FAQ

The Classic Racing School team is here to answer your questions

Got a question?

To help answer your initial questions, we’ve gathered the most frequently asked ones. Whether you’re curious about the experiences, weather conditions, gear, or booking process, this page is here to guide you, reassure you, and help you prepare for your Classic Racing School experience.

Still have a question ? Feel free to contact us !

a helmet on a race car
Do I need a certain level of driving experience to sign up?
Our driving experiences are open to all levels, from complete beginners to seasoned drivers. Our instructors tailor their guidance to your experience, helping you progress at your own pace throughout the sessions. No prerequisites are required. Just come for the pure enjoyment!

You must hold a valid driver’s license to participate in one of our driving experiences. If you previously held a license but it has been revoked, feel free to contact us so we can discuss your situation together.

As for minors, an exception may be made starting at age 16 if you hold a valid racing license.

We can accommodate drivers up to 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) tall in our single-seaters. The minimum height is 1.55 m (5 ft 1 in). We also recommend a maximum weight of 110 kg (242 lbs), with some flexibility depending on the driver’s build. If you have any questions regarding this, feel free to give us a call.

Several payment options are available on our website when you proceed to checkout.

 

You can pay the full amount by credit card directly online. We also offer a three-installment payment option with no additional fees. This option will appear during the payment process.

 

Alternatively, you can choose to pay by bank transfer or cheque. In that case, you may either pay the full amount or make a 50% deposit based on the total booking price using the bank details provided. Please note that your booking will only be confirmed once the deposit is received. The remaining balance will be due 10 days before your scheduled date.

When you visit Classic Racing School, you’ll receive a driver’s pack filled with surprises, including a referral code. When planning your next historic driving experience with friends or family, share this code with them.

 

Your referees (friends, family members, colleagues, etc.) will need to enter this referral code along with your full name when booking their own historic driving experience. Both the code and your name must be entered on our website’s booking page during the payment process.

 

By entering your referral code and name, your referees will receive an immediate 5% discount on their driving experience. This discount applies to the experience only and does not include any options.

 

For each booking made by a referee, the referrer will receive credit added to their personal reward balance:

 

€50 for a half-day experience
€100 for a full-day experience
€125 for an advanced coaching experience

 

Credits are cumulative and can be used at any time, up to a limit of 60% off the base price of a driving experience. For example, the minimum price of a full-day experience using referral credit is €796 including VAT (from €1,990 – 60%).

We do not use radio communication and instead favor face-to-face debriefings.

 

Our instructors, positioned at various points around the circuit, constantly report back to our head instructor located at the pit lane. If necessary, he may stop you to share feedback and suggestions for improvement.

 

This “old-school” approach is not only more effective but also safer than radio communication, which can distract you with real-time instructions and prevent you from fully focusing on your driving.

As you are fully autonomous and alone behind the wheel of single-seaters with no driving aids, the first session of the day takes place behind a lead car, a 1966 Crosslé prototype, driven by one of our professional instructors. This “pace car” helps you find your bearings and get comfortable with your vehicle while guiding you along the proper racing lines.

From the second driving session onward, you’ll be out on track solo, with staggered spacing between you and the other participants in your group.

During Classic Racing School experiences, the track is fully privatized regardless of the program you choose. You’ll be on track alongside the other drivers of the day, with a maximum of 12 cars at any given time. These ideal conditions allow you to enjoy a circuit of over 4 km with no traffic, no pressure, and the freedom to drive at your own pace.

At Classic Racing School, we’ve chosen to offer the most authentic experience possible. The Charade Circuit is therefore not altered with any chicanes. Only cones are placed at the edge of the track as visual markers, positioned off the racing line to indicate braking points, turn-in, apex, and exit.

A designated stopping zone is also set up along the main straight, allowing us to provide feedback during your driving session if needed.

