Veloce Raptor

Up shifting while turning and accelerating can aid rotation...so maybe do it on exit not entrance and on the brakes

winders

It's a less than 90 degree turn and you lose camber as you get to the exit. The track is 40 feet wide at the exit.

bldn10

WWPD?

(What Would PDK Do)

I've enjoyed and picked up a few things to try watching what gears students' PDK cars are in.

DTMiller

Thanks, will give that a try. I think I need to rebuild my shifter as I had trouble finding third and ended up in 5th a couple times. You may not be shocked to learn that a Miata in 5th at 48 mph is not fast.

I think a PDK would wonder how the heck it ended up in an NA Miata! Good idea though for those with cars with both transmissions.

AdamBrouillard

This sequence at Summit is quite tricky and is different one from car to the next. In a fast car 6-7 is a double apex and then 7-8 is a chicane. In that case I would say you could up shift early as you don't need all your power in 6-7. In slower cars you have 6 as the double apex and then 6-8 is the chicane and 7 is not a corner. Then even slower cars there is no chicane and 8 and 9 are both full throttle corners and you are flat from 6 all the way to 10.

I can't tell from the video but for a Miata you are probably at full throttle out of 6 correct? If that's the case you'll want max power so you'll ideally want to delay your shift until redline between 6-7 (I think that is a redline shift car). I say ideally so it might not be faster for you right now if you find that shift difficult and it messes up your control, but it's probably worth working on as it's the correct way to do it and will eventually be faster.

AdamBrouillard

Do you mean that people tend to run wide at exit or the corner tends to shift balance toward understeer?

DTMiller

Yeah. I'm flat from 6 to 10 in my car.

I think this is just one of those driver improvement spots; when I stayed in 2nd through 6 the extra powah was noticeable and in a vacuum is certainly superior. My issue is that the car is pretty close to maxed out laterally and I'm not super comfortable holding the car one handed while shifting in that condition. Adding to that is the fact that I'm pretty dedicated to keeping my hands in the 9/10 & 2/3 area of the wheel at all times, so I end up with my left hand at the top of the wheel and moving my right hand from the bottom of the wheel to the gearshift to do the shift is physically awkward, especially if, as I suspect, that shift needs to be done pretty quickly to make being in 2nd there worthwhile.

The default 7/10ths approach to this whole segment is to shift to third in 5 and just stay there. It's clearly slower but much simpler.

AdamBrouillard

You sound like you understand the tradeoffs and it's the understanding which is most important. When you feel you have maxed out what you can do in the higher gear and feel you are ready, you can start experimenting with shifting mid corner.

Veloce Raptor

Have you walked the track? If you ever get a chance to walk T3, the answer will be manifest...

ProCoach

True. But the data shows most brake early, release early, nose lifts and THEN they ADD power along with steering... sheesh...

Veloce Raptor

Yes, agreed

zzyzx

Here's a great YouTube video site for driving instruction. I'm not connected to them in any way; just think this is a great resource for both inexperienced and experienced drivers.

SafeisFast

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQ...mZkFMxcni4X8vg

dan212

It is so much about the release. 50% to slow you down and 75% ( or more ) balance.

As Jackie Stewart said " I didn't start wining races until I learned how to get off the brakes."

zzyzx

Sorry, didn't see all the replies to my comment about Turn 3 at Laguna Seca.

I have never had a chance to walk the track. Unfortunately I don't live up in the area, and I only drive there once or twice a year.

So do you lose the camber at the exit? Or is it more a problem that is driver induced? Is the track equal width prior to going into the corner and on the exit? It seems like when looking at Google Earth that it is a little narrower.

ProCoach

I have several excellent executions demonstrated in the data of Turn 3 done extremely well. When compared to folks having difficulty, it is primarily driver induced...