rec.autos.simulators

About 3 months ago, I got REALLY bored with GPL..  I had done all my PB's..
couldn't beat them..  really bored..

So I decided to race the BRM and have some fun at the back of the grid,
instead of usually being out in front and not seeing anyone..

I REALLY enjoyed the challenge.  racing the BRM (and other cars aswell)
against everone else in Lotus's etc..  made for great racing...

About a week ago, I decided to try the lotus again..  wow..  this is a hard
car to drive..  for the first 5 laps.. i couldn't brake.. kept locking up.
but once I got used to it..  I start out..  Monza  29's..    then after 5
laps..  28's..  then after 10 laps..  I did a 27.73  ..  PB..  wow..  after
3 month of never driving the Lotus, I was able to come back to it and within
10 laps I did a PB!!

Later that night, online I did a 27.51 and beat my previous PB by .25
seconds (a lot at Monza).   Since then, I have beaten ALL my PB's at most
track with the Lotus....

Soooo.. what does this mean??   I think that by driving all the other cars,
it forces you to adjust your driving style each time making you a better
driver overall.  The BRM is very hard to drive and requires very precise
trail braking due to it's tail heavy chassis..  Therefore with the Lotus, it
is a MUCH more neutral handling, I was able to take full advantage of it...

Anyway.. some food for thought..  if ya getting bored and frustrated with
GPL and Lotus drivng, try other cars including the BRM, you will become a
better and faster driver for it, aswell as have a ball!!  :-)

James Pickard,
Melbourne,
AUSTRALIA
GPL Australian Champion Season 1
(had to throw that in    :-)

<snip>
I would recommend the BRM to anyone who wants to get to grips with how
these cars handle.  When I was struggling with GPL this was the first
car that actually allowed me to get a feel for what my eyes and ears
were telling me.  I put this down to the fact that the BRM is such a
big, heavy car that it responds slightly more sluggishly than with the
other cars - there's so much more weight to shift around - so that you
actually get a chance to pick up on what is happening in time to correct
it.  In other words, to quote that old cliche, I was able to "feel" what
the car was doing.

Once I was able to get a handle on the physics of the BRM it wasn't too
difficult after this to progress to the other cars.  I found that they
reacted very similarly to the BRM, only slightly quicker, but not too
quick as to be difficult to drive anymore.  In fact, since getting the
hang of things with that BRM I've never looked back.  None of the cars
have been difficult to control from that day forward. :-)
--
Peter Ives

Pickard wrote ...
<snip>
it...
<snip>

What exactly is meant by "trail braking"?

To learn about "trail braking" go there, Don:

http://www.karisma1.demon.co.uk/gpl/tb-fc.html

C. Giroux.

Don Jennings wrote ...