Turning your results around and braking tips are just some of the racecraft advice you will read about this week.
In addition to an abundance of great racecraft advice, there are off-track tips for peak performance, the debut of new race series in the USA and Indonesia and the awesome Mercedes-AMG GT2 Pro.
All this and much more in this week’s Racecraft & Race Cars Roundup on Motorsport Prospects.
Racecraft Tips & Techniques
On-Track
In the video above, Enzo Mucci explains how to turn your results around. “Let’s turn things around by giving you some techniques that I use with my drivers. This is for anyone who wants to improve their results.”
Founder and CEO Baseline Driver Training Tommy Schröter discusses positioning when braking in last week’s News Racers Can Use.
“The best way to position yourself on the track depends on a lot of different variables. First and foremost it depends on the track layout, the corner you just took and the angle of the corner you’re going into. According to how the track is laid out, it affects your positioning when braking.”
Formula 1 drivers are INCREDIBLE at braking, and most normal drivers are not. That’s because it’s simply the MOST IMPORTANT and MOST DIFFICULT part of driving a fast car quickly. It is the difference between the greats and the not-so-greats.
Paul Aron says he enjoyed FIA Formula 3’s format on his way to finishing third in his rookie season, as it helps “real good drivers” to standout.
“Coming into this season, I knew that this championship would play into my strengths,” he said. “I like that there is little track time, I like to be a driver who drives off of instinct. And obviously with this little track time, you don’t have so much time to look at data and learn, you need to go on track and basically drive off your instinct and adapt to the new conditions. I think real drivers, real good drivers come out when things aren’t so easy, and in F3 having so little track time, you still go into qualifying having to improve in some corners, not really knowing exactly what are the braking points, the tracks are improving. So generally, you need to be much more adaptive and there isn’t this secureness of knowing what to expect.”
In the fast-paced world of motorsport, the common belief has always been that to become a great racing driver, you need to clock countless laps. But here’s a game-changing perspective: it’s not about the quantity of laps; it’s about the quality of practice. Enter the realm of deliberate practice, where precision is paramount. Deliberate practice means honing your skills with intention, focusing on specific areas for improvement. And in the world of motorsport, this approach can turn novices into champions.
Ross Bentley from Speed Secrets offers some clarifications to his newsletter article I linked to in last week’s edition of the Racecraft & Race Cars Roundup.
My recent My Aha! Moment article is driving me crazy. Why? Because it seems I didn’t explain myself clear enough. Or at all. Or something.
I’ve gotten tons of emails and comments here on Substack (Please don’t stop commenting. I love them. I read every single one of them, and I learn from them.). Some asked for clarification, and some readers appeared to have gotten the wrong ideas on how to use brake release to help you increase corner entry speed by rotating the car.
I read something in a few comments that I’ve heard from drivers in the past: releasing the brakes fast, and snapping one’s foot off the brakes causes the car to rotate.
No, it doesn’t. In fact, that’s pretty much the opposite of what causes a car to rotate. Please don’t do that.
Speed Secrets: No!! Do not release early!
In his weekly Ask Ross column, Ross Bentley answers the following: “Can you talk about the differences between slower corners that need me to rotate the car versus faster corners that need very little rotation, and how it differs between low- and high-powered cars?”
Going fast on a racetrack isn’t hard, but going REALLY fast is. How can you find that last second when hunting for the ultimate lap time? Multi-time SCCA National Champion Michael Varacins explains what it took for him to win his road racing titles, and what he’s doing to continue that success. Now you’ve got speed, here’s what to do between sessions: • Between-Session Checklist at the Trac…
For the autocrossers out there, the SCCA website features 3 Autocross Tips To Make You Faster. “A recent article brought to light a truth that all autocrossers experience but often forget: Your very first autocross can be crazy stressful. But while trying something new will always bring a certain level of anxiety (and in motorsports, that can be half the fun) there are several readily accessible tips to calm the nerves.”
Blayze founder and Motorsport Prospects contributor Dion von Moltke has released a new book titled Send It: The Art & Science of Racing Cars.
“I’ve always been frustrated by how overly complex and technical driver coaching books often are. I wanted to take my coaching style of simplicity and limiting overly technical talk and turn that into a book that doesn’t put you to sleep. I’m really proud of how it came out and I can’t wait to hopefully simplify this sport for many more drivers!”
You can order it through Amazon here:
Can ai accurately analyze your motorsport data? Could it really examine your performance, make sense of the numbers, and offer concrete tips to improve your driving skills? This idea might seem a bit like science fiction, but Your Data Driven‘s Samir Abid tried it and this is what he discovered.
One way to find faster lap times? Don’t just collect the data, you need to actually analyze it, too. Here are some tips on how to make sense of your on-track data, and how you can use it to go even faster via Grassroots Motorsports..
Off-Track
MotiV8 Training looks into the wellness of the motorsport athlete and provides tips for peak performance.
“When we talk about athletes, the image that often comes to mind is that of someone in traditional sports – soccer, basketball, or athletics. But motorsport athletes, such as racing drivers, face intense physical and mental demands that are every bit as challenging. The difference is, their arena is a roaring engine, dizzying speeds, and split-second decisions. This makes their wellness – both physical and mental – paramount. Here’s a guide on how motorsport athletes can maximize their well-being and improve performance.”
Race Car & Series Developments
The Radical Cup North America series has released their 2024 calendar, yet again featuring four NTT IndyCar series events. The series, which regularly draws 30-plus car fields, continues to see an influx of gentleman drivers and young talent that is only set to increase during 2024 thanks to a combination of high-profile events coupled with scenic, historic, and iconic venues.
