familiarising a track

[pancholi]

newish to track days,
comfortable with speed/control and safe track driving.
is there method to learning a new track?

how long does it take to get comfortable with the track?
depends on track?
start with youtube vids? sims? sighting laps? tuition? book with 'respectable' track day companies?

any input would be welcome
thanks

[Wh00sher]

You have a couple of ways to approach this.

When I go to a new track, I don't watch any videos or drive on a console. I enjoy the challenge of learning the circuit as I first drive it. If you do this approach, I find a fairly long first session, slow pace and try to memorise what's next. If you can see the track ahead, start looking at the exit which often determines if it's a late apex or not.

Then just tweak as the day progresses.


If you want to do as much prep as possible before the day, search for track guides on YouTube for the track you are going to. They often break each cornet down with emphasis on particular kerbs etc. If you have a wheel, iracing or Assetto Corsa have a lot of circuits and that can help.

Obviously don't arrive thinking you 'know' the track if you've done 100's of sim laps, but it does massively speed up the corner recognition part of the day.

[SAS Tom]

The sim is probably the best for me then YouTube videos of someone you can tell is decent.

I’ve done thousands of sim laps of the Nurburgring and I never had to give it a second thought where I was, the lines or what kerbs I could/couldn’t take. I’ve had the same at other tracks too.

[brillomaster]

Been a while since I learnt a new track, but will have to do so in two weeks when I go to brands for the first time.

Personally, I look at a track map, then probably try and find some youtube on boards of someone driving a similar car to me. Then it's sighting laps on the day.

I think I pick up tracks pretty quick, but... its a trackday, I'm not chasing tenths. If i was a club racer and had limited practice time before a race my approach might be different

[TheLoraxxZeus]

pancholi said:

newish to track days,
comfortable with speed/control and safe track driving.
is there method to learning a new track?

how long does it take to get comfortable with the track?
depends on track?
start with youtube vids? sims? sighting laps? tuition? book with 'respectable' track day companies?

any input would be welcome
thanks

First, if you have a sim that's your best bet. Might sound a bit silly but rather than watching real laps on YouTube look up an iRacing track guide for a slow car like the MX-5 because it's close enough.

Second, if you have a day booked and it's through a club or well known organiser they sometimes include free tuition for a couple of laps. That will be more beneficial than anything else.

Third, just drive it and go slow. Ask around the paddock if you can go for a passenger lap with someone who is more experienced.

[WombleCate]

+1 on YouTube doesn’t help me memorise the circuit. I find Project Cars on an old PlayStation 4 helps me remember where to go left & right. I have used a professional SIM a couple of times and find it a bit better than the PlayStation.

+1 you don’t’ need to do this before the day.

On the day, if you’ve never seen the track before you will get two sighting laps following an instructor. Then in your first few laps start going round at 100kph*, gradually, building your speed and making your braking points later.

Track days are for fun. Enjoy them.

• as long as you move over to the right on the straights & follow the racing line in the corners (from the sighting laps) and are predictable the driving gods should not be annoyed

[pancholi]

thanks for the replies and insight,
tracking again upcoming Thursday, looking forward to putting gained advice into practice.

[whp1983]

Few rounds on sim….. then night before or early morning (if you can) a track walk

Nothing gives you an idea of a track like a track walk

[braddo]

Youtube videos in a slowish car to learn where the track goes.

These don't give any good sense of the elevation, so when you do the sighting laps you will be surprised that the track is much less flat than it looked on screen! Sighting laps will also be faster than you expect, if you haven't done them before.

If sighting laps aren't offered, most track days offer to take first-timers around as passengers in a course car. This can be really helpful.

Tuition will be really helpful for learning the correct lines through certain corners. And if the track is damp or wet, definitely try to get tuition so they can show you the wet lines (which will be very different).

[dunc_sx]

My first season racing was all new tracks to me so I used GTR on PC on keys to learn them (yes I'm old) and it certainly helped. For a track day it's probably not essential as you have plenty of time to build up to it.

For brands I only got 3 dry quali laps (car issue) then straight to a full rain race start having never driven the track before that day

Anyway that's not helping you, some gaming or video watching helps somewhat but isn't essential for track days.

Dunc.

[LennyM1984]

dunc_sx said:

My first season racing was all new tracks to me so I used GTR on PC on keys to learn them (yes I'm old) and it certainly helped. For a track day it's probably not essential as you have plenty of time to build up to it.

For brands I only got 3 dry quali laps (car issue) then straight to a full rain race start having never driven the track before that day

Anyway that's not helping you, some gaming or video watching helps somewhat but isn't essential for track days.

Dunc.

