Hi all,
Iv spent alot of time on the itr forum asking countless questions about everything i could think of but i thought to myself i havn't really said much myself. So as i don't have my dc5 yet but i have been on track a few times i would share some info i found from a really good website that has helped me not only understand some important fundamentals but helped me develop myself as a driver!
It may be stuff more experienced people already know but il be happy if it helps atleast one person!
Driving Position
When getting ready for the track you should adjust your seat to a much more upright position than you may use when driving on the road. You should be able to rest your wrists comfortably on the top of the steering wheel while keeping a slight bend in your arms. This may mean moving closer to the wheel than you normally would which can feel strange at first, but will give you maximum control.
Steering
When driving on the track, hold the steering wheel at the ten to three position to allow fairly tight radius corners to be tackled without having to take your hands off the wheel. If your car requires a large number of turns from lock to lock you should reposition your hands on the wheel accordingly before taking a tight bend.
When steering round a corner, ideal steering movement is progressive, smooth and controlled. Applying and taking off steering lock should be done in a fluid movement, without taking either hand off the wheel where possible. 'Pushing and pulling' the wheel may be fine for general road driving, but this does not allow the smooth motions needed when driving near the limits of grip.
Try not to let the steering wheel slide through your fingers when letting off steering lock, and then adjust your hand position accordingly for the next corner or straight.
In some situations when you need to take the lock off very quickly – you may find it easier to let the wheel slide through your fingers slightly, but this should be avoided where possible. An example could be when letting off the steering lock after a dramatic oversteer correction.
When taking a corner, aim for the apex and turn in a smooth controlled arc - don't use aggressive steering unless you're deliberately trying to unsettle the car (e.g. for a handbrake turn). Once you've clipped the apex, unwind the steering lock progressively as you increase the throttle. If you find you have to tighten up mid-corner you've hit the apex too early, and if you find you don't need to use the entire width of the track on the exit you've probably left your cornering too late.
Breaking
You can brake much faster than you can accelerate so the forces involved have greater potential to unsettle the balance of your car and cause loss of traction. Squeeze the brake pedal smoothly, never stamp on the brakes, and try not to get into the habit of allowing ABS to sort out locked wheels. This doesn't mean that you can't press the pedal hard, but ensure that the pressing and releasing motions are progressive. This will keep weight transfer spikes to a minimum and reduce the chances of unnecessary weight transfers or wheel-lock.
Acceleration
Smooth, progressive accelerator inputs are more important in more powerful cars as there is a greater likelihood of wheel-spin. Never stamp on the gas in a powerful car when accelerating or after a gear change - this can lead to spinning wheels and loss of control. In addition, remember that engine braking can just as important as acceleration, so think about weight transfers in mind when lifting off. Lift-off oversteer can result if you come off the gas mid way through a corner. Liftoff oversteer was somthing i found myself the victim of on a few of my first track days as i was completely oblivious as to how much "balance" comes into track driving. I was given the advice by one instructor at Goodwood who said "imagine you are driving with a fish tank full of water next to you - dont spill it" Which ultimately means if your not smooth and your driving at the cars limit dont expect to have a full tank of water sitting next to you! :xspank:
Changing Gear
When changing up or down, avoiding any kind of shock loads through the transmission is essential, especially in a powerful car. When changing down, releasing the clutch rapidly can result in rapid forward weight transfers and in extreme cases, the driven wheels can lock. Use rev matching (discussed later) where possible to smooth out down changes, and release the clutch with mechanical sympathy in mind. When changing up, releasing the clutch smoothly and moderating the use of the throttle is essential to prevent wheel-spin (especially important in a powerful car).
Remember that a missed gear due to a rushed gear change is much worse than taking a little more care with the shifts. Never change gear mid-corner - when approaching a bend ensure you prepare by selecting a gear which will allow you to accelerate out.
Weight Transfer
It's essential to keep unwanted weight transfers to a minimum when driving close to the limits of grip. Rapid weight transfers caused by aggressive steering, acceleration, braking or gear changes can upset the balance of the car, and potentially cause you to lose control. Conversely, weight transfers can also work in your favour. For example, lifting off the throttle briefly before entering a corner may increase the available grip at the front wheels, lead to a better turn in, and reduce understeer.
Rev Matching
Rev matching is a technique used to prevent unnecessary weight transfer during down-changes in a manual transmission car. For a demonstration of why this concept is useful, select third gear and accelerate to about 3000rpm, then quickly select second and release the clutch fairly rapidly. You'll notice a large forward weight transfer as the engine speed is forced to increase. This can also cause the driving wheels to lock in extreme situations.
Rev matching will make you a much smoother driver when changing down through the gears, a skill which is essential for the track and can lead to faster lap times. This technique is performed by depressing the clutch, selecting the required lower gear, increasing the throttle, and then releasing the clutch smoothly. You'll need more revs if changing from forth to second that from fourth to third. With practice, this can result in very rapid and very smooth changes, and is almost essential if driving on the track. Rev matching can also be performed while braking, this is known as heel and toe. When you first start to learn this technique, you might find it hard to predict the amount of revs you'll need for each gear, but remember any increase in revs is better than none.
