The importance of visualization for a race driver is one of the main topics in this week’s Racecraft & Race Cars Roundup.
In addition to the importance of focus, I also feature tips on trail braking, a data analysis webinar for spec racers and a look at the Lucky Dog Canada endurance racing series.
All this and more in this week’s Racecraft & Race Cars Roundup on Motorsport Prospects.
Racecraft Tips & Techniques
Visualization is a mental tool used by champions in all sports and in the video above, Enzo Mucci explains the importance of visualization for race drivers.
In Ross Bentley’s latest Speed Secrets newsletter he talks extensively about the power of visual focus. And in his latest Ask Ross column, he answers the question, how can I reduce the amount of understeer I experience, with my driving technique or car’s setup?
Losing concentration on track? You’re not alone so Samir Abid of Your Data Driven brings you an easy tip from tennis pro Novak Djokovic that will help. “You know that feeling, don’t you? When you’re fully concentrated on track during a race or track session, in the zone, everything is going perfectly, and then… not so much. It’s a common occurrence for many drivers. So, what’s the solution?“
The video above from Blayze Motorsport explains trail braking into hairpins on the racetrack.
Speaking of Blayze, they were recently featured in EKarting News.
With the whole track limits debacle that came out of the recent Austrian Grand Prix, in Terence Dove’s recent subscriber-only edition of his On Racing Drivers newsletter he explains how drivers define track limits, not white lines. “Trying to contain racing drivers with something as arbitrary, and pathetically bureaucratic as a white line, is an insult. But worse than that, it’s an attempt to turn the gladiatorial arena of motor racing into a much more tame and civilised pursuit – a game.”
Race Car & Series Developments
IMSA has vowed to take more action if it sees any further deterioration of driving behaviour after LMP3 driver Alex Kirby was placed on probation for four races. “In its statement announcing Kirby’s four-race probation period, IMSA stated it “will continue to monitor all on-track conduct and will act accordingly and consistently should there be a further deterioration of driving behaviour”.”
Mercedes-AMG is facing uncertainty over its prospects of entering the FIA World Endurance Championship’s LMGT3 class, with the German manufacturer unsure on the number of customer cars it will be allocated if it receives an entry. “Wendl said Mercedes-AMG has yet to understand how the ACO will select manufacturers for next year, while also indicating that it doesn’t know the number of cars that will be in the class altogether.”
The Spec MX-5 Series are putting on a data webinar on how data will shape the future of spec racing on July 12th. “The agenda for this webinar is to briefly discuss the Spec MX-5 series and Mazda’s support. Next we will introduce the use of competitors data for the first level of technical compliance in the series. This will focus on several different methods of data analysis and be based on actual examples. Your webinar presenters are: Host: Roger Caddell – AiM Sports National Training Manager Justin Cornelison – Spec MX-5 Challenge Series Manager Josh Smith – Mazda Motorsports – Business Development Manager Once registered you will receive an email 1 day and 1 hour before this webinar begins.”
You can register for the webinar here.
The third edition of the FIA Motorsport Games will take place from 23-27 October 2024 in Spain, with the Generalitat Valenciana and Circuit Ricardo Tormo set to host the popular multidisciplinary event that unites athletes from all four corners of the globe in a unique spirit of sporting competition.
Lamborghini Super Trofeo is poised to have several new events next year, potentially linking up with the FIA World Endurance Championship on multiple continents in parallel with the Italian manufacturer’s involvement in the Hypercar class. “For Super Trofeo, we will have some new opportunities to bring Super Trofeo to different platforms,” Lamborghini Motorsport boss Giorgio Sanna told Sportscar365. “We’ll announce the schedule after the summer because now we closing the negotiations. For sure we’ll continue with SRO [in Super Trofeo Europe/Asia]. But in the meantime we’re also looking for new opportunities. As you can imagine, we’re entering in a new dimension in creating a new platform that includes the LMDh.”
The SCCA Time Trials Nationals 2023 Registration is open as of July 12th at 3:00 PM Central Time. You can get more details here.
The Short-course Off-road Drivers Association‘s 2023 season is over before it began. Last Thursday, the series announced no races will take place in 2023, though specific reasons were not publicly given.
Jon Dunski of Ultraray Motorsports powered by Mantis Autosport discusses what it is like competing in the Canadian endurance racing series Lucky Dog Racing Canada and brings a mid-season update for the team.
“Lucky Dog Racing Canada (LDRC) is a Canadian-based endurance series for grassroots racers who are looking to race with friends in a cost-effective manner. With a simple rule book, which has a heavy emphasis on keeping things safe and cost-effective, LDRC is a great place to race.”
Track Days
MotorTrend compares the 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS vs. 911 GT3 Cup at Road America. “The new GT3 RS is so good, we had to find a better way of quantifying its performance. (Plus, we set a lap record.)“
At the hands of Sam Sheehan, Cinch’s motoring and lifestyle editor, the Spartan – a road-going track car powered by a 2.4-liter Honda K24 powerplant – has beaten the all-time lap record of the UK’s Rockingham Speedway’s National Circuit with a time of 1:14.14 – beating the previous record holder, the Palmer Jaguar JP1 which held a time of 1:14.20.
The Robb Report has published How to Drive a Supercar: Everything You Need to Know Before Getting Behind the Wheel. “When it comes to vehicle dynamics, supercars typically feature a far more complex array of driver modes than so-called normal cars. For instance, models from McLaren manage their complex driving systems through two dials labeled “P” and “H”—short for Powertrain and Handling. To complicate matters, they’re only responsive when the nearby Active button is selected, with additional Aero, Manual, or ESC Off buttons embedded within each dial. Further elevating the complexity are neighboring buttons like Launch and Winter.”
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.
