Hot laps have exploded in popularity in the last decade alone. There’s nothing quite like sitting in the passenger seat while a professional driver tears around a track. But what exactly are hot laps, and where can you go to experience them yourself?
Hot Laps are one of the most popular driving experiences available. Riding shotgun is an exciting way for you to spend the day and can help thrill-seekers enjoy an afternoon or decide which sport they want to try their hand at next.
You can go on hot laps in a range of different cars on different types of tracks. So how are you supposed to choose one? Don’t worry! In this handy article, we are going through hot laps in different types of settings and comparing them for you!
What Are Hot Laps Experiences?
A hot lap experience is where a professional driver will take their vehicle around the track or circuit, trying to get the best time possible or perform the most impressive display, all while you ride as a passenger. Hot laps experiences are an incredible gift for yourself, a family member, or a friend.
If you’ve ever seen an F1 race on TV or enjoyed the drifting in the Fast and the Furious movies, you aren’t alone. Race car driving in any capacity is one of the most fun things we can imagine. That’s why over the last few years, we have seen more and more hot laps experiences in Perth.
A hot laps experience is where you get to ride shotgun and go around a track or circuit while a professional driver is at the wheel. You’ll get to watch first-hand as they take corners, do skids and set personal records that you can be a part of.
Hot laps are a memorable gift experience for the adventurous person in your life.
What Types of Hot Laps Experience Are There?
With modern experience providers, you can enjoy hot laps in:
- Drift cars
- F1 cars
- Off-road cars and buggies
- Rally cars
- V8 supercars
Each type of race car experience has its own appeal, and which you choose will depend entirely on you. If you want to truly experience fun, riding shotgun, hitting corners and drifting around in a drift car, then a drift car hot laps experience sounds like the perfect choice for you. However, if you’re all about speed, a V8 hot lap experience might be more up your alley.
Drifting Hot Laps Experiences
Drifting hot laps experiences are the most popular hot laps experience in Perth. In a drifting hot lap experience, you’ll be bracing yourself in a drift car while a professional driver does doughnuts, figure eights and all types of drifts as you ride shotgun.
If you’re not sure what drifting is, you’ll be excited to hear it’s one of the hottest things in motorsports right now. Drifting is a driving technique that requires precise skill to pull off successfully. A driver has to make a turn by doing it sideways while intentionally oversteering and losing traction while remaining in control of the vehicle. The result is a car turning in the direction that is opposite the direction of where the front wheels are going. So, if the car’s body turns right, the wheels point left.
Japan is considered the birthplace of drifting. Its mountain roads served as the training ground for those who want to improve their drifting skills. Today, it has become one of the most popular motorsports in the world. The best part about it is that it’s now possible for anybody to get involved with the sport by going on a hot laps experience.
Wondering where to book a drifting experience? See our Adrenaline drift experience review and Red Balloon drift experience review.
V8 Driving Hot Laps Experiences
V8 hot laps are a popular experience because V8 race cars are commonly known, very powerful and particularly stylish. Being able to ride shotgun in a V8 car fully going for it is a great time for both passenger and driver.
V8 race cars became an instant hit with the public when “The Fast and the Furious” franchise hit cinemas. Suddenly, everybody wants to be a race car driver, or at least pretend to be one just to experience that ‘need for speed.’
Among the impressive cars in the franchise with V8 engines are the Ford F150 SVT Lightning (in Fast & Furious), the Gurkha LAPV (in Fast & Furious 5), and the Dodge (in Fast & Furious 8). With the demand for the same race car experience, more experience providers have included V8 driving on their list.
V8 driving hot laps allow you to sit back as a professional driver takes you for several laps. Being in the same type of car and doing the same manoeuvres as V8 cars in the movies is a unique experience.
To learn more, see our V8 hot laps experience review.
Rally Driving Hot Laps Experiences
Rally driving hot laps is a passenger sport that can take place on any surface, from dirt to ice. Rally driving hot laps have become more popular as more and more tracks open up, with no two hot laps being the same.
Rally driving is a motorsport where you don’t race on the track with other drivers. Instead, each car gets a turn on the track, trying to get the fastest time possible. The track can be any surface—gravel, mud, ice, gravel. The driver has to be skilled to navigate in these conditions. In rally racing, the car must be street legal, and unlike other motorsports, the driver is accompanied by a co-driver, who acts as timekeeper and navigator.
For those who dream of becoming a race car driver or if you’re just looking for something new and exciting to do, rally driving hot laps are a great way to see if this sport is for you. There are plenty of experience providers that offer rally driving hot laps, so you can see for yourself how you fare out on the rally track.
Want to learn more? Read our rally driving experience review.
Off-road Driving Hot Laps Experiences
Off-road racing, as the term implies, is a type of motorsport held on rough, unpaved terrain using a vehicle (buggy, car, truck, motorcycle) that has been modified specifically for this purpose.
If all you’re after is a different kind of driving experience because driving on a smooth, paved road in a straight line bores you to tears, then maybe it’s time to try off-road racing hot laps. The twists and turns, the speed, and the bumpy ride will surely keep you awake and exhilarated. So, what can you expect from an experience provider offering off-road hot laps? You’ll usually be riding shotgun in a buggy driven by a professional driver, but the track itself will vary depending on the terrain.
F1 Hot Laps Experiences
In F1 hot laps, you will be using a two-seater Formula Ford with the pro driver sitting in front of you while you ride at the back safely strapped to your seat. You will go around the track multiple times as they push the limits of their car for your entertainment.
