Yas Marina Circuit's new AMG Experience a must for thrillseekers

A ride around the Yas Marina Circuit with its new AMG Experience is a great way to experience the Formula One track.

Neil Vorano takes on the Yas Marina Circuit. Lee Hoagland / The National

I'm sitting sheltered from the summer heat, surrounded by fine leather and brushed aluminium, with the cool blast of air conditioning blowing on my hands wrapped around the steering wheel. A quick scan of the buttons on the centre cluster reveals what I'm really looking for under this midday sun, and I activate the cooled seats - what every race car should have.

Well, it's not really a race car - this is the luxurious Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG. But I am sitting in the pit lane of the race school at Yas Marina Circuit, about to put in some hot laps with the venue's latest offering, the AMG Experience. It's just one of a series of driver training and in-car opportunities offered by the school that allows regular Joes to hit the same circuit used by Formula One heroes every November during the grand prix.

This AMG Experience is rather at the other end of the spectrum of some of the other offerings from Yas, where participants can slide into the tight cockpit of a purpose-built race car and get detailed tutelage on the nuances of handling and speed. But waiting in the pit lane, I'm not fooled by the spacious and sumptuous cabin of this four-door CLS 63; I know AMG, and I know the kind of things it does to regular Mercedes saloons. That low rumble from the 5.5L V8 under the bonnet is just a hint at the fact that I've got 518hp lurking under my right foot.

This is an hour-long experience that starts off with a safety briefing. This is not an activity for seasoned racers looking for detailed and advanced training; rather, it's just for a bit of fun behind the wheel of a hot car. But safety is still paramount, and the group is talked through various warning flags and what to do if something goes wrong. We're also given the basics of taking a corner. And that's it; grab your helmets.

We are now two groups of four out in the pit lane, with an instructor in a fifth car leading each group. Leaving the pit lane, the first lap is slow, just to acquaint ourselves with the North circuit. And as we come around for the second lap, we're told over the in-car radios that we'll take it faster this time, and - well, we don't, really. Our speed is governed by the first car behind the instructor; if he or she is slow, the group is slow. Luckily, after each lap, the order is changed - the first car goes to the back and the whole group moves up. But if you want full-fat fun, make sure to bring along some quick friends.

Finally, a chance for some real speed, and the CLS 63 surprises; for such a big saloon, it takes off like a rocket and handles corners flat, almost like a race car - almost. I lose track of the leather and luxuries, save for the soft feel of the suede-wrapped steering wheel; the speed and braking are what counts now. And the AMG delivers full thrills as I brake hard and hit the apex of each corner, struggling to keep up with the instructor.

After about six laps, we pit to change cars - next is the smaller, two-door C 63 AMG. It "only" has 451hp, but as we wind up the speed around the circuit, its lighter weight means that turns are taken faster than with the bigger CLS. It really is a hoot - until my car suddenly loses power. My transmission is overheating and the car is now in "limp mode", so I take it into the pits to cool down. The upside? The instructor takes me out alone after the group is done, for a few more laps with another C 63, and we're flying.

Of course, we aren't flying as fast as I would be in the SLS AMG. Yas has a fleet of those gull-winged supercars, too, available for this AMG Experience. Just not my experience, sadly; that's for a later class.

There are other AMG activities to choose from; if you can't take the speed, find more control with its Dynamic skid pad experience. Or, if you don't want to drive at all, get a ride with one of Yas's instructors in the SLS for a sense of what real speed can be. No, these activities aren't exactly cheap - prices range from Dh400 to Dh1,900, depending on the drive. But if you've ever wanted to feel this much raw power with such refinement, the AMG experience may be just your ticket.

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