This is a spectacular case of how not to promote a much-anticipate race. After just finishing it's 8 season of around-the-world racing, Formula E has endured multiple debacles throughout it's growing phase (Miami, Montreal, & London to name a few), so it's not entirely surprising the young Series fell victim again to over-promises and under-deliveries.
The story of two bad wrecks and how experience teaches that managing expectations is key for track days (and even more important for wheel-to-wheel racing).
Drivability is a Mindset.
What are the things drivers need to focus on when racing in the rain?
Passing on-track is one of the most important skills a driver can learn, but how can you do it effectively?
Can thought process make you a faster driver?
Which side is the fast side?
Which racing goals are most important?
Why is smoothness talked about so much by pros?
Are you hitting “the limit”?
“Eyes straight ahead” is not always best practice.
Are racing seats really worth it?
Should you be on the brakes, squeezing the throttle, or flat out?
Are you SURE you’re ready for the HPDE season?
Metal-to-metal contact seems to happen at every race weekend. Sometimes the consequences are minor (we’ve seen lots of tire rubber on fenders) and sometimes the consequences involve major damage to one or more cars. Less often discussed are similar incidents where there is no contact, but where a dangerous situation is created (e.g. you force me off the track).
To hold the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest continuous drift, one would have to know how to manage mistakes. Imagine keeping a BMW M5 going sideways for 51.28 miles! That’s what this week’s guest contributor, Johan Schwartz, did to set the record. But Johan knows about more than just drifting. In fact, he’s a multi-race winner, racing for Chevrolet in a Chevrolet Sonic in the Pirelli World Challenge, an instructor at the BMW Performance Center, and a driver coach. Enjoy and learn from Johan.
You are probably already a very good driver. If you’re someone who reads this newsletter, you’re also pretty technical and well-informed on theory. So you probably know about the friction circle, the challenges of trail braking, the string between the bottom of the steering wheel and the brake pedal, and the excitement of getting light over the crest into the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca.
Gino Manley is a track day and endurance racing junkie based in the Southeast, and through hard work, seat time, and making some solid friendships, has risen to the ranks of racing in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR.
The great thing about ChumpCar is the chance to practice passing with fairly big closing speed differences and unknown drivers. Winding Road Team TFB test driver Will Faules shows what we’re talking about in this short clip from ChumpCar at Circuit of the Americas.
Moving from High Performance Driving Education (HPDE) events or lapping days to racing is, well, exhilarating!
You’ve been participating in HPDE and track day events for years, and now you’ve decided to tackle wheel-to-wheel racing. And now… how do you prepare for this step? What should you expect?
For those who have yet to discover an entry point into on-track performance driving, the process of getting there can be a bit intimidating and confusing at times – it’s one of the main reasons who we decided to create this series in the first place.
Racing isn’t cheap and, like many things, it ends up costing more than you might think at first. In our experience, the costs are a cause of stress for some racers. Learning the facts and setting more realistic expectations can partially reduce the stress. If you go in with eyes open and build a decent budget, then there are fewer surprises and more happiness.