There is alot more on the website! As i said alot of the above is just a selection i pretty much copied over for you to read to save you the time but it helped me so i hope it will help you! (source - drivingfast.net)
Cheers guys,
Nige! :xcheers:
Iv spent alot of time on the itr forum asking countless questions about everything i could think of but i thought to myself i havn't really said much myself. So as i don't have my dc5 yet but i have been on track a few times i would share some info i found from a really good website that has helped me not only understand some important fundamentals but helped me develop myself as a driver!
It may be stuff more experienced people already know but il be happy if it helps atleast one person!
Driving Position
When getting ready for the track you should adjust your seat to a much more upright position than you may use when driving on the road. You should be able to rest your wrists comfortably on the top of the steering wheel while keeping a slight bend in your arms. This may mean moving closer to the wheel than you normally would which can feel strange at first, but will give you maximum control.
Steering
When driving on the track, hold the steering wheel at the ten to three position to allow fairly tight radius corners to be tackled without having to take your hands off the wheel. If your car requires a large number of turns from lock to lock you should reposition your hands on the wheel accordingly before taking a tight bend.
When steering round a corner, ideal steering movement is progressive, smooth and controlled. Applying and taking off steering lock should be done in a fluid movement, without taking either hand off the wheel where possible. 'Pushing and pulling' the wheel may be fine for general road driving, but this does not allow the smooth motions needed when driving near the limits of grip.
Try not to let the steering wheel slide through your fingers when letting off steering lock, and then adjust your hand position accordingly for the next corner or straight.
In some situations when you need to take the lock off very quickly – you may find it easier to let the wheel slide through your fingers slightly, but this should be avoided where possible. An example could be when letting off the steering lock after a dramatic oversteer correction.
When taking a corner, aim for the apex and turn in a smooth controlled arc - don't use aggressive steering unless you're deliberately trying to unsettle the car (e.g. for a handbrake turn). Once you've clipped the apex, unwind the steering lock progressively as you increase the throttle. If you find you have to tighten up mid-corner you've hit the apex too early, and if you find you don't need to use the entire width of the track on the exit you've probably left your cornering too late.
Breaking
You can brake much faster than you can accelerate so the forces involved have greater potential to unsettle the balance of your car and cause loss of traction. Squeeze the brake pedal smoothly, never stamp on the brakes, and try not to get into the habit of allowing ABS to sort out locked wheels. This doesn't mean that you can't press the pedal hard, but ensure that the pressing and releasing motions are progressive. This will keep weight transfer spikes to a minimum and reduce the chances of unnecessary weight transfers or wheel-lock.
Acceleration
Smooth, progressive accelerator inputs are more important in more powerful cars as there is a greater likelihood of wheel-spin. Never stamp on the gas in a powerful car when accelerating or after a gear change - this can lead to spinning wheels and loss of control. In addition, remember that engine braking can just as important as acceleration, so think about weight transfers in mind when lifting off. Lift-off oversteer can result if you come off the gas mid way through a corner. Liftoff oversteer was somthing i found myself the victim of on a few of my first track days as i was completely oblivious as to how much "balance" comes into track driving. I was given the advice by one instructor at Goodwood who said "imagine you are driving with a fish tank full of water next to you - dont spill it" Which ultimately means if your not smooth and your driving at the cars limit dont expect to have a full tank of water sitting next to you! :xspank:
Changing Gear
When changing up or down, avoiding any kind of shock loads through the transmission is essential, especially in a powerful car. When changing down, releasing the clutch rapidly can result in rapid forward weight transfers and in extreme cases, the driven wheels can lock. Use rev matching (discussed later) where possible to smooth out down changes, and release the clutch with mechanical sympathy in mind. When changing up, releasing the clutch smoothly and moderating the use of the throttle is essential to prevent wheel-spin (especially important in a powerful car).
Remember that a missed gear due to a rushed gear change is much worse than taking a little more care with the shifts. Never change gear mid-corner - when approaching a bend ensure you prepare by selecting a gear which will allow you to accelerate out.
Weight Transfer
It's essential to keep unwanted weight transfers to a minimum when driving close to the limits of grip. Rapid weight transfers caused by aggressive steering, acceleration, braking or gear changes can upset the balance of the car, and potentially cause you to lose control. Conversely, weight transfers can also work in your favour. For example, lifting off the throttle briefly before entering a corner may increase the available grip at the front wheels, lead to a better turn in, and reduce understeer.
Rev Matching
Rev matching is a technique used to prevent unnecessary weight transfer during down-changes in a manual transmission car. For a demonstration of why this concept is useful, select third gear and accelerate to about 3000rpm, then quickly select second and release the clutch fairly rapidly. You'll notice a large forward weight transfer as the engine speed is forced to increase. This can also cause the driving wheels to lock in extreme situations.
Rev matching will make you a much smoother driver when changing down through the gears, a skill which is essential for the track and can lead to faster lap times. This technique is performed by depressing the clutch, selecting the required lower gear, increasing the throttle, and then releasing the clutch smoothly. You'll need more revs if changing from forth to second that from fourth to third. With practice, this can result in very rapid and very smooth changes, and is almost essential if driving on the track. Rev matching can also be performed while braking, this is known as heel and toe. When you first start to learn this technique, you might find it hard to predict the amount of revs you'll need for each gear, but remember any increase in revs is better than none.
There is alot more on the website! As i said alot of the above is just a selection i pretty much copied over for you to read to save you the time but it helped me so i hope it will help you! (source - drivingfast.net)
Cheers guys,
Nige! :xcheers:
