Zirax
20-10-2008, 18:33
Well I have just finished my first ever car training day. I went in as a total novice and explained this to the guy. This was set in an airfield carpark i.e. with no formal track defined.
The topic was pretty much improving car control. The day started with an emergency stop. From there it was onto a high speed left hand bend. Here you simply went left as fast as you could while maintaining control. Must of us span at this point. I think my first attempt at the sweeping left I did at 50 and spun. It was too much of "effing get in there"..... weeee slide & spin.
Gradually after a fair few spins, I was getting the hang of this and started creeping up the speed. After a dozen or so attempts I was at 65 and would allow the car to correct itself. So gently move to the left and allow the wheel to move a bit, otherwise you start getting the back out (or understeer if you use the throttle). Apparently I was cheating at first as if the car started to oversteer, I would press the throttle and bring it back inline. Its hard to explain but the people who have been racing should understand.
Next same corner but lifting off totally as you enter. The plan was to hold left and induce a slide. You would then turn into the skid and correct. However once it comes back inline, you need to straighten up otherwise you fishtale all over the place. I liked this, was fun :D I got the bad boy round with 70-75mph entry speed.
All morning the bod had been saying to go faster, essentially if I went over 75 then I couldn't make the turn. He reckoned that it would..... 80mph.... over the drain he went. I think he had trouble with the Elises doing it at 80mph. I'm still bloody happy that a 20 year old motor got that close tbh! I think if I was in Phils & Vix's stripped out one then it could be done.
He also gave me three runs at braking during the corner to bring it round. Bit narked as the others had a lot lot more time to do this. I couldn't nail just how gentle you need to be on the brakes to turn understeer to oversteer. Still having been only given three attempts I think I would have this nailed over a few more goes.
Next donughts, well not really. Put the car on full lock and start off gradually building speed going round and round. Eventually you will start understeering, now if you lift off then you can get the front to snap in. Bloody handy round bends but fun. You also had the part where you maintain a speed and then alter the steering so to go from grip and turn to understeer.
From here you get a mock "track" which involved some more cones. During this time you were thrown around while he showed you the circuit. Then you had three timed laps. My best was 1min 16secs which I was happy with. Only got one other time which was Mike's and it was 1 min 1sec or something. I did get told off for turning in early.
p.s. It did make me smile that the Ferrari 355 was a bag of bolts. It sounded awesome when it took off, show it a corner.... pffft. Even the instructor had trouble getting the thing under control in high speed bends ;D
The tyres are dead, the outside edge is mullered. They could still be used but they are the wrong profile, 45. So off to the tyre man they go.
The topic was pretty much improving car control. The day started with an emergency stop. From there it was onto a high speed left hand bend. Here you simply went left as fast as you could while maintaining control. Must of us span at this point. I think my first attempt at the sweeping left I did at 50 and spun. It was too much of "effing get in there"..... weeee slide & spin.
Gradually after a fair few spins, I was getting the hang of this and started creeping up the speed. After a dozen or so attempts I was at 65 and would allow the car to correct itself. So gently move to the left and allow the wheel to move a bit, otherwise you start getting the back out (or understeer if you use the throttle). Apparently I was cheating at first as if the car started to oversteer, I would press the throttle and bring it back inline. Its hard to explain but the people who have been racing should understand.
Next same corner but lifting off totally as you enter. The plan was to hold left and induce a slide. You would then turn into the skid and correct. However once it comes back inline, you need to straighten up otherwise you fishtale all over the place. I liked this, was fun :D I got the bad boy round with 70-75mph entry speed.
All morning the bod had been saying to go faster, essentially if I went over 75 then I couldn't make the turn. He reckoned that it would..... 80mph.... over the drain he went. I think he had trouble with the Elises doing it at 80mph. I'm still bloody happy that a 20 year old motor got that close tbh! I think if I was in Phils & Vix's stripped out one then it could be done.
He also gave me three runs at braking during the corner to bring it round. Bit narked as the others had a lot lot more time to do this. I couldn't nail just how gentle you need to be on the brakes to turn understeer to oversteer. Still having been only given three attempts I think I would have this nailed over a few more goes.
Next donughts, well not really. Put the car on full lock and start off gradually building speed going round and round. Eventually you will start understeering, now if you lift off then you can get the front to snap in. Bloody handy round bends but fun. You also had the part where you maintain a speed and then alter the steering so to go from grip and turn to understeer.
From here you get a mock "track" which involved some more cones. During this time you were thrown around while he showed you the circuit. Then you had three timed laps. My best was 1min 16secs which I was happy with. Only got one other time which was Mike's and it was 1 min 1sec or something. I did get told off for turning in early.
p.s. It did make me smile that the Ferrari 355 was a bag of bolts. It sounded awesome when it took off, show it a corner.... pffft. Even the instructor had trouble getting the thing under control in high speed bends ;D
The tyres are dead, the outside edge is mullered. They could still be used but they are the wrong profile, 45. So off to the tyre man they go.