Driver Manipulation of the "Limit"
01-07-2006, 02:57 AM
#16
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Originally Posted by Geo
I would not make that statement unilaterally. I think it's generally true for most people. HOWEVER, I'm amazed when I read about F1 drivers on the same team setting virtually identical times, yet one perfers a touch of oversteer and the other prefers a touch of understeer. Heck, I was shocked to hear that anyone that wasn't a newbie prefered any understeer.
It certainly has changed my way of thinking about oversteer vs understeer and how to drive. Interesting stuff.
It certainly has changed my way of thinking about oversteer vs understeer and how to drive. Interesting stuff.
On the topic, I've noticed I've set my best lap times when I'm driving somewhat sub-conciously. My mind is one turn ahead and I can trust my hands and feet to do what's necessary to get through the current corner. It doesn't look as smooth on the video because my hands are always adjusting, especially from the apex out. The driving line is pretty much the same as you've always practiced, but the yaw of the car is set up just right for that next corner. It's kind of like getting all the hard work done early and then you don't need to make any adjustments on entry to the next corner.
01-07-2006, 09:37 AM
#17
Race Car
TD....If I may interject my .0002 cents. It seems to me that you are having 2 "limit" issues. The limit of the driver is not the limit of the car (and vs/versa). For instance, the uphill "S's" @ VIR should be a fluid dance from curb to curb, with very little steering input. If you approach it wrong (even just a little off), you'll loose the rythm and won't get it back until the top of the hill, without having to scrub a bunch of speed.
My last student there, went from "steering" around the corners, to the float and drift I call the "dance". (We went from the "not knowing what he didn't know", to chasing cars down and lapping some 2 and 3 times!) If you have been taught the correct lines, you now need to work on your execution of those lines (slow enough to be consistant, but appropriately fast enough). Work on smooth approach/exit first to understand exactly WHERE you need to be, then work on how to get to/thru there FASTER. And like I told my student, stopping thinking about, and micro managing things and just do it......sure enough, he stopped managing" everything and just drove and by the last session, he was a different driver....he had the "epiphany".
My last student there, went from "steering" around the corners, to the float and drift I call the "dance". (We went from the "not knowing what he didn't know", to chasing cars down and lapping some 2 and 3 times!) If you have been taught the correct lines, you now need to work on your execution of those lines (slow enough to be consistant, but appropriately fast enough). Work on smooth approach/exit first to understand exactly WHERE you need to be, then work on how to get to/thru there FASTER. And like I told my student, stopping thinking about, and micro managing things and just do it......sure enough, he stopped managing" everything and just drove and by the last session, he was a different driver....he had the "epiphany".