“The average speed before this turn is usually 180kmph. But because it’s raining today we will drive up to a speed of 150kmph before braking at this point.” Spoke the voice from the radio that was in our BYD Seal during our practice run at the Zhuhai International Circuit.

Our team, along with other media people from Nepal had the amazing opportunity to participate in the BYD Seal Media track day of the Asia Pacific Region. We arrived at the beautiful city of Zhuhai, which is home to the Zhuhai International Circuit.

The Zhuhai International circuit is 4.319 km long and has 14 turns. 9 of them are right turns and 5 are left turns and the circuit runs clockwise only. The shorter straight is 0.500 km long. The longest straight is the start/ finish straight which is 900m long and 14m wide at its widest. It is here that we got a chance to put ourselves and the BYD Seal, which is expected to be launched in Nepal soon, through its paces.

To ensure that we were up to the task, the driving instructor put us through a short but rigorous crash course on driving on the track. This included a quick overview of how to take the driving line, braking points and techniques, along with driving positions and steering adjustments.

Joining us on the racetrack was Zhen Zhuowei, a highly acclaimed race car driver from China with an impressive track record of achievements in the country’s vibrant motorsports community. With his expertise guiding us, we approached the challenge of testing the capabilities of the BYD Seal with a heightened sense of assurance and readiness.

With media folks from 5 countries on the track, the organizers categorized us into different groups so that it allowed everyone to drive the BYD Seal on the different sectors of the track for different courses. The different exercises for the day included straight-line acceleration and emergency braking, corner exercises, and the serpentine winding pile.

We were also given a chance to do 2 proper flying laps of the track under the supervision of the instructors. One of whom accompanied us in the passenger seat and another as the lead car that would set the pace. These exercises allowed us to push the BYD Seal to its limits under safe and supervised conditions. We were able to put the numbers on the spec sheet to the test and have an actual feel of what the car was capable of. And it was capable of plenty.

The 390kw electric motor and the AWD helped the Seal clock in 100kmph in 3.8 seconds, and on the track, we were hitting those numbers easily. In fact, we were able to reach speeds upwards of 174 kmph on certain sections of the track.

Apart from outright straight-line speed, the Seal exhibited its prowess in the handling department by carving the corners with precision and aggression. A front double-wishbone and rear five-link suspension system work wonders and we were able to experience it first-hand on the high speed turns as well as the slalom test.

Driving the seal on the track really exhibited its dynamic driving abilities. Navigating the BYD Seal on the track was an amazing experience that left an enduring mark on our memories. The excitement was heightened, especially for those of us who were new to the adrenaline-pumping world of high-speed racing.

Grateful to the generous team at BYD, we were granted a rare and unparalleled opportunity to immerse ourselves in the exhilarating realm of a high-speed track experience, allowing us to unleash the full potential of the product. This remarkable experience will undoubtedly be recounted and remembered for years to come.