Driving an F1-style Formula Ford race car is the stuff of dreams for F1 fans, especially those aspiring to become a pro, and hot laps are the first step on that journey. Australia has its very own F1 champions in Mark Webber and Jenson Button. Hopes are high that current F1 star driver Daniel Ricciardo will also follow in their footsteps. But who says riding in a F1-style race car is only for the pros or for those aspiring to be one?
Thanks to experience providers, everybody can now feel what it’s like to ride in an authentic F1 car. You’ll be able to sit in a special 2-seater F1 car as a pro does their thing at high speeds.
What Are The Best Hot Laps Experiences in Perth?
If you’re considering a driving experience in Perth but prefer something hands-off, a hot laps package might be the answer for you. Check out these top 5 hot laps experiences in Perth:
1. Drift Ride-Along, Drift School
Drift School’s Drift Ride-Along is one of the best drifting hot laps experiences in Perth. At the hallowed grounds of the Barbagallo Raceway, you’ll be riding shotgun as you drift around the racetrack with a professional driver.
Drift School’s drifting hot laps experience is one of the most affordable and one of the most enjoyable. Starting at just $99, you’ll be watching masters of the sport drifting, doing doughnuts and figure eights around the iconic Barbagallo Raceway. A drifting hot laps experience can quickly turn an incredible birthday present into a new personal hobby or even career!
2. Ride 5, V8 Drive Day
V8 Drive Day’s Ride 5 hot laps experience is one of the premier V8 hot laps experiences. For $379 you get to sit in the passenger seat of a V8 race car, piloted by a trained professional, racing around the Wanneroo Raceway. This event is run throughout the year, so there’s never a bad time to enjoy the power and speed of a V8 race car.
3. Can-Am Maverick Hot Laps, Offroad Rush WA
If you’re willing to trek out to Neerabup, you can experience one of WA’s off-road hot laps experiences. Riding in an authentic off-roading buggy, hot laps packages start from $199. There’s nothing quite like an off-roading hot laps experience where you can feel the wind on your face and the dirt on your skin!
4. George Hollywood Elliot Hot Laps, Fastrack V8 Race
Thanks to Fast Track V8 Race, have the opportunity to ride with George ‘Hollywood’ Elliot, as he takes you around the track in a real V8 car. As a master in his craft, Hollywood Elliot, NASCAR champion and movie star, will sit down, have a chat with you and get you in the car while he shows you why he is world-renowned. For $340, you’ll be able to sit right next to a world champion as he loops around the Barbagallo Raceway.
5. Triple Hotlap, Rally School
Rally School is one of the places in Perth where you can get an authentic rally car hot lap experience. Starting at $195, you can choose what rally car you get to ride in and get out on the track for at least three hot laps around a massive, real-life rally track. Rally racing hot laps bring something new and unique to the hot laps experience. Rally driving mixes the speed of V8 racing with the thrill of an off-roading experience.
Hot Laps vs Race Car Driving Experience: Which Is More Fun?
Hot laps are more popular because you get to sit back, go fast and enjoy a professional doing what they do best. Some people find race car driving to be less fun because it’s more challenging and more involved, so hot laps packages are better for casual enthusiasts.
‘Hot laps’ is a term used by experience providers to refer to a customer riding a race car as a passenger with the pro driver behind the wheel. In most race car experiences (like rally, drifting, off-road), this means the passenger is sitting beside the driver (shotgun), but in F1-style Formula Ford, the passenger rides behind the driver.
Those who ride hot laps can enjoy the ride without worrying about the technicalities and the skills involved in driving such a powerful car. They’re just along for the ride. It is the likely choice of those who are just curious or out looking for something fun to do. It could also be for those who are just beginning to take an interest in racing-related things.
On the other hand, there’s also the driving experience. Here, you’ll be given a chance to get behind the wheel and try your hand at driving the race car. You’ll still be accompanied by a pro driver who will be riding shotgun with you and guiding you throughout. Briefings and instructions will also be given before you ride. The driving experience is for those who want to experience what it’s like to drive a different and more powerful vehicle than the standard road car.
Thankfully, you no longer have to choose with many modern experience providers allowing you to get the best of both worlds by combining hot laps with race car driving experiences. We find that most people enjoy being able to ride shotgun for hot laps with a professional driver, then get behind the wheel themselves and give driving a shot.
Hot Laps Experience FAQs
How Fast is a Hot Lap?
At top speed, V8 supercars doing hot laps can reach 200km per hour. However, considering every vehicle is different, and each venue has different safety regulations, your hot laps won’t reach this speed. Contact the experience provider directly to find out exactly how fast your experience will be.
How Much Does a Drifting Hot Laps Experience Cost?
The price for a drifting hot laps experience depends on the number of laps, the type of vehicle you’re in, the location and the provider. Drift School, the leading name in drifting experiences in Perth, has an affordable hot laps experience for $99 for four hot laps.
Are the Cars in a Hot Laps Experience Real Race Cars?
Some race car experience providers use authentic race cars that have actually raced professionally in their experiences, while others use modified versions of cars specifically for racing experiences. Discuss with your race car experience provider to find out what type of cars they use in particular.
Do I Need To Bring Anything to my Hot Laps Experience?
You don’t need to bring anything to your hot laps experience! However, you should follow any dress requirements from providers, such as requiring long sleeves or closed-toed shoes. Due to safety requirements, you won’t be able to participate if you don’t follow the guidelines.