Sim racing drills for real life racers highlights this edition of the Racecraft & Race Cars Roundup. This week you will find 5 drills that will help you use the sim to go faster on a real track.
I also have racecraft tips on improving your focus, learning a new track, and sensing race car limits. In addition to this I have the outlook for LMP2 racing considering the recent WEC decision, the importance of fitness in racing at Le Mans, news on the availability of the new Lotus Emira GT4 and the debut of the Bugatti Bolide track-only hypercar and more.
All this in this week’s edition of the Racecraft & Race Cars Roundup on Motorsport Prospects. Its racecraft tips that racers can use.
Racecraft Tips & Techniques
On-Track
In the video above, Blayze pro racecar driver coach, Dion von Moltke demonstrates 5 Drills To Practice on a Sim For Real Life Driving.
Don’t forget that Motorsport Prospects readers get a special discount on Blayze services using this code.
In The Thrill of Victory…, Peter Krause of the Intelligent Driver explains the importance of race drivers keeping focused on that which is truly important on track. “To make drivers think, I point out that there are so many different levels of driving experience and talent, so many potential opportunities and roadblocks to this fantasy (or even parts of this fantasy, don’t tell me you’ve never had some of these thoughts) that it’s imperative to instead focus on the study of the venue, the culture, the cars, the drivers and their performance not just what you see, but how they progress, gain or loss, over time. Because the track (age and condition), the drivers (fatigue) and the cars (degradation of tires and brakes) are ALWAYS changing. Once we can start thinking strategically instead of tactically, already there has been a good move towards “focusing forward.”
Have you been waiting for an entry into high performance driving or you are ready to make the jump from virtual to real? Pit Lane Sim Racing’s HPDE is a focused high performance driving school aimed at putting instruction and building good habits first, pace and speed second. Whether you have been driving for years and looking for ways to improve your driving or you are just looking to get started, they can help you reach your goal with a focused agenda and one-on-one instructor seat time whenever you are on track. More details can be found here.
On Racing Drivers by Terence Dove has two subscriber-only articles that you may want to check out.
The first, Track Learning Mind Hack that Turns a Deficiency into a Super Power explains an effective method to learn a new track. The second, The Uncoachable Ones – Lone Wolf Racing Drivers explains how even “uncoachable” drivers can still progress in the sport.
Don’t forget that you can get a free 7 day trial in order to make your decision as to whether you want to be a paid subscriber or not to the newsletter.
In Ross Bentley’s latest Speed Secrets newsletter, he explains how to sense the limit of a race car on track, contrasting the differences between someone who has done sim racing and someone who has not.
“Sim racers, because they can’t feel yaw (the rotation of the car as seen from directly above the car), tend to “drive the car off the front tires.” They initiate understeer so they can sense the car’s limit. They create that limit, then drive it. They sense the limit through the steering wheel. Many, but not all, real-world drivers who have not used sims, “drive the car off the rear tires.” Rally drivers, sprint car racers, drifters… definitely drive off the rear tires, but so do many road racers. They sense the limits of the car more by the car’s yaw angle than by what they feel in the steering wheel.”
In his Ask Ross column, Ross also explains how to become a faster autocross driver.
Off-Track
Renowned motorsport physical conditioning coach Gerry Convy explains why fitness is so important for Le Mans. “Le Mans now is like a series of sprints, and it’s more than 24 hours, it’s 40 hours, you got long days ahead on the weekend. Measuring that level of fatigue and managing it is really important.”
Race Car & Series Developments
While many are lamenting the loss of LMP2 in WEC next year, IMSA has projected continued growth and strong competition for the class. “The projected expansion is a far cry from less than three years ago, when a single LMP2 raced at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca during the pandemic-influenced 2020 season. That car was entered by longtime IMSA stalwart PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports, whose team principal Bobby Oergel says the stability of the IMSA LMP2 platform makes it an attractive proposition for customer teams moving forward.”
Lotus has unveiled the production-ready version of the Emira GT4, releasing new technical details ahead of initial customer deliveries this summer. “The Emira road car was such an excellent starting point for a GT4, and we’ve now further refined and tuned the package with the team at RML to create what we believe is a highly competitive and performance-oriented race car,” said Gavin Kershaw, Lotus Director of Vehicle Attributes.
Here are two reviews of what is being described as a “fun” GT4 race car:
- Is the New Lotus Emira GT4 the Most Fun You Can Have in a Race Car?
- Lotus Emira GT4 boasts performance enhancements; shipping summer 2023
Autoweek has a great article on the Legends Series and specifically the Charlotte Motor Speedway Summer Shootout where NASCAR legends are born. “The list of Summer Shootout alumni is long and impressive. Among them: two-time Cup Series champions Joey Logano and Kyle Busch; one-time Cup champions Kurt Busch and Chase Elliott; Hall of Fame driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Xfinity Series champions Elliott, Daniel Hemric, William Byron, Austin Cindric, Austin Dillon, and Chris Buescher; and Craftsman Series champions Dillon, Zane Smith, and Ben Rhodes.”
Track Days
The W16-powered track-only Bugatti Bolide debuted at Le Mans and the manufacturer has succeeded in designing the most extreme iteration of the W16-powered Bugatti hypercar possible.
“With the experimental study of the BUGATTI Bolide, the French luxury car manufacturer is presenting a new and unique vehicle concept for the ultimate BUGATTI performance kick: a track-only hyper sports car featuring the W16 engine derived from series production combined with a minimal body for maximum downforce. The Bolide offers an unprecedented and ultimate BUGATTI driving experience: reduced, raw, authentic.“
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.
