When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Laguna Seca was fun. The lap with a Pro driver at the conclusion of the day was the highlight for me.
Downside was traffic jams when we were out on the track. Too many classes with too many vehicles of different speeds at the same time. Always seemed to be waiting for someone to get out of the way or pulling over to let another group pass. Didn't seem like we got to string a set of good laps together.
Which level course did you do where you encountered traffic jams?
Trying to figure out which level I should do. I've done about 3 different HPDE's before, and I've attend both the basic and masters (2-day) Porsche performance driving school in Alabama. I am guessing Advanced or Pro? They seem relatively similar.
Trying to figure out which level I should do. I've done about 3 different HPDE's before, and I've attend both the basic and masters (2-day) Porsche performance driving school in Alabama. I am guessing Advanced or Pro? They seem relatively similar.
You should get in touch with AMG and see if they are letting you apply those levels to AMG Academy.
You should get in touch with AMG and see if they are letting you apply those levels to AMG Academy.
They are indeed letting me, but the lady on the phone was not very helpful as to the difference between Advanced and Pro.
If someone has done both Advanced and Pro, can you tell me the difference? It isn't very clear online either.
As mentioned, I've done the 2-Day Masters Program at Porsche and I feel that I should be doing something at least equal to that. Anyone will experience would be great. Thanks in advance!
They are indeed letting me, but the lady on the phone was not very helpful as to the difference between Advanced and Pro.
If someone has done both Advanced and Pro, can you tell me the difference? It isn't very clear online either.
As mentioned, I've done the 2-Day Masters Program at Porsche and I feel that I should be doing something at least equal to that. Anyone will experience would be great. Thanks in advance!
Based on what I see on the porsche site, The masters program at porsche and the advance at mercedes both have similar itinerary on what you do. You would be taking Mercedes Benz Pro.
I was at the Academy yesterday at Laguna Seca. If I understood them correctly, the pro class can be used toward fulfilling the requirements when applying for a race license.
How was traffic on the track? When I went last year they had so many groups going it always seemed like we were either slowing to wait for a group to get out of the way or being slowed to let another group by. Don't think we ever got a full session at speed.
The spacing was good actually. I read your post previously and hoped we didn't run into that. We went out in groups of 3 with the instructor. There was only once where we came up upon a slower group, and we pulled into the pit to get a little separation, and then went back out.
The GT-R's were awesome. I may have to trade in my R8!
They are indeed letting me, but the lady on the phone was not very helpful as to the difference between Advanced and Pro.
If someone has done both Advanced and Pro, can you tell me the difference? It isn't very clear online either.
As mentioned, I've done the 2-Day Masters Program at Porsche and I feel that I should be doing something at least equal to that. Anyone will experience would be great. Thanks in advance!
The biggest difference between Advanced and Pro is how much more "hands off" they are in Pro. You are given much more freedom for free practice and lapping where advanced you stick pretty close to heavily supervised lead/follow sessions. At the end of the second day of my Pro at COTA, they basically just said do whatever you want for the last couple of hours. That included free lapping the track in groups, going to the skidpad, etc. I ended up being the only person that wanted to hit the skidpad at the end so I was out there by myself (with one of the instructors on the sidelines to give input if I wanted) and got to where I could sustain a drift around the pad for a couple of "laps". It was C63 coupes on the skidpad. I drove one until the belts were slapping the inside of the fender wells and the instructor just told me to get another car and come back. It was great.
A heads up about timing though. If you plan to got from Pro to Pro+ and go for a SCCA Competition license, there's a time limit between when your last qualifying class/program is and doing the Pro+. After the Pro at COTA, I got married and bought a new house that needed renovations. By the time the dust had settled I was a month past the time limit and would have had to take the Pro again or some other qualifying program to take Pro+. I'm probably an edge case but just an FYI.
I had a good time at the Performance class @ Laguna Seca last year
Looking forward to Advanced / Pro / Pro+ in the next couple years. Thinking Advanced at COTA and Pro at Road America. I'm not sure what I'd do with it, but it would be pretty cool to get the SCCA Competition License after completing all courses. Plus the courses themselves from what I saw at the Performance class are top notch & a ton of fun!
I had a good time at the Performance class @ Laguna Seca last year
Looking forward to Advanced / Pro / Pro+ in the next couple years. Thinking Advanced at COTA and Pro at Road America. I'm not sure what I'd do with it, but it would be pretty cool to get the SCCA Competition License after completing all courses. Plus the courses themselves from what I saw at the Performance class are top notch & a ton of fun!
He must have had the best time in the slalom event! Congrats!
Yep, I got one at Road Atlanta for the autocross. They encourage you to bring it to any ADA events you take, otherwise you have to use the public-use helmets.
'23 SL63 AMG, '24 Range Rover SE P400, ‘26 Corvette Z06, ‘25 Audi RS7 Performance
Having never done an AMG academy before, but with several track school days experience, plus corvette school “Ron Fellows” 3 day course, do you guys recommend I request an advanced or a pro course? Shooting for November dates at Laguna Seca.
Yep, I got one at Road Atlanta for the autocross. They encourage you to bring it to any ADA events you take, otherwise you have to use the public-use helmets.
Is there any way of getting one so I can take it to my first amg academy.
The helmets they use have hookups for helmet headphones so they can communicate with you.
You can ride with the instructor around the track (which I recommend) to witness up close his lines, when he brakes, and when he accelerates. What was hilarious is that he is holding his radio in one hand, speaking to the others following him, and driving with the other hand. So he is essentially driving around the track with one hand (although we weren't going around the track super fast).
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
