Okay. How many times have you been in a HPDE or TT event where you see very capable performance cars driven poorly in the turns and esses lap after lap with drivers preferring circuit layouts that provide long straightaways vs. more technical turns, esses, elevation changes, and on/off camber turns, etc.? How many times have you been told as a Mustang driver that the Porsche, Corvette, BMW and other cars are simply "superior" to Mustangs in those more technical sections of the road course and performance driving environments? Honestly... I think its mostly BS. So, let's have a discussion on the Art and Science of driving our Mustangs through the Turns and Esses!
What are some of the basic building blocks that we may want to keep in mind to improve performance? Reduce the number of turns and movements of the steering wheel; reduce the number of shifts and when to shift, if needed (depending on gearing); get into the throttle sooner and opening the steering wheel sooner; and compress the brake zones while working on your eyes thru the turn.
(1) Find the right line through a corner that eliminates or reduces corrections. You want to hold the steering and drive to the edge of the cars suspension and tire performance. The key is to be smooth in all your driver inputs while using all the track to navigate through multiple corners so as not to upset overall suspension performance. Poorly managed shifting of weight rearward and forward impacts turning performance.
(2) Reducing shifts by using the next gear up to navigate through the corner helps reduce the destabilizing effect of torque while eliminating the subsequent upshift. Take the time to measure your exit speed vs. a "seat of the pants" feel. Quantify the changes you make in your techniques. This provides you an opportunity for your potential speed to be higher through the turn and its exit.
(3) Get the braking done quickly (don't ride your brakes into the brake zone...) you're either on the brake or gas. Once braking is done initiate steering and finish the turn; opening the wheel as you pass across the apex. Trail braking should be followed by throttle application - not coasting. Rotate the car as necessary. Throttle steering is a method to help rotate the car for the turn.
(4) Compressing the brake zones requires knowing the braking capabilities of your car and its threshold point. The goal is to slow down just enough to enter the cornering line for that turn using trail braking or brake early. Make adjustments in small increments as you transition from the brake point to turn-in. Practice releasing brake while applying throttle in proportion to turn-in.
(5) After the braking and turn-in is done and car rotated, work on opening the steering sooner while applying throttle in proportion to the opening wheel position. Consider three factors: lateral force generated; lateral force/adhesion (traction) limit; and time. Work on using your eyes for improved situational awareness to predict future actions and plan to manage and achieve goals.
NOTES:
(a) Being smooth means NOT jerking the steering wheel, slamming the brakes, or stabbing the throttle. These driver inputs and transition from one to the other requires practice to develop a 'feel' for what the car is doing on the track while entering, driving through, and exiting the turn.
(b) An increasing radius turn means that it is not as sharp as the last part of the turn. Therefore, the apex is earlier. A decreasing radius turn means that it is sharper at the last part of the turn. Therefore, the apex is later. The speed and weight of the car also play into a early or late apex.
(c) Study the course diagrams in detail to derive a plan for how best to attack the turn or esses; creating your "line" around the road course. Remember, use ALL of the track. Hitting the apex means that you are less than 1 foot from the inside of the turn. More than a foot.. you missed it.
(d) New to a track? A late apex may be safer, but will slow you down while driving too early of an apex could put you off the track. Consistently hitting the apex will allow you to carry optimal speed. I prefer to do my braking in a straight line prior to entering the corner: smooth transition.
(e) Experiment with braking later into the corners; perhaps in 5 to 10 foot increments at a distance you feel comfortable with. Try to not make a large adjustment all at once. Like making too many mods to your car at once. Understand what small changes make so you can adjust as needed.
(f) You should be looking through the corner before you enter the braking zone. You can never look far enough ahead. You drive where you look. Look at the apex before turning in, and look for the track out before the apex. Don't focus on the apex and track out or you may drive off track.
(g) Recommend spending time on a skid pad with an instructor. Great opportunity to learn about throttle steering and car control that can be applied in the turns. Good to exercise the eyes, hands and foot coordination required to perform these maneuvers smoothly to achieve the desired results of maximizing speed through the turns.
(h) Practice.... Practice.... Practice..... There is really no other way to develop the "seat of the pants" feel for the car in order to master these techniques in a practical sense - taking theory and applying it to the track. Some people have it, some don't. HPDE 1/2, don't be in a rush to go from street tires to slicks - listen to your tires, they are talking to you.
(i) Finally. Learning these techniques will save you lots of money before buying anti-sway bars, springs, shocks/struts, corner weighting, alignments, aero and other parts. Like being a golf hack with no lessons.... buying golf clubs with no clue about shaft height, flex, grip size, ball types, and which club to choose for a shot. You'll be able to determine what your car needs based on the feedback it provides you.
Mastering the turns and esses is what this sport is all about (for me). You don't want to be a simple straightaway monkey that relies solely on the performance of the car; having no clue what is happening through the turns and esses. There are a lot of Corvette and Porsche drivers (and Mustang drivers) that don't practice these fundamentals, or understand the science (physics) involved in driving these aspects of a performance driving environment. Passing them on a straightaway..... boring. Passing them in the turns and esses; beating them at their own game. Now we're talking! I recommend making this part of your list of driver education goals each time you go onto the track. This is a sport of inches carried out over the course of miles. Just some thoughts. I'll see if I can post some supporting images.
