Honest Review For Racing Track Dubai Experience: Dubai Autodrome Circuit Driving Experience

Dubai Autodrome hosts many professional racing events throughout the year, but how does it fare for amateur racing enthusiasts looking for an authentic racing experience?

I recently got the chance to visit the Dubai Autodrome Racing Track and experience driving a BMW M240i on the circuit during my trip to the United Arab Emirates. Here’s my honest review covering everything from the initial booking process to the final lap!

Background on Dubai Autodrome

Located in the Motor City in Dubai, Dubai Autodrome hosts global racing series like the FIA GT Championship and GP2 Asia, but it’s most famous for the Dubai 24 Hour endurance race, where legends like Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg, and Fernando Alonso have competed!

While the track hosts numerous professional events during the year, it doubles as a motorsports experience and training centre during other times. Dubai Autodrome seems to offer something for every kind of motorsport there is—ranging from Karting racing lessons to even Formula racing training (yes, the track is FIA-sanctioned!).

Moreover, they even offer top-of-the-line racing simulation experiences where you can perfect your skills before heading out to the track!

Booking The Driving Experience

While the Dubai Autodrome seems to offer everything motorsports-related, I was specifically interested in trying out their ‘Driving Experiences’, where you can pick your favourite among 10+ supercars and head out to the track with a certified racing instructor to drive a few laps (with no speed restrictions!).

We booked our driving experience directly on their official website, where they offer numerous cars to choose from, ranging from the Mini Cooper, all the way up to the likes of Porsche GT3 and Ferrari 488 GT! All vehicles are equipped with roll cages to prioritise safety.

While booking your driving experience through their official website, you will be offered an ‘Accident Damage Waiver’ and an ‘On Board Camera’ at an additional (and reasonable) cost. I strongly recommend purchasing the Accident Damage Waiver to minimise liability in case of any damage to the car.

If you want to carry home a great highlight after driving those intense laps, I recommend purchasing the On Board Camera add-on, as their dual camera setup records both the driver’s seat, the track view, and the speedometer simultaneously!

The BMW M240i Experience

Since all I had in terms of ‘prior experience’ was racing at community karting tracks, I was looking for a supercar that was not only nimble enough to safely handle the 16 turns on the 5.39 kilometre-long track, but also able to accelerate quickly to great speeds on the straights for an authentic racing experience.

The BMW M240i stood out to me because of this, offering a 155mph(250km/h) top speed, along with All-Wheel Drive and a light chassis suitable for an amateur handling the track’s turns. Additionally, I booked the On Board Camera and the Accident Damage Waiver add-ons to take home a great memory and drive without worrying!

Note: For more confident drivers specifically interested in driving a BMW, Dubai Autodrome also offers the BMW M2, M3 Competition, M4 Competition, and the M5 for their Driving Experiences at slightly incremental prices.

The Track Day Experience

Let’s discuss everything from my personal experience visiting Dubai Autodrome for my driving experience:

Reporting for the experience

Upon reaching Dubai Autodrome, I realized how impressive this motorsports venue was! The place was filled with signature cars for display and sim racing setups. I made my way to the lobby, which was also the reporting point for the Driving Experience. I was quickly provided the necessary documents by the representative, signed the liability waivers (mandatory for any thrill experience), and was quickly escorted to the briefing area.

Note: The driving experience requires you to have a valid driving license. The country of the driving license does not matter, but your driving license should definitely be in English. If your driving license is not in English, you might have to get an International Driving Permit from your local Motor Authority, which is basically a translated version of your license.

Briefing

While being escorted to the briefing area, I saw racing professionals, instructors, and mechanics discussing technical details of the car they were working on for an upcoming race event. I even saw multiple professional simracing rigs with high-end chassis (the likes used by racing pros).

Upon reaching the briefing room, me and other racers were briefed on the track layout, specific turns to watch out for, and most importantly – braking technique, reaching the apex of a turn, the optimal racing line, holding the steering wheel correctly, and maintaining good traction (as you can easily spin the car if you accelerate too fast during a sharp turn).

