Race coaching?

[alanp]

Can anyone recommend a good race driving coach?

I have used Don palmer and 1st Lotus in the past and am currently in my 1st season in Caterham Graduates.

I'm really looking for 'on track' coaching to help me with 'racecraft' lines, braing points, overtaking tips etc. Not fussed on location or what cars are used.

any one used John Stevens?

[RobM77]

I've never been coached by him, but I bumped into a guy calling himself 'Dr John' the other day and had a chat. From talking to him I could tell he'd be an excellent instructor, and he seemed very knowledgeable as well.

Choose wisely, there are a lot of guys out there and many don't really know what they're talking about...

[flemke]

John Bussell and Rob Wilson get a lot of praise. Wilson coaches a number of F1 drivers.

[GarrettMacD]

Yes, I have used John Stevens, ages ago before I started racing, and he was very good (but expensive) but doesn't go so much into the technicalities of lines, braking etc. He will get you to think more about the car as a dynamic resource, to be used to your advantage.

However, take your pick from any of these:

Simon Mason (Britcar S1, Instructor at Silverstone, also races in Max5). www.simonmason.com

Eugene O'Brien (Ex-BTCC, Le Mans, British F3000)
www.eugeneobrien.co.uk

Also, I hear that Rob Wilson is a very much demanded coach, apparently a few F1 boys use him. I have no idea what his contact details are though! Google??

Also, Mark Hales, who writes in Circuit Driver every month. Not used him, but was a No.2 mechanic on his Tuscan when he won the championship in 1994 and he soundly beat all the other competition, including Ian Flux, Gerry Marshall, Chris Hodgetts, etc. www.markhales.com.

Is that enough for you !!!

[RobM77]

I have heard very good things about all of those people - can't go wrong.

As for Mark - wow.. I watched a good number of his Tuscan races and he can *really* drive!

Do post when you've been though, I'd be interested in reccomendations myself. As I said before though, do pay the money for one of these guys - it's worth it. I chatted to some random instructors briefly at the Autosport show this year and was shocked at their lack of knowledge.

[daydreamer]

Rob Austin (British / Euro F3) is pretty good. He has a two seater Ginetta G20, intercom etc, and is patient as well as good at explaining why you go faster as well as how to.

Clicky

[alanp]

thanks for the suggestions guys

As soon as the budget allows I'll pick one and let you know the outcome

[RobM77]

I have had little bits of instruction here and there, but being very short of cash have just read lots and lots of books, done lots of Physics (my degree subject - I like applying it to cars), and practised a lot on good PC sims. The combination of that lot had me on the pace after a year or two of racing. In my first race I came sixth, and then I set my first pole in my third season - I am now winning most times I race. There is no way I could have done as well as I have without playing lots of sims on the PC and understanding the theory - I am still constantly critiqueing my own performance lap by lap and trying to go quicker and quicker.

Another thing that I would reccomend is an on board lap timer or even datalogging if you can afford it. That way, when a fast lap comes out, you know exactly what you did to make it fast. My laptimer does the job and was around £100.

Also, look at other competitors - where are they quicker and where are you quicker? you can learn a lot from doing that.