Jackie Stewart imparting some wisdom.

[Giblet]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... SiK_VarK8#!

[Websta]

Thanks for posting, that was very interesting

[timbo]

Very interesting. But I wonder whether that's a tad different these days. I think that on average modern drivers are closer to 100% now, than on JS' days. That's not to belittle greats from the past -- the cars were harder to drive, had nowhere near as much grip, and no power steering or lever shifting. So maybe not all of what he says is applicable today. Still there's a great deal of truth in being smooth = fast, and most of it is in avoiding being rushed. The best drivers always seem much more confident and consistent even at the absolute edge. That's probably what speed is -- how much potential of the car lies within your limits.

[raymondu999]

Someone wrote that in an article the other day. I don't remember who or when it was said, but the gist was saying that basically on average, at worst case scenario, drivers wouldn't really be more than 5 tenths quicker than any other driver. If you're talking of only top drivers, that probably is 2 to 3 tenths, and so really the differentiating factor is the spare capacity. If the driver had to spend 100% of concentration on pushing the car,he had less brainpower to think of strategy,overtaking, tyre management, etc, and there would be no margin for error.

If the driver could relegate more of pushing to a more "instinctive," or "subconscious" level, then they'd have more margin for error, and be able to use the spare capacity for other things.

[JimClarkFan]

Very interesting. But I wonder whether that's a tad different these days. I think that on average modern drivers are closer to 100% now, than on JS' days. That's not to belittle greats from the past -- the cars were harder to drive, had nowhere near as much grip, and no power steering or lever shifting. So maybe not all of what he says is applicable today. Still there's a great deal of truth in being smooth = fast, and most of it is in avoiding being rushed. The best drivers always seem much more confident and consistent even at the absolute edge. That's probably what speed is -- how much potential of the car lies within your limits.

It does indeed seem to be different today, don't think that has anything to do with the drivers though but rather the machinery. Watching sebastians pole laps last year you can see he just buries the throttle in some corners because the cars tolerate it.

I do a little bit of karting with mates, and look at some of the F1 pole laps in the hope that I can pick up something. After seeing that video, I now think that I might actually have been doing more harm than good.

Got anymore vids like that Giblet?

[Shrieker]

I do a little bit of karting with mates, and look at some of the F1 pole laps in the hope that I can pick up something. After seeing that video, I now think that I might actually have been doing more harm than good.

I think go-karts are different than cars to a degree. They have no suspension or differential to speak of, so driving techniques varies from cars. You might have been doing not so wrong.

I like the way Jackie explains it. Thanks for sharing it here Giblet.

[marcush.]

Stewart was testing (long retired at that point) a Lotus as part of a promo on the same day as ronnie Peterson and Mario Andretti and even though all thrre had different cornering speeds with Stewart the slowest by far at the end all three managed to post exactly the same lap time...damned ,I fail to remem,ber where i read this...

[n smikle]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OgSiK_VarK8#!

He looks sorta chatty, self righteous and douchie in his younger days... hmm..

[beelsebob]

I do a little bit of karting with mates, and look at some of the F1 pole laps in the hope that I can pick up something. After seeing that video, I now think that I might actually have been doing more harm than good.

I think go-karts are different than cars to a degree. They have no suspension or differential to speak of, so driving techniques varies from cars. You might have been doing not so wrong.

I like the way Jackie explains it. Thanks for sharing it here Giblet.

Hah, I was trying to think in my head why all of them were throwing the rear of the car into a little slide in all the corners, thinking "breaking the grip surely can't be efficient"... But actually, no diff explains it... get the rear of the car round the turn quickly, stop one side slipping, get the power applied again.

[JimClarkFan]

I do a little bit of karting with mates, and look at some of the F1 pole laps in the hope that I can pick up something. After seeing that video, I now think that I might actually have been doing more harm than good.

I think go-karts are different than cars to a degree. They have no suspension or differential to speak of, so driving techniques varies from cars. You might have been doing not so wrong.

I like the way Jackie explains it. Thanks for sharing it here Giblet.

Hah, I was trying to think in my head why all of them were throwing the rear of the car into a little slide in all the corners, thinking "breaking the grip surely can't be efficient"... But actually, no diff explains it... get the rear of the car round the turn quickly, stop one side slipping, get the power applied again.

Interesting, never thought of that.

[GrizzleBoy]

This seems more applicable to touring cars these days thanF1.

However, with these Pirellis having the structural integrity of a garden worm in a low quality rubber gimp suit, it seems it would come in handy.

I honestly dont really think it's so applicable now though.

Formula one cars are not momentum cars.

[raymondu999]

How do you mean "momentum car?"

[GrizzleBoy]

How do you mean "momentum car?"

Lower grip/relatively lower power cars NEED the best line through the corner in order to not lose a bunch of time as they dont have the ability to accelerate out of the corner as hard or as early. Slow down too much because you're on the wrong part of the track and pay in the time it takes to get back upto speed.

A modern F1 car can simply slide its rear wheels through a turn, point its nose in the right direction, put down the RPMs and blast its way out of a less than ideal line without too much problems.

[beelsebob]

How do you mean "momentum car?"

Lower grip/relatively lower power cars NEED the best line through the corner in order to not lose a bunch of time as they dont have the ability to accelerate out of the corner as hard or as early. Slow down too much because you're on the wrong part of the track and pay in the time it takes to get back upto speed.

A modern F1 car can simply slide its rear wheels through a turn, point its nose in the right direction, put down the RPMs and blast its way out of a less than ideal line without too much problems.

Which is why you see F1 cars doing finnish flicks, and rally cars taking perfectly optimal lines through corners. Wait no... that's not right.

[GrizzleBoy]

How do you mean "momentum car?"

Lower grip/relatively lower power cars NEED the best line through the corner in order to not lose a bunch of time as they dont have the ability to accelerate out of the corner as hard or as early. Slow down too much because you're on the wrong part of the track and pay in the time it takes to get back upto speed.

A modern F1 car can simply slide its rear wheels through a turn, point its nose in the right direction, put down the RPMs and blast its way out of a less than ideal line without too much problems.

Which is why you see F1 cars doing finnish flicks, and rally cars taking perfectly optimal lines through corners. Wait no... that's not right.

Is there any point jumping into a conversation if you're going to completely ignore the context of the text you are replying to?