Tuesday 2nd June 2009

Team PH: Ginetta G20 Championship

Should racing drivers have coaches? Team PH finds out in rounds 3 and 4 at Rockingham

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New colour scheme for TeamPH

Across many sports there are guys who are right at the top of their game. Names like Hank Haney, Toni Nadal and Bob Bowman are a few that are incredibly successful at their chosen sport with many world titles under their name. Those with more astute knowledge of the sporting world may recognise these names, but for those who don't know them they are the coaches for Tiger Woods, Raphael Nadal and Michael Phelps.

For some reason the motor racing world seems intent on letting the driver develop their own skill rather than use a coach. Lewis Hamilton was quoted last year after the Canadian pit-lane incident "I want to do it on my own. I got to where I am on my own, with my family." But there is one driver who breaks this tradition and he isn't shy of a world championship himself - Andy Priaulx - employing former Formula Ford ace John Pratt.

I am not sure if the lack of using driver coaches is a macho-egotistical trait or seen as a self-confessed admittance of not being the best driver in the world. Personally I am not shy on trying to improve in anything I do and if it is good enough for Andy, then I will give it a go. For this weekend's Ginetta rounds at Rockingham I decided to be coached by British GT winner and BRDC "Rising Star" Matt Nicoll-Jones.

The slightly faster hover mode

The other factor that sports people consume by the bucket load is practice. When it comes to racing cars this can get a little expensive and it'swhere bigger budgets hold a definite advantage. Unfortunately the PH budget is financed from change we found in the back of the test cars when giving them a clean and thus we are not filled with that pleasure. This is the first time in the car since the last meet at Oulton back at Easter.

A Ginetta race weekend does give the chance for 15 minutes of free practice and, with the sun warming the morning track, I set out with video recorder attached, on a track configuration I had managed to avoid driving at any point in the past 12 years. The resultant circling left me 4.5 seconds off the pace - and with a lot of coaching to be done.

Anyone who has used driver coaching when on track will know that having a second set of eyes in the car is a great help. It may result in something as small as a slight modification to a line into a corner, but it can result in seconds saved across a lap. As Matt coached me through my laps on the video he said "Like any driver who hasn't been in a race car for a couple of months, you are tending to turn in too early for each corner. I do it; everyone does with lack of practice."

A confused coach watching my video

After continual reviews of the video and analysis against the sector times, it is clear that there are vast improvements to be made for qualifying. As I head out to set a quick lap I hear Matt's voice in my head with the instructions he has given. Heeding the advice I aim to smash the four-and-a-half seconds I need to clinch pole and, with every lap, the car feels quicker. Surely pole is in sight.

Jumping out of the car I turn on the laptop and download the time sheets. My efforts haven't had the impact I had hoped, as I scroll down the list and see my name 10th. Encouragingly, though, I had got the gap to the leaders down to two seconds and was only four tenths off fifth. With a little more coaching from Matt and another two seconds found, this should result in the first podium of the season - but I'm always the optimist.

After qualifying, Matt keeps me behind class so we can walk the track and scrutinise the track further. Back in my sprint and hill climb days this was a habitual task before any event or during the lunch break. Unfortunately race tracks are not as easy to access on foot. Standing on the surface the track takes on a whole different perspective: undulations, surface changes and kerbing are far more noticeable at walking pace.

Walking the track in the setting sun

With the final guidance around the track Matt passes on his final words: "Don't think about it when out in the race; when you start following someone it will all come together. Just focus in the distance at the next corner and you will start driving quicker." Strange words, I thought, after such in-depth analysis while walking the track, but worth a try.

The long straight to Rockingham's hairpin off the banking means that any of the first five rows has a chance of taking the lead by the time the corner appears. As I approach it for the first time it's five abreast - from the cars I can see - and, finding myself on the outside, I opt to take them all that way. Unfortunately five into one takes a little sorting and I find myself 8th as we enter the infield.

Not trying to think about lines, but instead racing the other cars around me seems to be working. As I enter lap three, I have moved up to 7th and have the two cars in front lined up. With a move inside the two cars - busy battling between themselves - I move up to 5th place and set about catching fourth. The cars relegated down a position are not giving in for the next corner, however, so I move to the inside to defend. An optimistic lunge up the inside by one of them and a smash in the rear of the car sends me circling.

No CSI needed for this investigation

I find myself back down to 9th with a ten-second gap to the cars I was battling with. Angry at being spun out for the third race in a row, I set about catching the pack again but, with only a few laps to go, I have to settle for picking up a spinner and finishing 8th. It had promised to be a good result.

