onefastviking

Me neither in any GT3 I've driven, and I am on the gas hard way before coming out of the corner. Hard to say without being in the car with that driver and feeling exactly what he was doing.

Veloce Raptor

There is "hard" and then there is "sudden".

In addition, many folks don't get enough rotation done early in the corner. I suspect you guys are not among them. Thus, when you go to gas, your wheels are likely pointed much straighter than theirs.

fleadh

In my 09 Cup I regularly get mid to exit corner understeer in slow corners. I can induce it more by getting on the throttle a little too early before I start opening up the steering. Some of this can be dialed out by softening the front sway bar or adjusting the rear ride height (raising), but it's always a compromise for the rest of the track. I wish these cars came with wider front tires.

For most 'normal' corners with a 'normal' racing line and apex, I've started finding it much easier to find the limit on corner entry, mid, and exit speed. Once I find the proper mid corner and exit speed for the corner, it makes it easy to back track and find the optimal braking point and entry speed.

I'll carry as much entry speed as I can while still being able to get on the gas early enough to reach my target exit speed.

One of the mistakes I was making when I first started driving the Cup's (think I posted some data earlier in the thread versus a pro in my car) was over braking/slowing then getting on the throttle a little early on turn-in or entry of the corner, which would then push my mid corner speed to the limit (higher than the pro in some cases), and would result in me having a slower exit speed because of the understeer. In these cars you really need to drive aggressively and trail brake deep into the corner (with a high slip angle) and then get back on the gas. The period between being off the brakes around the apex and when you get on the gas will dictate how fast you'll be. The pros have a tiny tiny period where their trail braking ends, they're at the apex and they're getting back on the gas aggressively-- all while maintaining a pretty big slip angle. Granted, you can't just floor it in the middle of the corner and expect to get any results, the car has to be rotated from the trail braking and generally on the way to being pointed in the rite direction when you get back on the gas. Once you're back on the gas if your slip angle is correct, you'll be able to carry it through the rest of the corner (while making corrections via steering/gas pedal) and down the next straight.

It sounds like common sense when you explain it, but the execution is very difficult to get rite. Even if you think you're getting it rite, and you're on the limit of what the car can do... get a solid pro to do a couple laps and then compare the data. You'll realize there must be some failure of basic physics when you compare your limit versus theirs. :-)

My 2c anyway.... have fun!

-mike

C4S/GT3

My ex G'friend liked both of those at the same time.

Veloce Raptor

This part of your post is excellent, spot-on!

Hugh....maybe you should ask yourself why she is "ex"...

C4S/GT3

I'm training a new one......stay tuned for future updates.

onefastviking

Regular rotation is key here, something that both Hugh and I have seemed to manage quite well.

Veloce Raptor

So neither of you ballerinas can keep a girlfriend for long, eh?

onefastviking

Can would imply that it is not by choice, so I would say that is a bad choice of words.

Veloce Raptor

Hahaha! Sure...sure.....

Another question buried in emails: "is it bettter to do a light left foot brake tap or just lift if I need to ease off just a bit & aid turn in? " (paraphrased)

Wellllllllllll....it depends.

Generally, IMO, if one must do one of those two things, it is better to just lift a bit. The reason is that nearly everyone overbrakes when they LFB (exceptions being top level pros). So even thouugh there are some clear advantages to LFB with some positive throttle also applied, chances are that the car will still scrub off too much speed. I much prefer a slight lift & roll back to throttle to a LFB if given the choice, since data shows that generally less speed is lost.

cometb

I've reached the point in my DE career that my inability to heel toe shift is holdiong me back. Do you have any suggestions on how to "learn" this skill?

mglobe

Practice every day on the street. Every downshift should have a throttle blip every time. Do this until you can't imagine downshifting any other way. It needs to be second nature if you are to be successful with it on the track.

Veloce Raptor

+1. Also read the heel/toe section in Going Faster to understand the mechanics of the basic skills. Practice in parking lots, etc. Wear thinner-soled shoes so you can really feel your right foot's interactions with the brake & gas pedals.

insite

I learned to heel and toe in high school when I had a jetta that would die the instant I let off the gas. If I had to slow down or stop, I needed to be on the throttle or I stalled.

Necessity is the mother of invention......

Veloce Raptor

Another question received by email:

"I always read that karting is a great way to maintain and improve driving skills. Why?" (paraphrased)


Several reasons come to mind. First, karting is generally a very inexpensive way to get seat time, especially at the kart tracks where you can rent the 9hp concession karts. Seat time is key to building skills.

Second, karting is an invaluable way to proactice & refine left foot braking......by necessity!

Third, since there is no suspension per se in a kart, every bit of feedback from the 4 tires & the track is immediate. Karting is a great way (IMO) to open your mind to all this feedback & develop better ways of anticipating this feedback, staying ahead of the kart.

Fourth, if you race, getting into a karting league is a great way to refine race craft at a very low price point.

there are probably 1000 other advantages to karting as well.