I know there are several racers on this forum with a lot more experience than me that can chime in and expand upon this. Mastering turns/esses is like the "short game" in golf. Drive for show... Putt for dough!
What are some of the basic building blocks that we may want to keep in mind to improve performance? Reduce the number of turns and movements of the steering wheel; reduce the number of shifts and when to shift, if needed (depending on gearing); get into the throttle sooner and opening the steering wheel sooner; and compress the brake zones while working on your eyes thru the turn.
(1) Find the right line through a corner that eliminates or reduces corrections. You want to hold the steering and drive to the edge of the cars suspension and tire performance. The key is to be smooth in all your driver inputs while using all the track to navigate through multiple corners so as not to upset overall suspension performance. Poorly managed shifting of weight rearward and forward impacts turning performance.
(2) Reducing shifts by using the next gear up to navigate through the corner helps reduce the destabilizing effect of torque while eliminating the subsequent upshift. Take the time to measure your exit speed vs. a "seat of the pants" feel. Quantify the changes you make in your techniques. This provides you an opportunity for your potential speed to be higher through the turn and its exit.
(3) Get the braking done quickly (don't ride your brakes into the brake zone...) you're either on the brake or gas. Once braking is done initiate steering and finish the turn; opening the wheel as you pass across the apex. Trail braking should be followed by throttle application - not coasting. Rotate the car as necessary. Throttle steering is a method to help rotate the car for the turn.
(4) Compressing the brake zones requires knowing the braking capabilities of your car and its threshold point. The goal is to slow down just enough to enter the cornering line for that turn using trail braking or brake early. Make adjustments in small increments as you transition from the brake point to turn-in. Practice releasing brake while applying throttle in proportion to turn-in.
(5) After the braking and turn-in is done and car rotated, work on opening the steering sooner while applying throttle in proportion to the opening wheel position. Consider three factors: lateral force generated; lateral force/adhesion (traction) limit; and time. Work on using your eyes for improved situational awareness to predict future actions and plan to manage and achieve goals.
NOTES:
(a) Being smooth means NOT jerking the steering wheel, slamming the brakes, or stabbing the throttle. These driver inputs and transition from one to the other requires practice to develop a 'feel' for what the car is doing on the track while entering, driving through, and exiting the turn.
(b) An increasing radius turn means that it is not as sharp as the last part of the turn. Therefore, the apex is earlier. A decreasing radius turn means that it is sharper at the last part of the turn. Therefore, the apex is later. The speed and weight of the car also play into a early or late apex.
(c) Study the course diagrams in detail to derive a plan for how best to attack the turn or esses; creating your "line" around the road course. Remember, use ALL of the track. Hitting the apex means that you are less than 1 foot from the inside of the turn. More than a foot.. you missed it.
(d) New to a track? A late apex may be safer, but will slow you down while driving too early of an apex could put you off the track. Consistently hitting the apex will allow you to carry optimal speed. I prefer to do my braking in a straight line prior to entering the corner: smooth transition.
(e) Experiment with braking later into the corners; perhaps in 5 to 10 foot increments at a distance you feel comfortable with. Try to not make a large adjustment all at once. Like making too many mods to your car at once. Understand what small changes make so you can adjust as needed.
(f) You should be looking through the corner before you enter the braking zone. You can never look far enough ahead. You drive where you look. Look at the apex before turning in, and look for the track out before the apex. Don't focus on the apex and track out or you may drive off track.
(g) Recommend spending time on a skid pad with an instructor. Great opportunity to learn about throttle steering and car control that can be applied in the turns. Good to exercise the eyes, hands and foot coordination required to perform these maneuvers smoothly to achieve the desired results of maximizing speed through the turns.
(h) Practice.... Practice.... Practice..... There is really no other way to develop the "seat of the pants" feel for the car in order to master these techniques in a practical sense - taking theory and applying it to the track. Some people have it, some don't. HPDE 1/2, don't be in a rush to go from street tires to slicks - listen to your tires, they are talking to you.
(i) Finally. Learning these techniques will save you lots of money before buying anti-sway bars, springs, shocks/struts, corner weighting, alignments, aero and other parts. Like being a golf hack with no lessons.... buying golf clubs with no clue about shaft height, flex, grip size, ball types, and which club to choose for a shot. You'll be able to determine what your car needs based on the feedback it provides you.
Mastering the turns and esses is what this sport is all about (for me). You don't want to be a simple straightaway monkey that relies solely on the performance of the car; having no clue what is happening through the turns and esses. There are a lot of Corvette and Porsche drivers (and Mustang drivers) that don't practice these fundamentals, or understand the science (physics) involved in driving these aspects of a performance driving environment. Passing them on a straightaway..... boring. Passing them in the turns and esses; beating them at their own game. Now we're talking! I recommend making this part of your list of driver education goals each time you go onto the track. This is a sport of inches carried out over the course of miles. Just some thoughts. I'll see if I can post some supporting images.
I know there are several racers on this forum with a lot more experience than me that can chime in and expand upon this. Mastering turns/esses is like the "short game" in golf. Drive for show... Putt for dough!
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