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[YDD] How your driving style affects car setup
This week: Driving style tips | Kubica flat-out on Nordschleife
Hello Reader,
Podcast episode 39 - Richard Frith part 2...
What is the ideal car setup? What about the best way to tackle a certain type of corner entry? How do you know if you are using all the potential your car has to offer?
Ask these questions in the paddock and you will get a whole range of - often well meaning - answers. What you may think you want, and what you often here people say in reply, are answers in the absolute i.e. "You definitely want to do x for all corners like that."
Sometimes this advice works out really well. Other times it leaves you with more questions than you started with.
First Discover What's Holding You Back
In my experience, your setup and your driving is a series of compromises.
Should you take more or less kerb on turn 3? Is it better to stay out wide or pinch the entry line for T6? Will you be faster with more braking stability or more low speed agility on turn-in for T12?
The aim is not answers in the absolute but a clear vision of what is really holding you back. Understand what is influencing that - car, driver, track characteristics etc - and, only then, start to work out your next steps.
Podcast #39 with F1 Engineer Ricard Frith
In part 2 of my podcast with F1 suspension engineer Richard Frith, we dig into this topic.
We look at:
- The influence of driving style by discussing some of the unique characteristics of Alonso - including approaches you can adopt at all levels of driving beginner to pro.
- The role of driver feedback and what they were doing at McLaren F1 on this - including ways to simplify this feedback that you can do too.
- Where you should then focus your car setup - given the above.
- How to get the most out of sim work - for driver and engineer.
When you here pros like Richard talk about the same challenges you might face, they seem to make the complex seem so simple!
It is a short show (only 20mins) but well worth you taking a listen if you get the chance. This one is packed with gems - I've listened to it 3 times already... and I recorded the thing! Plus, you don't need to have listened to part 1, but you're welcome too if you like.
Some "hot potato" topics in this one, so as ever, let me know what you think! 😉
Good luck and keep staying ahead of the curve!
Samir
p.s. If you are liking the podcast, please can I ask a small favour? If you have not already, would you mind leaving the podcast a review? http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1502007242
p.p.s. What would you do if Robert Kubica randomly asked to borrow your M4 for a lap of the Nordschleife? Well he did and this is the video the guy made 👇 Its a proper lap, even with the traffic (!) so hope you enjoy it. (The driving starts at about 4 minutes in...)
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Motorsports gets so complicated. “Ahead of the Curve” explains it in plain English. Get race-proven insights, insider secrets and practical tutorials. Plus, be first in line for podcasts, courses, spreadsheets and more.
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