>>I found the F3's far too slow in my opinion, but the F2's seem to
>>require me to be much smoother with the car, and a consistent line on
>>the track seems to be even more important now I have less engine
>>power. But in general F2 for me is like another racing car altogether
>>just like the cars in RC2000, in an sense. Thankfully it doesn't
>>affect my driving anywhere else, yet. I guess the fact I am always
>>playing different driving sims must be some help. One thing is for
>>sure, you should not develop habits when racing, your approach should
>>be methodical and based on discipline so you can explore more the
>>limits of your own ability. If you've got stuck on some times on
>>certain circuits, it's time to try something different, it's working
>>for me so far and it's made me more analytical about my driving
>>technique and car setups, as well as car choices.
>>I'll say no more.
>Why NOT say more? The more info people have, the better off they are. Believe
>me, if you say too much, SOMEONE will let you know...<g>
>Eldred - who's off to waste time around the 'Ring. Maybe I'll get under 11:00
>YET...
it comes to GPL ( a sad case, I know...), I still have the same
enthusiasm I had months ago when it first came out.
I think the first advice for the 'Ring is to forget about any sort of
lap times altogether, and try first of all to stay on the track. A lot
of people say it is too difficult to memorize all the turns, but I
think when it comes to racing no one really memorizes any turns on any
circuit, apart perhaps for when you first come across a circuit. In my
case, I use to try and do 3 laps without coming off the track and at
the same time trying not to be too slow. Eventually I felt I had some
sort of line on the circuit, then next turn just "comes" to you. Then
I started to improve on that knowing now that if I made a mistake and
came off the track its because I am trying to improve my own line, not
because I can't keep the car on the track. I think that you first need
to be able to go around it be that at 11:00 or 8:00. Once you know
what to do then its a matter of improving it in whichever way you can,
if you don't start to go faster straight away, it will inevitably
become easier for you to do a lap at the 'Ring at the easier it feels,
the more likely you are to try and go faster and take more risks for
your own standards, and get away with it. You will after a lot
constructive practice have more control of the car, understand more
what it is doing as you enter and exit a bend. You start to notice
more details about your lap, like little bumps at the begriming,
middle or exit of a bend. You will realize WHEN and where you have
understeer and oversteer and what they really mean, along with other
unnoticed details when you trying to gain milliseconds on a track.
I never do too many laps on any circuit, unless I am enjoying it all
the way, if GPL starts to get me irritated I stop, go back to it
later, or the next day or even days later depending or how I feel.
Being able to enjoy it as your doing it its very important, I know we
all enjoy GPL but because of the difficulty involved its very easy for
frustration to turn into anger when you find yourself making the same
mistake in the same manner at the same spot in a given circuit. The
other day after all these months I finally managed to go around monza
below 1:28, I thought it would never happen, I even forgot about
trying to beat my own time for a long while. But every time I lap at
Monza, I always feel I could go faster, I am never satisfied with the
previous lap in a race or practice session. Thoughts like "this time I
will come into this 1st Lesmo as fast as the hot lappers do..." keep
going around in my mind. Now I have the same attitude towards all the
circuits (apart from Mexico and Monaco - I never race on those) always
that desire to go faster, it has taken me months to be able to think
this way. Before, my races were about trying not to spin at a certain
part of a circuit, like the parabolica in Monza, I visited the grass a
thousand times there, no longer though.
But I find that the 'Ring is a good training ground for beginners
although frustrating. Go around the 'Ring a couple of times in
whichever way you can and go back to Monza and/or Spa, Monza always
feels too easy after that, so short and flat...
I would say I was never able to have a serious attempt at the 'Ring
before I conquered Monza,Spa, and Watkins Glenn. These circuits are
easy and simple (well in a sense...)enough for you to gain control of
the car and consistency, but provide you with the most of the driving
technique you will need to drive in GPL. I would do a few hundred laps
on them before you want to venture into any of the others. Try to lap
in these circuits without your tires ever squeaking, is a good way to
find your line this way.
Overall, constructive practice and patience as you know is the key.
Be analytical about you driving and ask yourself why you're making a
certain mistake, releasing the brake too suddenly before entering the
prabolica? Adjusting the car inside Astari and loosing speed at the
exit, coming out wide and hitting the barrier at the exit? At high
speed bends like the astari a good line entering it determines how
fast you will exit.
One last thing, before I do any practice in the 'Ring I usually watch
a replay of Ian Lake going 7:57 something and that is sure enough to
inspire me, there's a lot of fast people out there and we all know the
great contribution these guys are to the GPL community, but in my view
the best driver around is Ian Lake, at least he seems to be the
smoothest of the all, or maybe perhaps I identify with his style...
I think this is the longest post I ever posted!
Good luck in your quest in GPL!
Mauricio.