Rob Wilson, racing coach
 

Recently I've read a lot about Rob Wilson, the well-known UK racing coach. He has coached a large number of F1 drivers, including Montoya, Kimi, Hamilton. He coaches them driving a Vauxhaul rental car at Bruntinthorpe proving grounds (a crappy little airport track).

I think this guy is full of @!!#%. What I don't get is why he is able to attract so many pro drivers to his school.

What do you guys think?

Why do you think he is full of it?

Obviously I highly value both of your opinions, and I posted here because I'd like someone to explain if/why I'm wrong in my impression.

Why do I think he's full of it?

Well, first of all, here's a guy who says that he can make nearly any current F1 driver better at their job. :)

I can list many examples of what sounds like BS to me. First of, he brags about how he is faster than the F1 drivers that show up at his school. I honestly don't think any of those guys are bothered by that, nor are they impressed. It is not surprising to me that someone who has driven countless laps in the same car at the same circuit would be better at it than anyone, even a pro, who is new to both the car and the circuit.

Another example, just off the top of my head...I was watching a Peter Windsor interview with him where he was saying that he drives a street car with a manual because he wants his students to feel the "bump" of the clutch engagement. He stated that he didn't think pro drivers he's coached were "bump sensitive." Really? Any pro driver that I have ever talked to could tell you about every single bump on a track that they are familiar with. Most of them have notebooks filled with notes about bumps, camber changes, etc.

Those are just two examples off the top of my head.

Regardless of how it comes across to certain people, his methodology seems to work...

I know a professional driver who was coached by Rob Wilson. He is highly rated and apparently the real deal in the context of what he does.

I am told that he is hated my rental car companies around where he coaches!!!

Hey I read about a guy who people say is awesome. From my armchair, however, I suspect that he sucks. Sometimes Rennlist tests my faith in humanity.

Results, not methodology, are all the matters. I assume people hire him because he produces results.

When I hired a professional driver I was a little taken back by his tough teaching style. I was used to PCA cheerleading instructors!

With my pro coach doing something right elicited very little comment because that is what you were supposed to be doing. Doing something wrong caused a verbal smack to the head and then a run-through of how to fix the problem.

When I look at videos from my first season of racing, before I had a coach, I want to cry because of the non-stop mistakes I was making. I still make mistakes but the difference is I am aware and know how to correct them.

Pro coaching is the best upgrade you can spend on your "car".

This. I have used two different coaches and they explain the same error and how to correct it in different manners. I am sure Rob would explain it a different way and another coach another way. It is about finding a coach that uses terminology that makes sense to you - that fits your minds eye or thought process. Maybe you would use Rob and everything would click or maybe you would still come away with this guy is full of it. Apparently, some top drivers like his method and excel or maybe they hate the guy and excel - does it matter if you are taking seconds off your lap times?

And this place is amongst the better on the internet...

It seems pretty simple to me, the only opinion about the guy that matters are those that belong to his customers forking over the cash. If they are happy, it really doesn't matter what any poster on RL thinks of him.

-Mike

I completely agree with all the comments about the value of driving coaches. However, this thread isn't about that, but only about Rob Wilson saying that he has made lots of top-level F1 drivers better at their jobs.

Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence. I get that a lot of F1 drivers have met with him. However, if he has figured out some way of driving a race car faster than anyone else, what is his technique? It should be easy to explain. I don't expect it to be easy to do, but there should be a clear explanation.

That's why the formula for coke and the KFC herbs and spices are published on their respective websites.

I'm sure F1 drivers have their options so limited that they just stick with him because it's really all they can afford.

He's teaching them feel (among other things). It's not that they don't have it or aren't good at it, but the's improving their already exceptional skills. Just like the guy that goes from a GT1 monster winning races and becomes a mid pack Miata racer, it's all different skills that make people good. To keep improving as a driver, you're always increasing your skill set and learning new skills. Some you might only use on rare occasions, but that is the difference between being a great driver all the time and only being fast when everything is perfect.

But the recommendations from the top level of drivers in the world are really what counts. We're not talking wankers who are 10 seconds off the pace lauding someone for making them a second faster. There must be something there.