult at all times, no persons under the age of 16 years old are allowed in any operational areas or controlled track areas. Under 16’s are not permitted in the pit lane or collecting area at any time. Children under 16 years of age are not permitted to be left alone at the venue (i.e. whilst the responsible adult is on track). A secondary guardian would be required in that instance. 

At Bedford Autodrome spectators the minimum age is 16. All spectators need to sign-on due to its unusual site layout - they will be signed on with a passenger wristband (£10)

Helmet hire will be available. Best to pre-book. Although we recommend you supply your own.

Yes. Customers request a Reward Card during the event at the registration desk. At each trackday main drivers will need to ask for the card to be stamped. After the second stamp the card is handed in.

We will then cross reference the details when the card is received at HQ and email you as soon as we can with your unique 10% discount code. Then you can make the booking online with the discount. We are unable to apply the discount after the booking has been made.

Credits

At the point of cancellation your cancellation credit will have been added back onto the MSVT account used to book. No secondary email is sent at this stage. When you reach the check out stage of your next booking the credit will automatically appear and ask if you would like to use it. This credit will reduce or cover the balance due. Any remaining credit will stay on your MSVT account ready for your next booking until the expiry. Check the balance is correct before entering any card details.

Vouchers

When you reach the check out stage of your booking there will be the option of paying by voucher. Enter the complete voucher number and press redeem/apply. Check the balance has reduced before entering any card details. Any remaining voucher balance will stay on the same voucher number ready for your next booking, until the original expiry.

If you have any queries or issues - please email trackdays@msv.com. It should be easier to book online rather than by phone.

Our booking terms and conditions have a dedicated page. Should anything be unclear, please call us before booking and we will do our best to help: 0344 225 4424 (local rate)

It is very rare that we will have to cancel an event due to adverse weather conditions.

If the circuit is deemed unsafe by the event team we will delay circuit activity until it is safe to proceed. Our events do take place if it is wet. If the circuit is deemed unsafe to run without any circuit activity taking place then we will transfer your booking to a suitable alternative date or issue a credit note.

Unfortunately, we cannot rely on the weather forecast in most cases and the decision not to run is most frequently made on the day of the event.

Yes. Go onto the booking page of your chosen track day and click the reserve button. A box will pop up for you to enter basic contact details.

If a space becomes available we will email everyone on the reserve list with a link to book online. This system will run up until one working day prior to the track day.

Our office is open from Monday to Friday 8:30-17:30 (Closed Bank Holidays). Nov-Feb we close a little earlier on Fri at 17:00. Contact details are at the bottom of the web page.

Typically early Spring dates are listed late November. April to September dates are listed late January/February and October onwards are listed around August. There are still extra dates added throughout.

All our trackdays have noise restrictions. It is extremely important that circuits operate in compliance with their set limits. Anyone wishing to have their car tested can come to one of our track days and have a noise test free of charge. Please check with the circuit before coming. It takes just a few minutes for the test.

For all circuits except Donington Park there is a static test after driver registration which is carried out using a handheld meter. Each car is measured 0.5 meters away from the exhaust at a 45 degree angle when the engine is being held at ¾ of the maximum RPM. 

In addition to the initial static test all MSV circuits, except Cadwell Park, have a continuous automated 'drive-by' meter operating to ensure vehicles continue to adhere to the noise restriction in place. If your vehicle exceeds the drive-by limit then you will be called into the pit-lane to make changes before going back on track. There are many variables that will result in different readings at different circuits for the same car.

For car track days, the noise regulations for each of the circuits are as follows:

More information