Here, I also met our driving instructor, Michael, who was a regular coach for the local racing team! Michael further explained the technique and explained that his main aim was to ensure that we pushed the car to its limits while also driving confidently, as he knew how nervous anyone would feel on their first track driving experience.

Note: It is absolutely important to focus on everything mentioned during the briefing, as they also talk about specific cones placed on the track to help you brake and accelerate effectively, and exceptions for certain curves.

The Driving Experience

After the briefing was completed, we were escorted to the pitstop garage next to the track, where we got to see all the supercars and F1 cars (a dream come true for any motorsports enthusiast!). Here, the mechanics were ensuring that the car is track-ready and the onboard cameras are good to go before we take the car out to the track. For safety, only one specific car is allowed on the track at a time; hence, on busy days, you might have to wait about 15 minutes in the garage before your turn.

Shortly, I was asked to wear a racing helmet, get into the driving seat, and get going! Michael gave me a short revision on the braking techniques and the cones, and even gave a motivational speech to not be scared!

The driving experience itself was great as I got to drive six full laps and reached my best lap time by the fourth lap, even reaching 200km/h on the straight area! As soon as every lap ended, Michael was there to push me further and asked me to squeeze the accelerator harder. He also constantly reminded me of when to brake and when to reach the apex of a turn, which was greatly helpful. The thrill of braking hard right after reaching high speeds is like no other!

After the Driving Experience

Upon completing my driving experience, full of adrenaline, I clicked photos with the car and went off to the lobby to get the experience certificate and footage from the onboard camera. I was given a pendrive with the footage, which was of great quality. With this, my driving experience at Dubai Autodrome came to an end!

Was My Dubai Autodrome Driving Experience Worth It?

Yes! While we agree that the Driving Experience is definitely on the more expensive side, if you are a motorsports enthusiast or simply want a fun Dubai date with your partner, money will feel secondary as soon as you step inside Dubai Autodrome. You will take home not just memories, but track racing knowledge, and real bragging rights that you got to experience something this unique!

The On-Board Camera Add-On gave me exceptional highlights of my laps, and I still, to this day, open the footage at random times to relive the experience. For me, getting the On-Board Camera Add-On is a no-brainer and completely worth it! And don’t even think about not getting the Accident Damage Waiver, as it will ensure that your liability in case of any mishap is as minimized as possible. I recommend opting for this add-on as well.

Overall, Dubai Autodrome Driving Experience is worth every AED, and again, if you’re a motorsports enthusiast and want to drive at high speeds with no restrictions on an amazing track, you should absolutely go for it!

Tips for Future Drivers

You need to dress as lightly as possible for the experience, preferably just a t-shirt and jeans.
Sandals/flip-flops are not allowed, so make sure that you wear a comfortable pair of shoes that provide you with a good range of motion for your ankles (extremely important for quickly hitting the pedals when needed).
Apart from this, just focus on everything the instructor mentions at all times, and you will be good!

Reaching Dubai Motor City

Dubai Autodrome has ample parking and is located in Dubai Motor City, which is a little farther away from the city centre. As cabs can get quite expensive in Dubai, we had rented a car for the week to drive around Dubai through LocalRent. They collaborate with local car rentals to provide quality cars yet affordable prices!

Hotels Near Dubai Motor City

If you’re looking to stay near Dubai Motor City, here are some great hotel options:

Park Inn By Radisson Dubai Motor City

Located in Dubai Motor City, Park Inn Dubai Motor City offers spacious rooms with great amenities, an amazing pool, and a great breakfast. Book Park Inn By Radisson, Dubai Motor City here!

Studio One Hotel

Located 2km away from Dubai Motor City, Studio One Hotel offers large, spacious rooms with a great view and a huge pool. If you book it at the right time, you can even get free breakfast with your stay! Book Studio One Hotel here!

Hotel Avalon Jumeirah Village

If you’re looking for a mid-range option near Dubai Motor City, then Hotel Avalon Jumeirah Village is your best bet! Located in Jumeirah Village, this hotel offers elegantly designed rooms, superior amenities, and a rooftop pool. Book Hotel Avalon Jumeirah Village here!