91热爆

So imagine the look on her face when I told her I was off to Croft Motor Racing Circuit for some racing lessons from two-time British Touring Car Champion Fabrizio Giovanardi.

The 43-year-old Italian is the reigning Champion and drives a Vauxhall Vectra for the VX-Racing Team. He'll be one of the front runners when the Championship arrives at Croft next weekend, Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 June 2009 and has a glittering motor sport CV.

As well as finishing top of the pile in Britain over the last two seasons, Fabrizio is a former European Touring Car Champion, European Super Touring Champion and winner of the Spanish and Italian Super Touring Championships. Oh, and he's also a former World Karting Champion.

So there were a few nerves as I prepared to take my place behind the wheel of the Corsa VXR with Fabrizio as my passenger.

The Lap

Helpfully, the team had prepared a number of technological toys in the car so you can see exactly how I did. I reckon I didn't do too badly.

Don't take my word for it though. Watch the lap here and listen to my interview with Fabrizio, who seems to think I did pretty well. A very gentlemanly people, the Italians!

The annual round of the British Touring Car Championship at Croft is a major event for the circuit, so hopefully this will whet your appetite a little for next weekend's excitement.

Damage to the Corsa.

One man Fabrizio won't be racing against though is the man from the Newcastle Evening Chronicle. After I'd completed my run, Fabrizio was back in the car with The Chronicle's motoring correspondent to impart more racing wisdom.

It seems to have fallen on deaf ears as he crashed into the tyre barrier in the complex just before the pit straight!

Sadly I had to return to work before the haggling over the repair bill could commence.