How did you find that? I did my first race at Silverstone International without ever having set foot (tyres?) on the track and I found it a bit challenging and it probably affected my enjoyment a little.

I watched a few YouTube videos to learn which way it went and then figured that I would learn it properly during qualifying. It was harder to get up to speed than I imagined and I think I qualified last (or second to last) in class. Thankfully I started to get the hang of it during the race and managed to claw myself back up to a mid pack finish.

It wasn't so much learning which way it all went or even where the braking points were, it was more just how much speed I could carry through each corner - when I went back to the GP circuit later in the year, I think I was taking Abbey almost 15mph quicker!

[andrewcliffe]

Modern drivers are fortunate in that Youtube exists and there are quite a number of similations where tracks are relatively accurately modelled and a selection of cars (some are accurate, some are poor).

If you're able to get there the evening before (or early on the same day), there may be opportunity to walk the track.

Some trackdays have instructors on hand who will have sat next to drivers a lot worse.

[AmyRichardson]

My first track day was with an instructor (about +£300) and, unless you're otherwise experienced enough to quickly get a feel for a track, I'd say it's well spent. You could buy a single session for £20-30 if you just wanted a few laps to sight in.

I reckon my day-end pace was well above what it would have been if I'd been left to go on my instincts, and having another set of eyes-on keeps you thinking about what you're doing (rather than falling into a slowing groove) as you tire towards the end of the day.

[roddo]

If you are staying over the night before a track day I very often do a track walk

[philrs03]

Most people on track days are mega freindly, my advice would be to get chatting to someone, and if they know the circuit well ask if you can tail them for a few laps. Or have them passenger with you if they are happy to do so, you’ll be amazed how much quicker you are with someone telling you where to turn in, brake etc.

Personally I watch YouTube vids (Caterham Academy/310R championship) to get an idea more of the right gear to be in as opposed to the line. That will come fairly naturally after a few laps!

[dunc_sx]

LennyM1984 said:

dunc_sx said:

My first season racing was all new tracks to me so I used GTR on PC on keys to learn them (yes I'm old) and it certainly helped. For a track day it's probably not essential as you have plenty of time to build up to it.

For brands I only got 3 dry quali laps (car issue) then straight to a full rain race start having never driven the track before that day

Anyway that's not helping you, some gaming or video watching helps somewhat but isn't essential for track days.

Dunc.

How did you find that?

Not very good, my performance on tracks I'd driven on before was much better. If money, time and location had allowed a testing day before would have drastically improved pormance but it is what it is as they say. Still very lucky to be in a position to enter and compete so can't complain

That's for racing though still think none is required for a track day or if you get some electronic learning in advance then that does some good at least.

Dunc.

[Steve H]

Most tracks have a series of hidden secrets that take a lot of time to unlock.

Or alternatively, booking tuition for an hour or two can give you a lot of the shortcuts.

[WombleCate]

dunc_sx said:

LennyM1984 said:

dunc_sx said:

My first season racing was all new tracks to me so I used GTR on PC on keys to learn them (yes I'm old) and it certainly helped. For a track day it's probably not essential as you have plenty of time to build up to it.

For brands I only got 3 dry quali laps (car issue) then straight to a full rain race start having never driven the track before that day

Anyway that's not helping you, some gaming or video watching helps somewhat but isn't essential for track days.

Dunc.

How did you find that?

Not very good, my performance on tracks I'd driven on before was much better. If money, time and location had allowed a testing day before would have drastically improved pormance but it is what it is as they say. Still very lucky to be in a position to enter and compete so can't complain

That's for racing though still think none is required for a track day or if you get some electronic learning in advance then that does some good at least.

Dunc.

Aware we may be going off topic.

I’m doing my first race abroad at Zolder in three weeks time, and, won’t get to ‘set tire’ on track before qualifying. Then, as I share the car will only get three +/- laps in qualifying before the race.

Will try and ensure the steep learning curve doesn’t dampen what should be a great weekend.

Have done 000’s of hours on PlayStation and having a SIM coaching session.

[LennyM1984]

WombleCate said:

Aware we may be going off topic.

I m doing my first race abroad at Zolder in three weeks time, and, won t get to set tire on track before qualifying. Then, as I share the car will only get three +/- laps in qualifying before the race.

Will try and ensure the steep learning curve doesn t dampen what should be a great weekend.

Have done 000 s of hours on PlayStation and having a SIM coaching session.

For me, the "dampening of enjoyment" was mainly just because I was slower than I could have been and it felt like I was letting myself down a bit. Once the actual race was underway, I still had a great time and enjoyed fighting my way back from the bottom (I'm never too far from the bottom regardless!)

Edited by LennyM1984 on Friday 20th June 17:43