Our annual Mount Panorama track day event
Just wanted to thank you and the team for creating what was nothing short of an absolute dream of a day - simply AMAZING!!
Honestly, that was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Thanks to you all for the efforts that go in to making such an event possible.
I’ve had more than 40 cars … the Lotus experience is by FAR the best one of all.
What a brilliant day this was and very well done to Lotus Cars Australia for putting on such a great day.
Bathurst is so much more amazing than I could've imagined.
It’s a very well run event by the Lotus Cars Australia team! I’m still buzzing from it! Had an absolute ball
Our 2022 Lotus Only Track Day at Mount Panorama was held in the fresh crisp air of May vs our usual February date. Nonetheless, we had another huge turnout with more than one hundred keen driving enthusiasts ready to take on the famous Mountain. While most entrants were from NSW quite a few made the trip from interstate including a group from Lotus Queensland on a private chartered jet – the driving high life indeed!
Like our previous events, each driver was split into a suitable group based on previous driving experience & anticipated speed. It’s our way of making sure everyone is comfortable in the group they are in when they are on track, but more importantly, it maximises safety by balancing vehicle speeds while on track.
It was encouraging to see so many first timers attend this year’s event, we know from their reactions they will be back again most likely. Nearly every single person says the same thing second time around, they feel more relaxed and have had a chance to take it all in while driving on one of the most challenging race tracks in the world.
We say it every year & it sounds like a cliche, but quite literally there are only a few opportunities each year for a handful of drivers to get track time on Mount Panorama Racing Circuit. There are public events that cost double the price and have a track density of 30 or more vehicles (with huge variances in speed with road & race cars mixed up on track). There are also competitive motorsport events that require a race car, team and all the logistics required to perhaps do a few 10 lap sessions or an endurance event costing five hundred thousand dollars or more to participate in.
That’s why our exclusive Lotus track day on Mount Panorama is so unique and a rare opportunity to have up to two hours of track time in small groups with similar types of vehicles.
This year’s event also included two unique aspects with the Australian reveal of the Lotus Emira and an emotional tribute to Tony Seymour who died tragically at Targa Tasmania earlier in the year.
Can anyone do this track day?
Yes – all you need is a Lotus sports car, helmet and Motorsport Australia license. Watch Tim’s first time out on Mount Panorama in his Lotus Exige, watch Chris and then hold onto your seat and do a 2.29 lap with Haydn who improved by three seconds in his session.
Lotus Emira on the track in Australia
The new Lotus Emira has spent a few days in Australia being revealed to deposit holders and media as part of its world tour. The pre-production Seneca Blue Lotus Emira was unveiled during the dinner event with plenty of positive comments and quite a few surprised looks – yes, the Emira lives up to the photography that had been shared so far.
Under blue sunny skies the Emira did a few laps around the racing circuit the day after, roaring everyone to life.
Our tribute to Tony Seymour
In the wake of the incident, the Lotus community came together to pay their respects with a slow lap around Mount Panorama racing circuit during our annual owners’ track day.
“We really wanted to do something special for Tony who was such a valued member of the Lotus community and friend to lots of people that were there on the day, He was always very generous with his time and advice and helping newbies, whether that was Targa or track and he was a regular at the Lotus events.
“The Lotus community is actually quite a tight-knit community, they are all very close. We were all pretty affected by it, especially a lot of people at Lotus Cars Australia – we worked with Tony at events for many years.
“All the volunteer flag marshals stood out trackside, caps in hand over chest, and we even had the board up saying ‘final lap’ and nice little touches like that. We had all the guys that normally did Targa who know Tony really well up the front leading the way. When we all got out of our cars at the end it was all pretty emotional. We were all battling to hold it together. I think it was a pretty special thing to be able to do. I guess as a community we were really pleased we could pay that sort of fitting tribute. It was a pretty special thing and he certainly deserved that kind of tribute.”
Lotus Cars Australia motorsport manager Mark O’Connor
Big thank you to Steve from SD Pics for the photos taken, more are available on his website here
