How long does it take you to learn a track?

[RB Will]

I don't necessarily mean to learn every minute detail/ wet lines etc.
How long does it take you to learn a track to be able to be confident and capable around it?

I just wonder as I often see things like " you won't know where you are going at the Ring until you have done 30+ laps"

The first time I went to the ring I had a passenger lap in a Clio 172 then another in a BMW 540 then took my scoob out. By the end of the day (about 5-6 laps) I was perfectly happy in where I was going, found a few interesting details and was doing a best of 8.24 bridge to gantry (knackered old Version 2 STI with about 230hp).

Also if I go karting even on a new circuit I am generally within 1 sec of a properly fast lap within 5 laps then get quicker through the session.

I'm not the sort who just turns up and goes balls out and silly I have only ever spun 3 times in the 8 years I have been doing track days ( all in the wet and not hit anything :rushes off to touch wood

Am I just a quick learner or is this normal and people just say things like "it will take you xx laps to learn somewher" to make people be more cautious?

[Evo]

With regards to the Nurburgring I would say you are a quick learner, remembering which way 73 corners go in 5-6 laps seems pretty good to me.

I've yet to make it out to do a real track day at the Ring, but I have done well over 2000 laps of the Nordschleiffe in Gran Turismo 5 so by the time I do get there i wont have to think about knowing where to go, I can concentrate on having fun fun fun.

I'd say for normal circuits, Coombe, Thruxton, Brands etc 5-6 laps is probably about right to know which way they go.

[RLK500]

It never fails to amaze me when at a trackday people say " I can't remember which corner is next......". I am fortunate like the original poster, I sort of had the 'ring figured (direction wise), within the first day of driving it. Like him I had some passeneger laps with someone who knew it well, which I think really helps.

Same with normal tracks, 3 - 5 laps is normally enough to get it, then the work begins to perfect it. I suppose it's the same part of the brain you use for memorising routes, I can drive a route, and never drive it again for years, but still remember it if I have to do it again.

[E36GUY]

4 or 5 laps to learn it (Nurburgring aside) then more time to perfect it.

I think in terms of something like the Nordschlife, some people are better at remembering routes than others. I find it very easy to recall a place that I have been even if I had only driven there once a while ago. One may be able to recall the direction of the 'ring quite quickly but there is a lot more to learn past that for sure!

[RB Will]

good I sound about normal then.

[Evo]

Direction is one thing on the Ring but there is also learning where to position the car and where the camber changes go.

[Herman Toothrot]

Depends on if you are showen around the track first. If I have someone guide me on the correct line (following them or they are in the car directing) for say 3 laps I feel good to go an will push on. If no ones shown me around it can talk a lot longer. 1st time to Goodwood on a freezing cold November morning, traffic light system in operation so big gaps between cars, no sighting laps, just figure it out yourself blind it took me the best part of the morning (sessioned day).

p.s. I'm a non-computer game person, so no playstation etc to "learn" tracks first.

[TuxMan]

I generally do 2 x 5 lap sessions on my own then have a lesson with a instructor to fine tune my lines then pretty much have it sorted , if you have ever had a video v box fitted the data is great to look at and tells you how well you have the track sorted !!

[wackojacko]

I watch in car vidoes of a similar spec car on that particular circuit, I find that really helps.

usually 3-4 laps and then chase perfection for entire day


Similar to Tuxman it helps with instructor and then you have to whole day to bomb round.

[Oilchange]

Just done Combe for the first time properly, did one session on my own, very wet, then with instructor, very wet, then on my own again. 15 minute sessions.

Then it dried out, warmed up with sunshine on the track and I went round MUCH faster after only one lap.

The rest of that session I think I had the right lines and was in the perfecting stage but I'm glad I did all that wet driving and instruction as Quarry might have caused serious problems if I hadn't realised how greasy it was. Instruction is key I think.

[Jonathan Legard]

RB Will said:

Am I just a quick learner or is this normal and people just say things like "it will take you xx laps to learn somewher" to make people be more cautious?

If you did 8.24 BTG after five laps of the Ring you're better than Walter Rohrl, so yes, you're positively godlike.

[RB Will]

Jonathan Legard said:

If you did 8.24 BTG after five laps of the Ring you're better than Walter Rohrl, so yes, you're positively godlike.

No no I'm pretty sure he is better than me. It was just a very easy car to drive only a couple of corners required any serious thinking.

[mrmr96]

Herman Toothrot said:

p.s. I'm a non-computer game person, so no playstation etc to "learn" tracks first.

If I'm looking at going to a new track then I'll get a game with that track (and hopefully a car like mine) on it, and spend a few hours lapping the track to learn the coners, cambers, lines and gradients etc. Of course it's not the 'same' as real life, but there are certain things you can learn from it.

I also tend to have a look at a trackday guide book for hints/tips.

I also have a look on youtube for onboard footage from racers to see how to do it 'right' but also look for crash compilations on that track to see where most people get it 'wrong', particularly trackday crashes.