Race Driving Fundamentals: Practical Discussion
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Practical Discussion
03.57
| 00:00 | - So at this point we've got to the mid corner phase of cornering or the apex and this is where there's actually potential for a fair few mistakes coming in and Andrew, let's hear from your own words, what's the most common problem you actually see with enthusiast drivers learning? - So the biggest thing I usually see at the apex point of the corner is not being patient enough through that middle part of the corner and I see a lot of people go straight off the brake and then they're on the gas but at the apex this is where we're asking the absolute most of the car to get the car rotated, to get back out of the corner, unless it's a double apex situation which is completely different but your general corner where you're looking for that single apex is just to get that car rotated. |
| 00:45 | So if you think back to the traction circle, we are getting the most grip when the car isn't accelerating or isn't rolling. |
| 00:53 | Or braking should I say and that's where the rotation happens to be able to get out of the corner so there is that little bit of patience which so many people, they miss that step but it is such a crucial step. |
| 01:05 | - And we've talked about it in the module itself but this misconception that if we're not on the brake we're on the throttle or if we're not on the throttle we're on the brake and this is where I think people come unstuck, believing in that? - Yeah and it's only small things like even 5% of throttle where if you want to just pick that 5% up, I see it so often because we all think the accelerator pedal's a go fast pedal but in the middle of the corner it is your worst enemy. |
| 01:32 | Cause what it can do is it can just, even 5% throttle can just pop the nose up just a little bit and then it starts bringing inconsistencies and you can't get the car rotated quick enough and then you run wide, losing time because it takes so much longer to get back to full throttle so it's just learning to get that car rotated in the middle but if you're sitting there wondering well no I need to get going, I'm feeling too slow in the middle of the corner, you've got to then think back to what you're doing on your corner entry. |
| 01:59 | Maybe you're over slowing the car and you've got this huge roll phase going, this doesn't make sense, why do I need to roll the car, it's only, we're not talking you're rolling for 3 or 4 seconds, it's just a split off the brake, roll, 1 Mississippi is a good little word to put in there and then on the gas, it's just enough to get the car rotated to get out of the corner. |
| 02:19 | You're giving away a 10th to gain two or three 10ths basically. |
| 02:22 | - Yeah sure and I think that's the part that people miss is thinking that they need to be faster at the apex and forgetting that it's actually going to potentially hurt their corner exit so that's the important aspect there. |
| 02:36 | Now I think it's also worth bringing in here, as with everything we've talked about, very difficult to bring in generalisations and that's not necessarily the way that absolutely every corner must be driven but again you've brought up that this is the common scenario that you see from novice drivers so it's fair to assume that a lot of the people that are watching this will be in that boat and they are getting on that throttle too early so that's something that they should be focusing on. |
| 03:03 | - Yeah sure and just to add to that as well, so often when I do coaching, I'll jump in a car and do a reference lap. |
| 03:09 | So often who I'm doing the coaching with, they're actually quicker than me at the apex point of the corner but it's how I'm getting in and how I'm getting out. |
| 03:17 | So you could be as fast as Lewis Hamilton in the middle part of a corner but it's the way he gets in and the way he gets out. |
| 03:23 | That middle part is all about the rotation, minimising turning time and being right off the gas pedal and letting the car rotate, giving that car the chance to rotate makes all the difference. |
| 03:35 | - So key takeaways there which we've already discussed but just to reiterate really, if you've got a problem at the apex and you're feeling like you need to get on that throttle 'cause you're not going fast enough, it all really is that snowball effect from the braking and the turn in phase and that's where we need to be fixing that problem. |
| 03:51 | Alright we'll move on with the next phase of our cornering. |
