Complete newbie questions
Discussion
BrotherMouzone said:
https://www.drivelimits.com/
Instructor used to work for Andy. He’s a Lotus owner and works at Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone. Done his / Andy’s courses many times.
To the OP, probably best to start with booking track days and have one or two sessions with an instructor.
Personally, the instructors that are good and with whom I get on well, I usually take their cards so the next time I book with the same TDO I request to have the same instructors, or book them exclusively for half/whole day. (Steve H the PHer here works for Circuit Days and is very good)
Reading books / YouTube are good of course but nothing beats seat time.
I agree with all of this.Instructor used to work for Andy. He’s a Lotus owner and works at Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone. Done his / Andy’s courses many times.
To the OP, probably best to start with booking track days and have one or two sessions with an instructor.
Personally, the instructors that are good and with whom I get on well, I usually take their cards so the next time I book with the same TDO I request to have the same instructors, or book them exclusively for half/whole day. (Steve H the PHer here works for Circuit Days and is very good)
Reading books / YouTube are good of course but nothing beats seat time.
Book a few trackdays to get used to being on track. MSV novice days would be a good start. Make use of the instructors that are available.
Drivelimits.com will be invaluable in learning to understand how you and your car behave on the limit, so you'll be better able to make the most of your car on track.
Someone mention recommended Driver61 on YT, and I second that.
Once you are comfortable on track and ready to improve, contact a driving coach for proper training sessions..
Something for the OP to also consider. You don't have to go very far on any sort of social media that involves track driving to find that the majority of posts are about what you need to do to be the absolute fastest you can, from tyres to tuning and every stop right up to how big your balls are. It is very easy to get sucked it the mind set that would the equivalent of "you only go on a ski holiday to go the very fastest you can on a black route" and anything else means you shouldn't be there or you just don't have the right attitude. Most of us that race and even instruct are not doing it because it pays the mortgage, in fact it usually does just the opposite, but do it because we enjoy it, and that is what it should be about. You don't have to drive at 11/10's to be enjoying track driving and it can be just as enjoying driving at 7 or 8 tenths. There is not a driver alive, that could turn up at a circuit they literally have no experience of and expect to drive the perfect lap on lap one and equally there are plenty of drivers who, for all their bravado and "experience" still can't find an apex 5 years on. If you have the aptitude for track driving, then this stuff comes to you because it "feels right," and more importantly it will feel right for your style of driving. It never hurts to have decent tuition though.
Another thing to remember, once you start track driving.
Watch any video of formula one or touring car driver driving a circuit, and you will see they are relaxed, smooth, minimum inputs, prepared before each corner, driving through it to maximise exit speed. No sawing at the wheel, correcting over and under steer at every corner. No stamping on the brakes, just the amount required to slow the car the right amount.
This video shows it perfectly - this is the 153 corner Nurburgring, with the driver's wife in the passenger seat. And yes, 270 kph is just under 170 mph. You won't need all the volume.....
link to video
Watch any video of formula one or touring car driver driving a circuit, and you will see they are relaxed, smooth, minimum inputs, prepared before each corner, driving through it to maximise exit speed. No sawing at the wheel, correcting over and under steer at every corner. No stamping on the brakes, just the amount required to slow the car the right amount.
This video shows it perfectly - this is the 153 corner Nurburgring, with the driver's wife in the passenger seat. And yes, 270 kph is just under 170 mph. You won't need all the volume.....
link to video
Nickjd said:
Something for the OP to also consider. You don't have to go very far on any sort of social media that involves track driving to find that the majority of posts are about what you need to do to be the absolute fastest you can, from tyres to tuning and every stop right up to how big your balls are. It is very easy to get sucked it the mind set that would the equivalent of "you only go on a ski holiday to go the very fastest you can on a black route" and anything else means you shouldn't be there or you just don't have the right attitude. Most of us that race and even instruct are not doing it because it pays the mortgage, in fact it usually does just the opposite, but do it because we enjoy it, and that is what it should be about. You don't have to drive at 11/10's to be enjoying track driving and it can be just as enjoying driving at 7 or 8 tenths. There is not a driver alive, that could turn up at a circuit they literally have no experience of and expect to drive the perfect lap on lap one and equally there are plenty of drivers who, for all their bravado and "experience" still can't find an apex 5 years on. If you have the aptitude for track driving, then this stuff comes to you because it "feels right," and more importantly it will feel right for your style of driving. It never hurts to have decent tuition though.
