Driving cars with proper downforce
Discussion
I'm booked in to do a Palmersport day at Bedford next month and I'm thoroughly excited about driving the Palmersport Audi and the Jaguar JPLM. I've not driven cars with downforce before and have only really appreciated that sort of mid-corner grip when passengering in Radicals.
I'm guessing it'll take a bit of a leap of faith to get the corner entry speeds right in those cars, but for the most part I'm expecting them to be snappier and fairly unforgiving on the limit.
What are people's experiences of driving those sorts of cars? Are they evil unforgiving things or do they feel remarkably adjustable on the limit?
I'm guessing it'll take a bit of a leap of faith to get the corner entry speeds right in those cars, but for the most part I'm expecting them to be snappier and fairly unforgiving on the limit.
What are people's experiences of driving those sorts of cars? Are they evil unforgiving things or do they feel remarkably adjustable on the limit?
Thanks for the info and the tips chaps. It doesn't sound like they provide the large amount of aero I'd suspected, which makes me feel rather more confident about driving them hard. 
I really am looking forward to driving them, they'll be the fastest and most nimble cars I've ever piloted and I can't wait to see how they handle.
I assume I'll need to wear the Palmersport crash helmets, but I'm aware of crash helmet lift ever since getting a lift at well into 3 figures on a CB1000 back in 1995 and forgetting to do the chin strap up!
I really am looking forward to driving them, they'll be the fastest and most nimble cars I've ever piloted and I can't wait to see how they handle.I assume I'll need to wear the Palmersport crash helmets, but I'm aware of crash helmet lift ever since getting a lift at well into 3 figures on a CB1000 back in 1995 and forgetting to do the chin strap up!
Thanks for the all the info guys. I was thinking that they might be set up quite aggressively, but if there's some understeer at the limit then I'll try to find that and then work it out from there.
I'm almost glad to hear that there's not too much aero and that I don't need to think about hugely different grip levels between low and high speed corners. That means I can just press on and see how it feels.
It sounds like re-calibrating the brain after driving the other cars is a necessity. High corner entry speed in something new and grippy is always a bit of a leap of imagination initially, but I hope the cars will provide the feedback to give me confidence to push hard.
The competitive spirit is high with both myself and the guys I'll be attending with, so the pressure's on.
I'm almost glad to hear that there's not too much aero and that I don't need to think about hugely different grip levels between low and high speed corners. That means I can just press on and see how it feels.
It sounds like re-calibrating the brain after driving the other cars is a necessity. High corner entry speed in something new and grippy is always a bit of a leap of imagination initially, but I hope the cars will provide the feedback to give me confidence to push hard.
The competitive spirit is high with both myself and the guys I'll be attending with, so the pressure's on.
Yesterday was the day I did the event and it really couldn't have been any wetter and apart from the visibility in the Caterhams and Atoms, which was probably the worst I've experienced (even in 16 years of riding motorcycles) it was a fantastic day.
The FPJ was so much more intuitive than I thought it would be and it offered so much precision and feedback. I did spin it three times though, including once on the out lap on slowly warming tyres (idiot). During the session I was never really aware of any aero going on, but in hindsight I guess it did feel better in the fast corners. Of all the cars there I felt it was the most adjustable and feelsome to drive.
I took third place overall and came home with two trophies, so was really very pleased with how things went on the day.
The FPJ was so much more intuitive than I thought it would be and it offered so much precision and feedback. I did spin it three times though, including once on the out lap on slowly warming tyres (idiot). During the session I was never really aware of any aero going on, but in hindsight I guess it did feel better in the fast corners. Of all the cars there I felt it was the most adjustable and feelsome to drive.
I took third place overall and came home with two trophies, so was really very pleased with how things went on the day.
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