We participated in the Audi winter driving experience to learn how to control the technique of controlled skidding on snow. A training activity to gain driving experience from experienced instructors on the snow on the slopes of the Baqueira/Beret ski resort.
Last week we had the opportunity to enjoy one of those courses where you always learn a lot. The last time I participated in this experience was 7 years ago, also in Baqueira/Beret. Precisely at that time, that thing about looking far away was etched in my mind. I still remember an instructor named Lluís who kept repeating: “look away, look away!”.
It is in this type of experience surrounded by professional instructors when you can learn and assimilate techniques behind the wheel that until then you did not think could be possible or simply carried out erroneous maneuvers.
The Winter Audi driving experience is a course program aimed at Audi customers, but other drivers who want to learn to drive on snow can also participate. It takes place between January 15 and March 6 every weekend at the Baqueira/Beret ski resort in the Val d’Aran.
This course lasts from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and in addition to the theoretical and practical classes, it also includes lunch at the Möet Winter Lounge in Baqueira/Beret.
The price of the course for an Audi customer is 290 euros, but any driver who wants to can also take part in it, even if they don’t have an Audi, then the price will be 350 euros.
4 activities in depth
The course is divided into four activities, three independent and the last one in which you must put into practice all the previous phases. For these activities all the cars were Audi S and RS, all equipped with Bridgestone Blizzard winter tyres.
The main objective of the course was to demonstrate the effectiveness of the quattro all-wheel drive system. Hence, all activities (with the exception of braking) were carried out with the stability control completely deactivated. In few activities of this type can you enjoy a high-performance sports car on snow without controls for so long. Precisely in this way, without that safety net that are the driving assistants, it is when you can improve your control over the vehicle the most.
The first test was a calculation of the stopping distance. Here you have to learn to brake hard. It does not matter that we are driving on snow. The electronics are there to help and the harder you brake, the better the ABS responds. Years ago without ABS you did have to be very careful when braking on a slippery surface, but with ABS and winter wheels you can rage on the brake pedal without any problem.
The second test was a balancing exercise. A test in which to learn to control inertia, and above all, learn to anticipate. On snow you have to anticipate a lot, only then can you make support changes with maximum precision.
The third test was a spinning exercise. It was kind of a slalom where you had to chain drifts back and forth, going through the gates marked with cones and finishing with a final drift in a 180 degree turn.
In each of these three areas you had an instructor who was giving you advice and guiding you during the activity from the outside through a walkie-talkie. By doing it like this, he could see the reactions of the car from the outside at all times and thus correct you at each point of the track.
3 full turns
Finally, it was time to put into practice everything learned in the previous phases of the course in a larger format circuit. The instructors modify the route to make the most of the Orri area. In this circuit you have the possibility of doing three full laps chaining skid after skid.
Since snow is a living surface, here you can see how the level of grip changes in different parts of the circuit. There are areas with harder snow, others with ice, others with powder snow where you can enjoy better grip…
The most important thing is to anticipate a lot, be 100% focused, move your hands very quickly on the wheel and be constant with the pedals. You always have to keep your eyes on the next door, not the one you are doing. The further you look, the better everything will go, because that way you will be able to anticipate correctly.
In short
It was an incredible experience to have the team of instructors led by Álvaro Espinosa. A human team that gets very involved with the participants and that helps you learn a lot at all times. The price of the course of just 300 euros is almost a gift because the learning you take with you can save your life that day you suddenly find yourself with an unforeseen event on the road.
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