This is such good advice.Trackday social media is terrible for convincing everyone that they need to build a pretend racing car and drive it like Mansell if they want to enjoy a trackday. The irony being that most who build these pretend racing cars are driving absolutely miles off the limits of the car anyway.
Op - Just take your time, find your own rhythm, learn the way your car behaves, and don't feel like your pride is bruised if you're getting out of people's way.
For track days, there is an obsession that many have that wish to rape the bejesus out of their engines on every straight, and confuse fast cornering with trying to tear the writing off of the sidewalls of the tyres. They'll be the ones that will have bonfired their brakes before lunch, and will be dropping fluids all over the track at some point during the day.
Being smooth is the highest priority, and enjoy the challenge of the cornering as the highest priority ....... rinsing every mph down the straights, and over-heating your brakes unnecessarily, adds little to nothing to your enjoyment of the day.
Being smooth is the highest priority, and enjoy the challenge of the cornering as the highest priority ....... rinsing every mph down the straights, and over-heating your brakes unnecessarily, adds little to nothing to your enjoyment of the day.
BrotherMouzone said:
PJ_Parsons said:
Are there any current courses like Car Limits (that Andy Walsh ran) that are worth considering?
]
https://www.drivelimits.com/]
Instructor used to work for Andy. He’s a Lotus owner and works at Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone. Done his / Andy’s courses many times.
To the OP, probably best to start with booking track days and have one or two sessions with an instructor.
Mark is a cracking instructor, and a very nice chap to boot...highly recommended. I'll be at North weald tomorrow
Andy old DVD is well worth purchasing too...
https://www.carlimits.com/shop/product.php?p=16
trails said:
+1
Mark is a cracking instructor, and a very nice chap to boot...highly recommended. I'll be at North weald tomorrow
Andy old DVD is well worth purchasing too...
https://www.carlimits.com/shop/product.php?p=16
I had a copy but 'loaned' it to someone, never to be seen again. But yes, worth watching.Mark is a cracking instructor, and a very nice chap to boot...highly recommended. I'll be at North weald tomorrow
Andy old DVD is well worth purchasing too...
https://www.carlimits.com/shop/product.php?p=16
BTW, the OP shouldn't loose sight of the most important thing on a trackday... be safe and enjoy yourself. Worring about the right gear and the perfect racing line is secondary.
SpudLink said:
trails said:
+1
Mark is a cracking instructor, and a very nice chap to boot...highly recommended. I'll be at North weald tomorrow
Andy old DVD is well worth purchasing too...
https://www.carlimits.com/shop/product.php?p=16
I had a copy but 'loaned' it to someone, never to be seen again. But yes, worth watching.Mark is a cracking instructor, and a very nice chap to boot...highly recommended. I'll be at North weald tomorrow
Andy old DVD is well worth purchasing too...
https://www.carlimits.com/shop/product.php?p=16
BTW, the OP shouldn't loose sight of the most important thing on a trackday... be safe and enjoy yourself. Worring about the right gear and the perfect racing line is secondary.