For any request involving groups of more than five people on our driving programs, we invite you to give us a call so we can provide you with a tailored offer.
Depending on the intensity of the rain, we adapt the driving sessions and the experience accordingly. Our fleet of single-seaters is equipped with rain tires, which means sessions can continue even in wet conditions. Driving in the rain requires a different approach, more technical, more precise, and demanding greater caution. But it also offers a unique kind of driving pleasure, with new reference points and sensations that are fully part of the experience. In the case of heavier rain, some sessions may be led by a pace car (a Crosslé prototype driven by one of our instructors) to help you adjust to wet-weather lines. The role of the pace car is not to slow you down, but to give you confidence over the first few laps.
Original historic single-seaters are lightweight, handcrafted vehicles and therefore relatively fragile. The re-editions we use at the school are mechanically more robust, but like any race car, they must be handled with care. If a car is damaged due to a driving error or going off track, and in the rare case that it cannot be safely repaired on site—you may have to stop your driving sessions for the day. That said, there’s no need to worry. Our on-track supervision is designed to anticipate such situations and guide each driver well before reaching their limits, based on their skill level.
If damage were to occur, the full deposit is not necessarily charged. We do everything we can to protect our clients, including financially in such situations. After an assessment by our mechanic, a repair estimate will be drawn up based on the necessary work. You’ll be asked to cover the amount of that estimate, up to the maximum of your security deposit : €8,000 including tax (or €4,000 if you previously opted for the Insurance Pack). We have never charged a deposit in full.
We provide a full set of driver gear: fireproof underwear, balaclavas, gloves, leather boots, race suits, and FIA-approved helmets with HANS systems. If you own part or all of your own gear, you are welcome to use it during your visit. Please inform us in advance so we can adjust your locker accordingly. Your personal equipment must comply with FIA standards. Motorcycle helmets or open-face (“jet”) helmets are not permitted. Your helmet must be equipped with a HANS-compatible strap system.

The Companion Pack offers anyone accompanying a driver the chance to enjoy a full experience trackside. It includes breakfast, lunch and/or the end-of-day aperitif, as well as all-day access to the soft drink open bar (depending on the format of the experience) for one person.

Our team will take complete care of your guest, with guided visits to the control tower and race direction center. Classic vehicles with chauffeurs are also available to transport guests along the circuit’s safety roads, allowing them to view the action from several iconic corners.

Naturally, they’ll also have unlimited access to our trackside lounge, featuring period music, vintage magazines, classic film screenings, and other thoughtful touches that bring the 60s atmosphere to life.

You’re welcome to bring a baby along. However, please note that the environment can be loud and may be unsettling for some children, as the space is open and directly exposed to the track, workshops, and single-seaters.

Additionally, we do not have a microwave available for heating meals, and the circuit does not offer facilities specifically designed for changing babies.

For safety reasons, the internal regulations of the Charade Circuit do not allow animals within the circuit grounds.
Yes, a photographer is present throughout the day. You’ll also receive a video souvenir, thanks to the onboard cameras mounted on the roll bars of the single-seaters. These recordings are for your personal use only and will not be used for promotional purposes without your consent. Additionally, we encourage you to take your own photos and videos during the day to share on your personal social media. Feel free to tag us (@classicracingschool on Instagram) and use the hashtag #ClassicRacingSchool when posting your content.

Unfortunately, this is not possible due to insurance restrictions and the scheduling dedicated to running our single-seaters, which cannot share the track with heavier vehicles (over 500 kg).

However, your car can be parked and showcased on the pit lane, offering a great opportunity for stunning photos and sparking plenty of engaging conversations on site.

Feel free to contact us by phone at +33 (0)6 09 54 49 89 or through our online contact form here. A member of our team will get back to you shortly.

Become a 60s Racing Driver Today !

All Our Driving Experiences

Immerse yourself in the world of 1960s motorsport at the wheel of historic single-seaters, in an exclusive and authentic setting. Choose your experience and come discover one of the most iconic circuits in vintage racing.