IT was with both excitement and apprehension that I made my way to the Castle Combe Circuit last month in the pouring rain, as I prepared to take part in their Racing School experience and drive a Formula Ford race car.

The day began with a briefing, where we told about the history of the circuit which was opened in 1950 and where Formula One legends including Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell and David Coulthard had all raced.

We were shown a map of the circuit, told about racing lines, when to brake and what to do should we come to grief and spin off in the tricky conditions.

My concerns were put somewhat at ease and soon it was time to get out on the track with our assigned instructors.

My driving instructor for the day was Louis Davidson, a friendly and encouraging bloke who’d been working at the circuit for nine years, teaching people of all abilities the fastest but safest way around the circuit.

As we made our way onto the track in the Ford Fiesta road car, it was clear just how much it had rained when in the briefing, but gradually I picked up speed.

Louis talked to me the whole time, telling me what I was doing well and not so well and after five laps I felt reasonably confident I could handle the Formula Ford car.

I was strapped into the tight confines of the cockpit with the help of mechanic Mike Skelton, who took the time to show me the key differences from the Fiesta I had just driven before I was given the all clear.

It was hardly the greatest of starts though as I stalled leaving the pits – take two.

We’d been told in the briefing that steering movements, acceleration and braking in the Formula Ford car would be exaggerated due to the lightness of the car and I was in for a shock at the end of the first lap when the car suddenly started to drift sideways.

I’d like to say that I had everything under control but in reality I seemed to be a passenger and by some miracle the car didn’t spin as I slid through.

My six laps on the track were an experience and although the cars were only limited to about 80mph instead of the usual 120mph, it gave me an insight into a completely different world.

At the end of the day we had another briefing where me and the other 12 drivers were asked how the day had gone, if there had been any spinners – of which thankfully I wasn’t one of them – and given a rating out of 100 by our instructors.

This was based on racing lines, control of the car and various other attributes and I was surprised to learn Louis had awarded me a respectable 90.

This was not my first race driving experience, but it was certainly the first where I felt treated as an individual and given an actual racing experience as opposed to being processed as quickly as possible.

Anyone looking for a great day around one of the best racing circuits in the UK need look no further.