“We are back with another amazing schedule,” explained Radical Motorsport’s Tom Drewer. “We’ll commence the year in sunny Florida at one of America’s most iconic sportscar venues, before racing four rounds with INDYCAR and wrapping up in California wine country.”
The Lucky Dog Racing League’s 2024 schedule features separate regional cups for the Southeast, Pacific Northwest and Southwest. Support comes from Hawk Performance, Central Welding Supply and NecksGen.
Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific, in partnership with Superstars Motorsport and Porsche Indonesia, has announced the launch of the Porsche Sprint Challenge Indonesia. The series targets to be the country’s premier one-make championship and will feature professional and amateur racing drivers competing in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992).
The 2023 edition of the Ferrari Finali Mondiali, contested at Mugello, saw 105 entrants taking part in the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli, as well as about 100 cars in the Club Competizioni GT, F1 Clienti and XX programs.
The SRO Motorsports Group Japan Cup will become a standalone four-round series next year when it breaks away from Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia powered by AWS. It will become independent from Fanatec GT Asia while still being organized by SRO.
Kyle Larson and his business partner Brad Sweet have recently announced a major update regarding their co-owned racing series; High Limit Racing. As per recent information, the series will see more money and races being injected into it as the series gains notoriety as well as further plans for expansion starting in 2024.
It has just been announced that the launch of FARA’s Pro Spec Miata Cup coincides with the 2023 FARA Race of Champions taking place at the inaugural FARA race at Sebring, Dec 15th-17th. This exciting new racing series is set to have live online video streaming with 12 cameras placed around the track. Greg Creamer and other announcers will be with us throughout the season providing professional commentary for each race.
The inaugural event of this new class will begin December 15th during the FARA Race of Champions season finale at Sebring International Raceway and is a precursor to the 2024 six-race series. This race is a money race and will pay out cash prizes.
You can get more details on Pro Spec Miata Cup here.
Details on the 2023 FARA Race of Champions can be found here and you can register here.
The SCCA website has more details on their new Club Spec class.
“The list of allowed modifications for the selected Club Spec cars was not made in a vacuum. Rather, SCCA staff worked closely with the SCCA Board of Directors and program boards (like the Solo Events Board (SEB) and Time Trials department), SCCA partners, and more. The results were performance packages developed to complement and optimize each chassis, then doubling those with lessons learned in SCCA Autocross and Time Trials competition by standardizing a tire manufacturer and spec size per car.”
Clarification on what shape national F1600 racing in the UK will look like came at the recent Walter Hayes Trophy weekend according to Formula Scout.
“There was still some uncertainty at October’s FFord Festival about what the future would bring, but at last weekend’s Walter Hayes Trophy everyone in the paddock seemed to finally understand what was going to happen next: BRSCC National FF1600 would come to an end in 2024 and James Beckett’s United FFord championship (which is organised under MotorSport Vision’s watch) would become Britain’s premier competition for the category.”
Pitlane Developments looks at the importance of grassroots motorsport.
“So, some of you are probably wondering “What exactly is Grassroots motorsports?” In simple terms, it provides entry access to amateur racers and contains just about anything that has a motor. It helps provide drivers with experience to add to their portfolio to propel themselves up the ranks. While the motorsport world often spotlights its renowned series like F1 or IndyCar during the weekend, the hidden gem that is Grassroots racing provides viewers with constant fierce action on the track. It’s not just the racing that sets it apart. The pure passion and raw devotion of motorsports provides an electric atmosphere to be around.”
Track Days
Mercedes-AMG has turned its GT2 racer up a notch, adding power and tweaking its design for a non-homologated special.
Christoph Sagemüller, head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, said: ‘Demand for pure trackday cars has increased significantly, so therefore, we also respond to the expansion of the derivatisation in the trackday and club sport segment at the same time. With its technical refinements that include, among others, the new Push2Pass function, the GT2 Pro is the ultimate trackday tool. Moreover, the car is easy and quick to drive. The GT2 Pro is exceptionally agile, allowing the fascination of racing to be experienced enormously, both for amateurs and professionals.’
Grassroots Motorsports provides expert tips to make your track car more reliable. “Dale Lomas knows what it takes to keep cars on track day after day. He’s one of the principals of Rent4Ring, a track car rental shop located at the world famous Nürburgring Nordschleife. “If my track cars aren’t on track,” he tells us, “I don’t pay my mortgage that month.””
Ligier Test Days are coming on 22 and 23 November at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours to try out the LigierJSP320, the LigierJS2r and the LigierJSP4. To book your test, send a mail at testdays@ligierautomotive.com.
Momentum Motorsports is holding an open wheel test day on November 21st. “We’ll only be running five cars so message us today and claim your spot!”
Racing Opportunities
Mühlner Motorsport are offering holding a 2024 LMP3 Junior Shootout. It will consist of a series of six driver selection days this winter in order to select a driver for the 2024 Prototype Cup Germany aboard their Duqueine D08 for €5000.
- 200km or 2h in our Duqueine D08 for €5000
- Each day’s winner is invited to the final in early March
- The final winner will ride free for the entire PGC season in 2024
The Test Day Sessions are:
- Barcelona (November 21/22)
- Portimao (December 14/15)
- Estoril (January 11/12)
- Portimao (January 18/19)
- Valencia (February 26/27)
- Aragon (February 29/March 1)
For more details go to their Junior Shootout page here: https://www.muehlner-motorsport.com/2023/11/14/junior-shootout-a-season-for-less-than-5-000-euros/
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.