Nickjd said:
Something for the OP to also consider. You don't have to go very far on any sort of social media that involves track driving to find that the majority of posts are about what you need to do to be the absolute fastest you can, from tyres to tuning and every stop right up to how big your balls are. It is very easy to get sucked it the mind set that would the equivalent of "you only go on a ski holiday to go the very fastest you can on a black route" and anything else means you shouldn't be there or you just don't have the right attitude. Most of us that race and even instruct are not doing it because it pays the mortgage, in fact it usually does just the opposite, but do it because we enjoy it, and that is what it should be about. You don't have to drive at 11/10's to be enjoying track driving and it can be just as enjoying driving at 7 or 8 tenths. There is not a driver alive, that could turn up at a circuit they literally have no experience of and expect to drive the perfect lap on lap one and equally there are plenty of drivers who, for all their bravado and "experience" still can't find an apex 5 years on. If you have the aptitude for track driving, then this stuff comes to you because it "feels right," and more importantly it will feel right for your style of driving. It never hurts to have decent tuition though.
I don’t understand? How are you supposed to win the trackday driving at 8/10ths? 
Bobberoo said:
OK, I'm probably setting myself up here as I own nothing remotely track worthy,but I'm genuinely interested in taking my car on a track day to see what it's capable of, any suggestions for a complete novice day?
As usual I may be swimming against the tide here but I wouldn’t particularly recommend a novice day. If you are hoping it would mean being on an event with a group of cautious and steady drivers you may be disappointed. The biggest difference on a novice event is that the cars that are going round at a good speed, and there will be some, will have drivers whose pace may greatly exceed their experience. This may not be ideal when they are catching up with you and judging their overtakes 
.If you have a slower car and a bit less experience I would suggest trying a club event with MoT or BMWCC, both of which will run a well mannered day and allow all makes of car in.
Steve H said:
Bobberoo said:
OK, I'm probably setting myself up here as I own nothing remotely track worthy,but I'm genuinely interested in taking my car on a track day to see what it's capable of, any suggestions for a complete novice day?
As usual I may be swimming against the tide here but I wouldn’t particularly recommend a novice day. If you are hoping it would mean being on an event with a group of cautious and steady drivers you may be disappointed. The biggest difference on a novice event is that the cars that are going round at a good speed, and there will be some, will have drivers whose pace may greatly exceed their experience. This may not be ideal when they are catching up with you and judging their overtakes .If you have a slower car and a bit less experience I would suggest trying a club event with MoT or BMWCC, both of which will run a well mannered day and allow all makes of car in.
I've never been on track, I have a Diesel Focus estate, lightly modified, and I'd like to find out what it, and myself, are capable of in a controlled environment.
Bobberoo said:
Exactly the advice I needed, thanks Steve H.
I've never been on track, I have a Diesel Focus estate, lightly modified, and I'd like to find out what it, and myself, are capable of in a controlled environment.
Good attitude and some good advice in this thread. For an absolute newbie I'd just go to have fun and find some stuff out....and your fastest lap shouldn't be until mid-late afternoon at the earliest (assuming weather constant !) so ease into it. Do short sessions (10-15 mins max) and go kick tyres, get a brew and talk to others on the day.....and definitely get some instruction. oh yeah....and never do "just one more run" at the end of the day if purely to "go faster" ! I've never been on track, I have a Diesel Focus estate, lightly modified, and I'd like to find out what it, and myself, are capable of in a controlled environment.
The only problem is you will likely be hooked for life :-)
Edited by Steve Campbell on Thursday 6th April 14:05
Steve Campbell said:
Bobberoo said:
Exactly the advice I needed, thanks Steve H.
I've never been on track, I have a Diesel Focus estate, lightly modified, and I'd like to find out what it, and myself, are capable of in a controlled environment.
Good attitude and some good advice in this thread. For an absolute newbie I'd just go to have fun and find some stuff out....and your fastest lap shouldn't be until mid-late afternoon at the earliest (assuming weather constant !) so ease into it. Do short sessions (10-15 mins max) and go kick tyres, get a brew and talk to others on the day.....and definitely get some instruction. oh yeah....and never do "just one more run" at the end of the day if purely to "go faster" ! I've never been on track, I have a Diesel Focus estate, lightly modified, and I'd like to find out what it, and myself, are capable of in a controlled environment.
The only problem is you will likely be hooked for life :-)
Edited by Steve Campbell on Thursday 6th April 14:05
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