Sports psycology in motorsport

[Graham]

Is there any one here who working in sports psychology with respect to motorsport? I deal with a fair few drivers both new and novice and some more experiences, and increasingly im finding im spending more and more time, working on the mental aspects of driving.

managing them to keep them in the right place before going on track, this can be any thing from motivation, stopping anxiety, helping them think their way through the lap, extracting all i can from them in the debrief etc etc, and its an area im finding interesting.

There is a fair amount on sports psychology about but I'd be interested in talking to someone with a more professional bent. I think one of the extra facets that motor sport has to deal with is the real peril the drivers have to deal with which can impact greatly on performance if they are left to dwell on it.

Im not looking for formal consultancy as this is more of an interest than a vocation, but i can help with some case studies on the drivers im working with and they provide a good range of abilities and focus, although they are all over 30 ( the eldest novice being 70!) ive also got fast but think they are slow, slow but think they are fast, fast but crash a lot and a woman.

Cheers


Graham

[GravelBen]

Reckon the rally drivers might make a more interesting case study!

I'm no help, but best of luck with it.

[Hoofy]

Not sports psychology but I work with clients with a variety of issues so it's kinda related...

Graham said:

and a woman.

That's an issue I can't fix, and so

[superfuse]

Talk to this bloke https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHkM4OUkF8E With younger driver the most common problem is something goes a little wrong at the start of the weekend (get blocked on new rubber in qualifying, car problems for example) and it fks there head for the rest of the weekend.

Have had a driver coach/manger tell a partially talentless driver "to win it or bin it" just before qualifying. End result he went of on the out lap, the car came back on two recovery trucks. The tub that was completely fked the other with whats left of a engine and gearbox. He then turned around to the unhurt driver and said "ohh I'm sure they will get you out from the race it only in 3 hours time."

[mistakenplane]

Theres a book called Overdrive: Formula One In The Zone, which deals with the mental aspect.

I havent read it (its on my wish list!) but this may be of interest to you?

[velocemitch]

Read a book once called Anotomy of a Grand Prix driver, it was an old book when I read it in mid seventies, I'd love to find that again!.