THE PATHWAY TO AUTOTESTING
What is Autotesting?
Autotesting is one of the most fun, affordable and accessible forms of grassroots motorsport in Ireland. Ideal for newcomers to motorsport as well as competitors from all motorsport disciplines who wish to challenge their car control abilities.
There are a few distinct variants of Autotesting:
Autotests
Packed with intense sideways action, these compact events are a great test of a driver’s car control and precision. Events are made up of a number of tests (usually 3 or 4, repeated a number of times), held at sealed surface venues e.g. car parks, commercial premises. A ‘test’ is defined with a diagram and involves competitors using both forwards and reverse gears (and liberal use of the handbrake!). The driver is required to cross all lines marked on the ground with the car's leading wheels, park in ‘garages’, perform ‘nose throws’ (J-turns) and ‘forward throws’ (handbrake turns). Competitors are provided with the 3 or 4 route diagrams at the start of the day and must memorise each one before attempting to complete each test with no mistakes. The driver must navigate around a series of markers (known as pylons) in the fastest possible time. These events may look difficult but it’s easy to get started and there are a variety of events to cater for different levels of experience. Autotests provide a safe competitive environment where extreme car manoeuvres and frenetic action provide plenty of driver thrills.
Multi Venue Autotests (MVATs)
Think Autotests but with a splash of Ken Block’s Gymkhana. These events are more ‘open’, with less reversing and more distinctive event venues. MVATs retain the same core structure as a conventional Autotest, where you’re navigating a pre-determined route around a series of obstacles in the fastest possible time, but the key difference is the tests tend to be less compact and take place on a mix of surfaces, including dirty or clean tarmac, gravel or even grass. Despite the name, these events now take place in a single venue, typically a commercial premises or quarry, which provide more real-world obstacles with tests that are still designed to provide a safe competitive environment. MVATs are open for competitors who have competed in at least two previous traditional Autotests. One passenger is allowed and cars can also be ‘double driven’ where two competitors can compete in the same car, taking turns.
Autosolos
A mix between a traditional Autotest and an MVAT, Autosolos involve the fastest time over a set route around a mix of pylons and obstacles. They can be on sealed or gravel surfaces - the key difference to other events is there are no reversing elements.
