Driving a Mercedes-AMG GT S at the home of Top Gear

What would you do if the phone rang, and a voice at the other end told you you’d won a track day at the home of Top Gear, driving a Mercedes-AMG GT S?

Pinch yourself, to check it was really happening? For James Tumilty, it really was. The 33- year old from Northumberland was the lucky winner of Mercedes-Benz’ competition to drive this all-new sports car at Dunsfold Park. And little wonder he couldn’t believe his good fortune…

The Mercedes-AMG GT is only the second production car to have been wholly developed by AMG – the famous performance engineering division of Mercedes-Benz – and is no highly tuned version of a standard model.

This near-200mph sports car is the product of AMG at its very best, an unashamed thoroughbred that goes, sounds and feels as close to a race car for the road as it’s possible to get. And James would be driving it at Dunsfold Park, home of the Top Gear TV show.

To help build the stay-at-home-dad’s confidence, his instructor for the day was Niki Faulkner, a hugely versatile pro driver whose CV includes doubling for Chris Hemsworth / James Hunt in the Ron Howard movie, Rush.

“The thing about this car,” explained Niki, “is the faster you drive it, the faster you will feel you are capable of driving it. It is just addictive, and inspires confidence. The sound, and sheer sense of power – especially when you’ve got a race track all to yourself – will really encourage you to go quicker.”

Well, James? “Oh my God,” were his first words, after stepping out of the GT S for the first time. “The acceleration is immense. Just immense.”

He has a point – of course – but this was how he felt after a handful of laps as a passenger; from the moment James swapped seats and really got to grips with the GT S, the power of speech appeared to desert him altogether.

Fortunately, Faulkner has seen it all before. “Aside from the incredible power, there is so much technology in a car like this. It’s a lot for anyone unaccustomed to something this powerful to take in, let alone make the most of...

As it turned out, Niki needn’t have worried. James was a good listener and a decent driver, too. Within an impressively short space of time, James was putting into practice what his mentor was telling him and watching the novice use the full width of the track through the Follow Through, and leaving no margin for error with his speed past the tyres, was proof that a true petrolhead was at work.

“The chance to drive this track is one thing,” whispered Tumilty once he regained the ability to speak, “but getting to do it in a car like this is something else..."

To watch James' hot lap at Dunsfold, follow this link.