Re-gripping or not re-gripping

[nickfrog]

I have confused myself.

When I learnt to drive, the instructor told me to move my right hand up before a RH corner so that mid-corner my hands would be more or less symetrical on either side of the wheel for smooth, balanced input and to avoid running out of options if I needed to avoid an obstacle or make a correction.

Then I learnt track driving where you shouldn't really re-grip even if you risk running out of "hand travel".

So I actually adopted the technique for road use, rightly or wrongly.

But now I have rediscovered the joys of re-gripping on tighter/longer corners, even on track, and particularly at the Ring. I feel more in control and stable mid-corner.

So what is best ? Or is it a personal thing.

[Mobsy]

To paraphrase John Lennon:
Whatever gets you through the corner, it's alright, it's alright.

[jackwood]

I did a few driver training courses with the guys from Porsche after I bought my Cayman and they were very insistent on using the fixed grip at quarter to three as it means you always have a direct and known relationship between steering wheel angle and wheel angle. On track I have never come across a corner where I ever need to move my hands from that position. That is unless in correcting big oversteer, which can required much more than 1/2-3/4 of a turn of opposite lock.

Having said all that, if you watch Walter Röhl spanking anything around rhe Weissach test track in any of the Porsche promo vids he uses what you call the regrip method.

So I'm as confused as you are

[jackwood]

I did a few driver training courses with the guys from Porsche after I bought my Cayman and they were very insistent on using the fixed grip at quarter to three as it means you always have a direct and known relationship between steering wheel angle and wheel angle. On track I have never come across a corner where I ever need to move my hands from that position. That is unless in correcting big oversteer, which can required much more than 1/2-3/4 of a turn of opposite lock.

Having said all that, if you watch Walter Röhl spanking anything around rhe Weissach test track in any of the Porsche promo vids he uses what you call the regrip method.

So I'm as confused as you are

[motorhole]

As somebody said above - whatever gets you through the corner and whatever you feel comfortable with

But...IF you were going to write a textbook on steering technique for fast driving - the man who imo best demonstrates the technique from said textbook would be the late Richard Burns. And here is a demo!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWn-m5BwKBw

Even when you watch Jari Matti Latvala controlling massive slides in a Mk2 Escort, his left hand pretty much stays in the same place. Another good demo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWBOKD6fGu0

Both genuine driving gods who the likes of us will never be able to emulate.

[benedwards64]

I always found Mr. Harris a good 'everyman' example - watcing his driving technique has really helped me develop. The following is a good example- particularly at around 2.15, and again at 3.40:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjE_RIllh4A

[upsidedownmark]

Just my theory, but I think it kinda depends on what you're driving, and how.

Circuit cars tend to have fast racks and be relatively balanced. Thus no need to 're-grip'. If you're driving on the limit properly, you've used all the grip, and winding on more lock isn't going to help turn the car any more. Very few corners need all the lock you can get with fixed hands, unless you're doing something wrong. You may need to wind a bit off to correct a slide, but unless you're deliberately drifting, again you shouldn't need that much twirling/oppo. Circuit driving, I tend to regard the steering as being almost a trimming device - other than turn in and exit, you mostly determine the attitude and rotation of the car with your feet.

On the road, you'd hope that's not the case; you're actually using the steering to point the car. Also, depending on the car you may need a lot more turns of the wheel to achieve the lock.

[Mobsy]

Just watched myself going round Donington and my right hand stays in the same position all the time apart from maybe an inch of movement around MacLeans and Coppice. This is with a quick rack and a very small (10") steering wheel though. I actually thought I repositioned it more than that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6HmezBVgHc

[edh]

Fixed hand positions work on the road for me, you just have to practice turning the wheel more than half a turn of lock & towards full lock, lifting a hand & making sure it goes back in the same spot. Andy Walsh teaches it by sticking your front wheels into the mud

When I watch track videos with people shuffling the wheel it never looks right although Rorhl is a shuffler, so either way works if you're good I guess

[jsb]

i had never thought about this before......i just got on with it.

but now looking at my technique i see that i am a re-gripper (well at least in a caterham).......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5c0kbk9avE

i have a track day next monday and will film myself in the 911 to see if i drive differently.....suspect i do, as won't wring its neck like the cater ham.

Will also try driving both styles to see what gels with me!

[jsb]

i had never thought about this before......i just got on with it.

but now looking at my technique i see that i am a re-gripper (well at least in a caterham).......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5c0kbk9avE

i have a track day next monday and will film myself in the 911 to see if i drive differently.....suspect i do, as won't wring its neck like the cater ham.

Will also try driving both styles to see what gels with me!

[Elderly]

edh said:

. Andy Walsh teaches it by sticking your front wheels into the mud

It's called rotational steering; after an Andy Walsh day I practised it using my garden tractor

[Elderly]

edh said:

. Andy Walsh teaches it by sticking your front wheels into the mud

It's called rotational steering; after an Andy Walsh day I practised it using my garden tractor