The second race adds more disappointment to the PH camp after a positive start helps me jump to 8th from the lowest grid position of the year of 11th. But on lap five, while closing on the 4th to 7th battle, the driveshaft decids to disintegrate inside the rear CV joint and the car clunks to a halt.

It may have been a bad weekend for results, but having a mentor throughout the weekend was a definite positive. I think all drivers can benefit from coaching - even if you are the best driver in the world. If it isn't improving the race lines that can help, then it is mental preparation and words of encouragement that will increase your performance at a race track. Perhaps Lewis Hamilton should take note.

[FOURRONE]

Why not if boxers tennis players and other sportsman have coaches why not race drivers

[Kraken]

Most drivers will struggle with the physical, mental or technique aspects of racing at some stage in their career. A lot of drivers I come across in the racing world are too macho for their own good and think that using a coach implies they are weak.

[FOURRONE]

Kraken said:

Most drivers will struggle with the physical, mental or technique aspects of racing at some stage in their career. A lot of drivers I come across in the racing world are too macho for their own good and think that using a coach implies they are weak.

It would be fair to say driving is like sex and fighting no man likes to be told he is no good or could be better at it. Think you will find its a man thing.

[DanGT]

I have talked to an x rally driver how has coached a number of F1 drivers. I think the no coaching is just a bit of a smoke screen.

Think about it this way £300 Million a year in runing cost I am am going with the driver how won't take every advantige he can?

[dandarez]

Give me the best golf clubs in the world and I'd still be sh*t.
Give me the best tennis racket in the world and I'd still be sh*t.
Give me some fancy water wings and I'd still sink like a brick.

Give me a Ginetta G50Z and I reckon I can mix it with some good cars.

[//dean]

RacingPete,

Looked like a great race you were having! Here's some pics I managed to grab

[Graham]

I'll eat my own boxer shorts if hamilton had never ever ever ever had any form of driver coaching...

they all do it, even if its just the engineers analysing the data logs with them..

driver coaching is the cheapest way to go faster.. Interestingly I've also found that you can pick up a lot if your actually coaching someone else...

Its really interesting but not actually doing the driving everything happens so much slower, when you concentrating hard on what the driver is doing, rather than just being a passenger..

I've done a little bit for sponsors and it can be great fun.. Before I got in to circuit racing I also used to do 4x4 instruction in landrovers and trucks.... that is much scarier...

[c_seven]

Very interesting article, I have been thinking about getting some coaching for a while and I think I will have to invest at some point this summer. With regards the question of top drivers getting coaching, I though that Jackie Stewart still coached a lot of F1 drivers.

[FOURRONE]

c_seven said:

Very interesting article, I have been thinking about getting some coaching for a while and I think I will have to invest at some point this summer. With regards the question of top drivers getting coaching, I though that Jackie Stewart still coached a lot of F1 drivers.

Well he did make James May improve his lap times considerably in one episode of top gear so maybe he does

Edited by FOURRONE on Tuesday 2nd June 23:22

[steveinoxford]

any up and coming race driver needs some coaching. Its worked wonders for us last year.

Spent the first half of the season banging my drivers helmet (kieren_clark on PH) trying to knock some sense in, bring in some effective coaching and wow, it all comes together at the end of the season.

Sadly no money to do a second season in Formula Renault Uk, really frustrating watching the guys we were beating at the end of last year in the top 5. Managed to get enough money to do the first Formula Renault BARC round at Oulton 2 weeks ago, just to keep some race time, and walked it from a dominant pole position. So it has all worked. So much so that Kieren is now coaching some Caterham drivers, now he knows the secrets! Just hope we can get some backing for the rest of the year.

Good efforts from team PH though, keep working at it

Steve

[System-G]

Over in the Fauldsport camp in the Caterham Roadsports & R300's series we have Simon Mason (MOtorsportTuition.com) on board and it really shows

[jellison]

Can't imagine Spencer or Russ McCarthy ever having any coaching (maybe there dad giving them a few pointers, but I doubt even that, personally I just think it is all natural, but obviously time in the car helps, but you either know how to get the ultimate time out of a car or not.

Just my opionion Mind if through cash at some bloke that is better in cars and make a few quid advising on obvious stuff from watching vids or onboard data floats you boat, that is equally great. Ideally you need the data from the front running cars vs yours - but that ain't going to happen!!