What it takes to be an endurance racer is just one of the driver development-related items I have for you in this week’s Driver Development News & Racecraft Tips & Techniques Roundup.
In addition to endurance racing, I bring you tips and advice on dealing with oversteer, some great driver development programs you can sign up for and the continuing inspirational story of race driver Robbie Wickens.
All this and more in the latest Driver Development News & Racecraft Tips & Techniques Roundup on Motorsport Prospects.
Racecraft Tips & Techniques
Blayze has put together an Oversteer Masterclass where they explain how racecar drivers deal with oversteer. “Understeer is when you turn in, and the car goes straight, and you hit the barriers with the front of the car. Oversteer is when you turn in, and the rear of the car overtakes the front, and you hit the barriers with the rear of the car.”
Ross Bentley of Speed Secrets answers two questions this week:
- “How do I improve my corner minimum speed?“
- “How do I get better at driving blind corners, such as Turns 2 & 3 at Road Atlanta?”
Race Driver Development News & Resources
The video above contains some race driver workout exercises that you might want to try at the gym.
First awarded in 2014 in memory of multi-time Solo National Champion Wendi Allen, the Wendi Allen Scholarship Fund has now assisted more than 20 women in their quest to compete in SCCA Autocross on the National level. This year, that tradition continues with another three recipients to be chosen to receive $1,500 to assist with their travel to Tire Rack SCCA National Solo events and the Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships. The deadline to submit for the scholarship is Feb. 3, 2023, and SCCA members are reminded that while they can apply for the scholarship for themselves, they can also nominate an SCCA member they believe represents the spirit of the scholarship. More information and to apply or nominate a candidate can be found here.
In Sleep, Coffee and the Secrets of 24 Hour Racing, Podium Life looks at what is takes to compete in a 24 hour endurance race. “When they started to do 24 hour races for the first time, it’s such a thrill, it’s such a survival instinct and also, you have to manage your body, you have to manage your nutrition, your drinking, your eating. Also your temper, because before you know, you start to watch the whole race because your team-mate is in the car, you have to trust him completely.”
Formula 1 racing team Williams Racing’s engineers have partnered with experts from the University of Portsmouth on a study to develop a more detailed understanding of how a driver F1 drivers physically fit their cars. The goal of the pilot project was to support race seat construction and improve fit ergonomics, in an effort to improve a driver’s comfort and performance by revolutionising the way the seats are designed.
Formula Female is delighted to announce the Go Girls Karting & STEM program is now taking bookings for 2023. The program, launched in 2019 has introduced over 1200 secondary school girls from all over Ireland to Motorsport. The Go Girls workshops provides an opportunity to combine sporting and educational experiences as schoolgirls get behind the wheel. Using Motorsports as a platform to teach STEM education gives students an avenue to apply what they learn in the classroom to real world examples. It enables them to get excited about what they are learning and to be able to translate the theory into something that is real and fun. Those well versed in STEM have options to start a career in many different disciplines as well as Motorsport. More information and how to register can be found here.
Ex-Formula 1 driver Mark Webber has labelled claims that drivers sacrificed part of their lives to race in the sport as “bullshit”. The route to compete in F1 full-time is expensive, with many international competitors moving to Europe at a young age to pursue their ambitions. It is often chimed that they had to give up part of their childhood and teenage years to ensure they sculpt a successful career. “Because if you want something enough and you know, these young drivers have come from Australia and [they say] ‘I have all these sacrifices’. Well, they aren’t. If it’s a sacrifice already then I think you’re on the back foot.”
Building on the success of events such as the Pride Party at Silverstone last June, the ERA Scholarship Day at Circuit Zolder last autumn, and the F1 Arcade event just before Christmas, Racing Pride is now offering people the opportunity to join their international community. As a member, you will have the chance to make friends and connections with LGBTQ+ people and allies who are fans of motorsport, or who work or participate in motorsport and its associated industries, while enjoying exclusive member benefits and exciting event invitations. Members are welcome from all over the world. More information and how to sign up can be found here.
Driver Snapshot
Learning from the experience of others is key to succeeding in any walk of life and racing is no different. In Driver Snapshots, I will feature the experiences of various drivers where you can get some perspective on what they have gone through (and continue to go through) as they work to make their motorsport careers happen. I hope you can take some lessons from these experiences and apply them to your own motorsport careers.
Robert Wickens
Team owner Bryan Herta is open to running Robert Wickens in the 2024 Indy 500. During an IMSA press conference on Thursday, Herta and Wickens both expressed interest in having the latter race the 2024 Indianapolis 500. Herta, a two-time 500-winning owner, told the Associated Press he “know(s) [Robbie] could do that, and I think that would be a next step for him in his journey. We’ve spent a lot of time looking at the logistical side of things, hand controls, and I think we have solutions for that.”
Due to his injuries leaving him paralyzed below the waist, his IMSA Hyundai Elantra N TCR features a hand control system that transfers all power from foot pedals to paddles and the steering wheel. Whenever Wickens rotates out for Mark Wilkins, the latter toggles a switch to re-enable foot controls.
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. As a former lawyer, he applies his legal background and research skills to assist race drivers by showcasing the resources they need to make their motorsport careers happen.