RE: S2000 at the 'ring: PHTV

[fullleather]

regularly take my 2000 up on the B4560 above Crickhowell and wring its neck, I never understood these idiots who claim 'its a nightmare in the wet'....

[pigeonskirt]

Great driving skills there, although I'd never ever drive like that with the Mrs sat next to me. Not sure I could live with myself if I binned it and the Mrs had to go through the trauma of it all!

[Martin_M]

Great video - I was offered a fabulous deal for a new s2000 back in 2009 but I was just a tad too tall to be truly comfortable!

[ash reynolds]

I respect his ability...but no let up past the recovery vehicle, 'parked vehicle' on a narrow strip (can't call it a run off) and no crash helmets???
Any other circuit would have had a waved yellow at least.

[RichwiththeS2000]

andypowell said:

Heres why I never took my S2000 to the ring!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5181R-oPAE

I'm amazed so many people seem to lose it there? I wonder why?

Although I notice a couple of people getting on the brakes as soon as the back stepped out.. not going to help! Normally with those sort of slides, stay on the throttle and smoothly but promptly correct. Not driven that track but is there there some weird elevation change or something you can't see in the video? Just seems mad!

[Riknos]

RichwiththeS2000 said:

andypowell said:

Heres why I never took my S2000 to the ring!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5181R-oPAE

I'm amazed so many people seem to lose it there? I wonder why?

Although I notice a couple of people getting on the brakes as soon as the back stepped out.. not going to help! Normally with those sort of slides, stay on the throttle and smoothly but promptly correct. Not driven that track but is there there some weird elevation change or something you can't see in the video? Just seems mad!

Gulp. This makes me feel ill. And I was just looking at booking on a track day in mine today...

[RB Will]

RichwiththeS2000 said:

I'm amazed so many people seem to lose it there? I wonder why?

Although I notice a couple of people getting on the brakes as soon as the back stepped out.. not going to help! Normally with those sort of slides, stay on the throttle and smoothly but promptly correct. Not driven that track but is there there some weird elevation change or something you can't see in the video? Just seems mad!

There isnt anything particularly challenging about the corner but its getting near the end of the lap, people get cocky and its one of few chances to be billy big balls in front of a crowd, its a relatively low speed corner, quite wide with a bit of run off. A lot of people go in too quick then back off which is what I expect brought the back end round on a lot of those.

[C7 JFW]

I enjoyed watching the video. You can see it being driven at 10/10 but at least it was nice and tidy almost all the time.

I'd like to see the same lap wet.

[Steven_RW]

RB Will said:

There isnt anything particularly challenging about the corner but its getting near the end of the lap, people get cocky and its one of few chances to be billy big balls in front of a crowd, its a relatively low speed corner, quite wide with a bit of run off. A lot of people go in too quick then back off which is what I expect brought the back end round on a lot of those.

The corner has a slight rise of elevation on entry, that then crests and levels out. This shifts the weight of the car about and makes it susceptible to moving around (nose or butt depending on how it is setup or what layout the car is).

The corner is a later turn in than most people expect (till it's experienced and noted)as it's slight unsighted exit wise on the initial entry and if you power on too early you find your car washing wide or oversteering, probably as a result that the corner goes on longer than you would expect on your first few laps.

I've seen experienced people run nosewide and into the gravel. I've also watched quite a few cars lift off as they notice it is longer than expected and then oversteer and clatter the right hand armco (that was a 996 back a good few years ago).

My views based on being to the ring a reasonable few times.

Cheers
RW

[NelsonP]

I've never been to the ring, but have done enough karting to know that accidents can happen regardless of ability.
So, not debating the level of ability shown here.

But I'd still want to be wearing a helmet at he very least.

And flat out past the scene of an accident <GULP>.

[Chr1sch]

Fair play he is a very skilled driver, margin for error felt very thin but extremely good driving either way (bar hooning past an accident)

[Black S2K]

iloveboost said:

mikey k said:

Nice clip
If you want to see the S2000 REALLY being hussled around the ring watch this video of the chief test driver in the prototype
the foot wear make me everytime

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl5cFzcZ8YY

I think white socks with leather loafers, are essential for fast driving. Like a cool sticker, they're worth at least 10hp.

I was going to post that video as Gan-san is so ridiculously smooth and fast in it. It doesn't look like he's entering corners at 10/10, but he makes the S2000 look really easy to drive. It looks like he's on the power early, and that makes it look like the S2000 understeers a bit. Really impressive though.

There's a moment at 5:50 where it oversteers as he's lifting and re-applying to fight understeer, but when it oversteers he never lifts! Just keeps it at full throttle and casually steers into it.

One thing I've noticed watching pros is that you'll be far more likely to spin or get into a tankslapper if you over-correct with the throttle and/or steering. Reacting slowly to oversteer or understeer is counter-intuitive, as initially fear influences you to over-react. You have to react instantly, but move the controls slowly. It's weird.

Very true - and it's essential to get the very best out of an S2000.

Also letting go of the wheel and letting the caster sort out a tank-slapper is very counter-intuitive at first, but the car's usually better than its driver!

[iloveboost]

RichwiththeS2000 said:

I'm amazed so many people seem to lose it there? I wonder why?

Although I notice a couple of people getting on the brakes as soon as the back stepped out.. not going to help! Normally with those sort of slides, stay on the throttle and smoothly but promptly correct. Not driven that track but is there there some weird elevation change or something you can't see in the video? Just seems mad!

I think the braking comes from fear as the driver gives up. Also lifting completely when a car oversteers is probably common. Most non-car people (including myself until I watched videos of track days and 'Best Motoring', etc) don't know that oversteer only requires a throttle correction to neutral-ish. Lift off completely and you'll make the oversteer a lot worse running run out of lock and/or space. Or you'll catch it, but it will snap oversteer the other way.

[eracing2011]

In all honesty the Porsche helped me more than actually slowed me down... this because I really don't know the track that well.

Fair point on the helmet usage.... Only been twice since that lap, on different cars and with too much traffic to do anything decent, but helmet was used and will be in the future.
Fair point also on the non-usage of the white socks.... Should have had some on. Would have dispatch the Porsche sooner!

As for the car mods as someone asked... none.
All standard (including tyres) apart from a good set of brake discs and pads.

[sutats]

Awesome driving.

What are the rules about video recording at Nurburgring? I read it was prohibited a few years ago.