Ride Drive Performance Car Driver Training
Discussion
happy Christmas man
If you want to learn about track driving and the art of driving at the limit ( of the car) then books by Bob Bondurant or Jackie Stewart are the business. I had old copies of them somewhere, Jackie was so awear of risk he drove upto the limit and not much more. 3 championships in a deadly time. Smooth smooth and smooth.
If you really want to get to grips with a race track get the book that describes each circuit in driver detail.
Really useful regards your car positioning etc.
Carting ,,,, cheap way of getting used to the feel of sliding and violent manoeuvres. Left ft braking etc.
Lastly if your not used to being near the edge. Skid pan day,
For me that's what I'd do because you can easily do it in your own car and you'll have a much better understanding of how to control oversteer, even under steer if you deliberately provoke it.
If you know how your car reacts to these extreme conditions, you'll be instantly faster in the wet and more confident of what your car does,if and when it all locks up.
That's the secret really, learn to crash properly.
Carts that's the best way. You can make loads of mistakes trying things until you know what can and can't be achieved.
Assessing the amount of grip,and your on your way safely.
If you really want to get to grips with a race track get the book that describes each circuit in driver detail.
Really useful regards your car positioning etc.
Carting ,,,, cheap way of getting used to the feel of sliding and violent manoeuvres. Left ft braking etc.
Lastly if your not used to being near the edge. Skid pan day,
For me that's what I'd do because you can easily do it in your own car and you'll have a much better understanding of how to control oversteer, even under steer if you deliberately provoke it.
If you know how your car reacts to these extreme conditions, you'll be instantly faster in the wet and more confident of what your car does,if and when it all locks up.
That's the secret really, learn to crash properly.
Carts that's the best way. You can make loads of mistakes trying things until you know what can and can't be achieved.
Assessing the amount of grip,and your on your way safely.
I booked one of these a couple of months after I bought my Chim back in 2006.
I had a full day including an hour on an airfield in Cambridge, and can honestly say that not only did i enjoy every minute of it, i learnt so much about the car, and fast road driving.
As has been mentioned above, observation, road positioning and overtaking manoeuvres were a key focus as well as using teh "wrong" side of the road for increased visibility . Who knew that i had been doing all of these things wrong for 30+ years!
The airfield session was about pushing the car, and driver, to their limits. Hitting a sharp corner at increasing speeds until the car lost traction to find it's limits. Hard braking from high speed, and high speed cornering. All finished off with an unnecessary but highly fun and rewarding session in learning to J-turn.
The modest investment in this training has more than paid for itself time and time again in the increased enjoyment i had in "making safe progress".
Do it, you won't regret it.
I had a full day including an hour on an airfield in Cambridge, and can honestly say that not only did i enjoy every minute of it, i learnt so much about the car, and fast road driving.
As has been mentioned above, observation, road positioning and overtaking manoeuvres were a key focus as well as using teh "wrong" side of the road for increased visibility . Who knew that i had been doing all of these things wrong for 30+ years!
The airfield session was about pushing the car, and driver, to their limits. Hitting a sharp corner at increasing speeds until the car lost traction to find it's limits. Hard braking from high speed, and high speed cornering. All finished off with an unnecessary but highly fun and rewarding session in learning to J-turn.
The modest investment in this training has more than paid for itself time and time again in the increased enjoyment i had in "making safe progress".
Do it, you won't regret it.
The best money you can spend on the car!
Surely if you own a fast machine you want to handle it correctly and without prior experience its a daunting task to take a monster Tvr and take it behond the limit,but a day like the one mentioned is the eye opener you maybe just need to really see what the cars capable of.
Every Tvr shares the same characteristic, light footprint and lots of power that coupled with rear wheel drive, yeee haaaa its
The car Jackie Stewart drove,,,,,, hard to handle but with a soft right foot and a gentle touch can really grip and motor on giving the driver feedback which is exactly what you'd like, to me that's when you find the soul of these fab little cars and I was really impressed. Like a go cart in a way.
Light footprint, just to confirm
On the road where speeds are really really slow the car sits very light and slides very easily.
On the track you are going much faster into the turns
This in turn gives you that extra footprint extra grip and on and on and on but basically the car comes to you! Nice very nice. The best buzz ever.
Surely if you own a fast machine you want to handle it correctly and without prior experience its a daunting task to take a monster Tvr and take it behond the limit,but a day like the one mentioned is the eye opener you maybe just need to really see what the cars capable of.
Every Tvr shares the same characteristic, light footprint and lots of power that coupled with rear wheel drive, yeee haaaa its
The car Jackie Stewart drove,,,,,, hard to handle but with a soft right foot and a gentle touch can really grip and motor on giving the driver feedback which is exactly what you'd like, to me that's when you find the soul of these fab little cars and I was really impressed. Like a go cart in a way.
Light footprint, just to confirm
On the road where speeds are really really slow the car sits very light and slides very easily.
On the track you are going much faster into the turns
This in turn gives you that extra footprint extra grip and on and on and on but basically the car comes to you! Nice very nice. The best buzz ever.
I think Bob Bondurant was involved with Jim Russell in the early days of his driving schools.
There's plenty of literature on the theories of driving craft, ARDS course gaining you a race licence covers all these areas.
Practice practice and more practice is the real key regarding circuit driving, good car set up is probably the most important issue once you know your way around!
There's plenty of guys go to trackdays to be free, you can do exactly as a race driver would do but you don't have to be flat out, just getting round in a controlled manner is still a huge thrill. Even if you slowed to a stop for every bend, corner, turn in a Tvr you'd still be flying by the end of every straight so
As the old adage says ,,,,,,
Slow in fast out is the only way to drive.
Another rule of thumb in my book is to get on the throttle early but hover until the car is almost straight before applying 300 + hp.
Take your time and learn slowly.
There's plenty of literature on the theories of driving craft, ARDS course gaining you a race licence covers all these areas.
Practice practice and more practice is the real key regarding circuit driving, good car set up is probably the most important issue once you know your way around!
There's plenty of guys go to trackdays to be free, you can do exactly as a race driver would do but you don't have to be flat out, just getting round in a controlled manner is still a huge thrill. Even if you slowed to a stop for every bend, corner, turn in a Tvr you'd still be flying by the end of every straight so
As the old adage says ,,,,,,
Slow in fast out is the only way to drive.
Another rule of thumb in my book is to get on the throttle early but hover until the car is almost straight before applying 300 + hp.
Take your time and learn slowly.
ToneyCaroney said:
Hi Bob,
Can I echo what wadsapple just said. I would like to know more about the ride drive stuff. I'm lucky to have a modest Xmas bonus burning a whole in my pocket and I'd already earmarked it for something like this. I'd like to improve my skills and confidence in various areas!
+1 on that. Can I echo what wadsapple just said. I would like to know more about the ride drive stuff. I'm lucky to have a modest Xmas bonus burning a whole in my pocket and I'd already earmarked it for something like this. I'd like to improve my skills and confidence in various areas!
ToneyCaroney said:
I would like to know more about the ride drive stuff.
I would suggest browsing their website (if you haven't done so already), but also give Julian a call to discuss the details - he is extremely helpful.http://www.ridedrive.co.uk/
Martin W said:
'really must get around to booking one of these!'
Martin, you want one of these guys, who are utterly brilliant: great fun and enjoyable coaching from some of the very best in the business. My driving skills increased dramatically.SVS said:
Martin, you want one of these guys, who are utterly brilliant: great fun and enjoyable coaching from some of the very best in the business. My driving skills increased dramatically.Gassing Station | General TVR Stuff & Gossip | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff