Are supercar drivers more skilled than average?
Discussion
Do you think people that drive supercars (when I mean cars with more than 500 hp) are better drivers than avarage? I mean could a normal driver drive a 500 hp car and not crash if they were driving every day even in very wet weather? Maybe these drivers are more likely to have driven on a racing track? I have never driven a car with that much hp but I think it must be pretty scary when the road is not completely dry.
Do you always depress your throttle pedal all the way the instant you accelerate? If not, you can probably drive a car with 500 BHP in the wet.
Most supercars have all sorts of electro gizmos to protect the wealthy but not super gifted anyway, so you don't need to be a driving god to drive one.
M.
Most supercars have all sorts of electro gizmos to protect the wealthy but not super gifted anyway, so you don't need to be a driving god to drive one.
M.
not really.
money doesnt equal driving skill.
generally though, being in a position to be able to afford to buy, insure and run a supercar would mean a certain amount of experience, and probably that of powerful cars.
though it doesnt always work like that:
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-238...
money doesnt equal driving skill.
generally though, being in a position to be able to afford to buy, insure and run a supercar would mean a certain amount of experience, and probably that of powerful cars.
though it doesnt always work like that:
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-238...
I suspect huge cost polarises drivers somewhat into those who want to look like they have the money for a £100,000+ car and those who love driving so much they're willing to pay that sort of money for a given experience. I suspect many of the footballers and yuppies don't even know how to turn the ESP off.
ETA For the sake of completeness I should point out I'm more than averagely sure the Nick Masons and Jay Kays of this world do though... The thing is if you don't fit into either camp you simply don't need to spend that much on a car. If you gave my mum £100,000 for a car she'd get a £12k Fiesta and spend the rest on crochet stuff.
ETA For the sake of completeness I should point out I'm more than averagely sure the Nick Masons and Jay Kays of this world do though... The thing is if you don't fit into either camp you simply don't need to spend that much on a car. If you gave my mum £100,000 for a car she'd get a £12k Fiesta and spend the rest on crochet stuff.
Edited by Chris71 on Monday 23 August 16:21
gbgt22 said:
I mean could a normal driver drive a 500 hp car and not crash if they were driving every day even in very wet weather?
Believe me, I am no skilled driver but during my time at PH I have been fortunate enough to have driven all manner of fast and very fast cars. They only go as fast as you make them, but the secret is to get used to the car. If I am driving something particularly potent I spend hours and hours just driving normally, gradually increasing the speed over a very slow period. Keep the driver aids on initially (if fitted) and get used to everything. What can you see visibility wise? How do the brakes feel? How wide is the car? How is the power delivered? Is the seat in the right position (spend 10 mins getting comfortable before you turn the key) etc etc
After a an hour or two you will know the car, you will know what button does what, you will be comfortable and you will be in a position to push a little more.
Getting used to a car is key. The ones that have problems are the ones who jump in and attempt to go flat out straight away. Also, if your friends are driving too fast for you, slow down. Don't attempt to keep up and end up in the hedge.
Not in my experience. ( generalizations are tricky here, evidently). A lot of supercars are never tracked. There are myriad reasons to buy one, and not every driver is going to take advanced training. Of course, there are many well trained and superb drivers who have all of the skills necessary to drive a supercar on a track, but these cars can bite.. How often do you see (say) Porsche Carrera GTs crashed because someone came out on a cold day and accelerated aggressively on cold tires and crashed the thing.?
Often, at track, you will see some very talented drivers doing amazing things with more modest cars.
Obviously generalizations here are difficult, but I would say that the range of skills is not dissimilar to the skills range in normal cars, but the consequences can me more severe.
Often, at track, you will see some very talented drivers doing amazing things with more modest cars.
Obviously generalizations here are difficult, but I would say that the range of skills is not dissimilar to the skills range in normal cars, but the consequences can me more severe.
% of people who would get into something like an ENZO and think "crickey, best be a bit carefull, this is a bit of a weapon" = 99.9%
% of people who would get into a Fiesta and think "crickey, best be a bit carefull, this is a bit of a weapon" = 0.1%
Thats why you see a lot more crashed Fiesta's than Enzo's ........... probably ;-)
% of people who would get into a Fiesta and think "crickey, best be a bit carefull, this is a bit of a weapon" = 0.1%
Thats why you see a lot more crashed Fiesta's than Enzo's ........... probably ;-)
Modern supercars aren't hard to drive, the Vanquish was probably the last of the 'true' supercars that would try and kill you if you got it slightly wrong, and that was pretty civilised compared to some.
Drive something like a Gallardo or R8 and it is so competent/dull that nobody is going to have a problem with it.
The only sense in which supercar drivers may be better is that they will tend to have been driving for a while and may have taken advantage of the various options to get trained. I've spent a day at Millbrook doing one to one training with an Aston Martin instructor, another day with a former BTCC champion and so on. Good fun and useful as well.
Drive something like a Gallardo or R8 and it is so competent/dull that nobody is going to have a problem with it.
The only sense in which supercar drivers may be better is that they will tend to have been driving for a while and may have taken advantage of the various options to get trained. I've spent a day at Millbrook doing one to one training with an Aston Martin instructor, another day with a former BTCC champion and so on. Good fun and useful as well.
I personally think the seperation isn't supercars/non supercars, or even money/no money.
I think the seperation with skill is mechanical sympathy, and interest. I think thats based in being able to understand or have taken a car/engine apart. To have a greater understanding. I think mechanical sympathy is possible in someone who doesn't have an interest in what goes on under a cars hood but I do think one generally follows the other.
Thats part of the reason I think driving courses aren't the answer to many peoples driving problems.
Improving ones driving should be a heuristic or socratic approach, and both of those should be lifelong and self motivated.
Diadatic should be for the early years or when the need to know is greater than the desire to know.
Thats why I think good drivers come from any walk of life, any background, can be driving any car, and are rare.
I think the seperation with skill is mechanical sympathy, and interest. I think thats based in being able to understand or have taken a car/engine apart. To have a greater understanding. I think mechanical sympathy is possible in someone who doesn't have an interest in what goes on under a cars hood but I do think one generally follows the other.
Thats part of the reason I think driving courses aren't the answer to many peoples driving problems.
Improving ones driving should be a heuristic or socratic approach, and both of those should be lifelong and self motivated.
Diadatic should be for the early years or when the need to know is greater than the desire to know.
Thats why I think good drivers come from any walk of life, any background, can be driving any car, and are rare.
marcosgt said:
Do you always depress your throttle pedal all the way the instant you accelerate? If not, you can probably drive a car with 500 BHP in the wet.
A nice way of putting it!Insurance statistics show the drivers of powerful cars don't always have skill levels to match! Lots of "single vehicle accidents" as soon a s you let a lad loose in a powerful car. Add in a mid-engined configuration and it gets even worse.
Garlick said:
gbgt22 said:
I mean could a normal driver drive a 500 hp car and not crash if they were driving every day even in very wet weather?
Believe me, I am no skilled diver but during my time at PH I have been fortunate enough to have driven all manner of fast and very fast cars. 
Chris71 said:
Garlick said:
gbgt22 said:
I mean could a normal driver drive a 500 hp car and not crash if they were driving every day even in very wet weather?
Believe me, I am no skilled diver but during my time at PH I have been fortunate enough to have driven all manner of fast and very fast cars. I'm a huge believer in spending time to get to know a car before attempting heroics. The guys who hire a Lambo for 24 hours, and have to get the most from their hire in such a short time worry me. Yes, a Gallardo is 'easy' to drive, it's easy to see out of and doesn't have an aggressive power delivery but to the average chap it still needs initial respect IMO.
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