I had a race last week at the local track and I wanted to ask you guys for some feedback. Apart from TT last year, this is my first year in racing. This was also the first time I was in a bit more serious battle so I wanted to hear some opinions if you have any. I am especially interested to hear if you have any comments over those continuous lockups that I made and few small contacts I had as I was rewarded a time penalty for those.
Here is the race
Thanks!
A little too much looking around when under pressure. I don’t mind a driver looking back once or twice a lap, but too much and you lose focus on driving. You’re looking over your shoulder, worrying about the guy behind multiple times a straight, even in the middle of corners, when you should be focused on your entry, apex, and exit points. One of the main lessons you learn in a high-performance driving school is to look farther ahead, which you can’t do if you’re looking over your shoulder constantly.
Small mistake at 1:40, too much brake input and got loose. Same mistake at 2:29. Good effort at 4:19 trying to go around the outside, but not quite enough of an advantage on him at apex. 7:15 a well-executed squeeze on that guy, forcing him onto a compromised line and causing him to get into the corner too hot and tag the leader.
Overall, I would say that you should’ve never had to deal with that much battling. At the rate you caught back up to the leader, closing up to him from 6-7 kart lengths back in just one lap, you should’ve had control of that race from the front. I think too much worrying about what was going on behind you in the beginning slowed you down and allowed the following drivers too many opportunities.
Work on your mental and emotional confidence so that when you are in the lead like that, you aren’t tempted to constantly worry about getting overtaken and you can focus on driving clean and consistent laps and limit those mistakes.
The contact with the leader where you moved him out of the way didn’t look intentional, but was definitely a legitimate punt.
Pavle,
I think this is from the first round. Pretty sure it’s you up front here. Anyways, he does a real nice job of going from 6 to 2nd. His passing reminds me a bit of Bobby’s video. The 3 Ps. He has 'em.
This guy is a solid driver. Look at how he picked the field apart.
To TJ’s point… you had way more pace than these guys. The overcooking of the final turn under pressure is what did you in. Not sure what to tell you about that. I think more and more starts will help. Eventually you will have been in the lead enough for it to be less stressful.
If you can figure out a way to do some sort of timing… try to figure out if your short but fast version of the final turn is actually faster than the earlier brake, earlier throttle exit. Maybe get a pal to stopwatch it somehow.
@Bobby It occurs to me that there is potentially a 4th “P” … Punt.
I completely agree with you, he should have never gotten in front of me, I am still a bit frustrated because I let that happen. This was the first time I made consecutive braking errors, I will try not to push over the limit when I am in control of the race, I see that there is no need for extra risk.
Agreed. Nothing to add, I will fix this.
Do you have any advice in particular for this or should I just try this myself, to work on myself as best as I can do? Could there be some way to practice this? I must admit that I know very little about this, I know what I need to do in the race and what to focus on, but you know, mental training was never a hot topic for me so I am a bit inexperienced at this area.
Ah, that penultimate lap punt. Leader kept on lifting off earlier and earlier during the race, he ended up lifting a kart-length before the end of the left apex, while the normal lifting point is at the very end (I actually lift after it but that doesn´t affect this). So the first punt there looked pretty bad even after I rewatched it, but I could do nothing. I don`t know what he can expect when we are on each others bumper and he just lifts a kart-length earlier, like should I disappear or what, of course I will hit him, I can´t predict that he will lift like that. I remember seeing a thread about similar thing, someone was driving LO206 and he asked for review on similar incident, where he hit the guy mid-corner and spun him round. It is not comparable speed wise but it is the same concept I believe. Anyways, I accept the responsibility as the driver behind is always in charge for contact, I can´t change this.
Agreed. I watched his videos, I was pretty impressed how easily and without much effort he did his overtaking. Just a note. Kart number 8 is a rocket. The fastest kart out there, at least what laptimes say. Nonetheless, he is much better in traffic than me, that is for sure. He was also 2nd overall last year, so that explains it, he is very fast indeed! I will time those 2 lines Dom, I will do it with program, will let you know the results.
The confidence and mental strength just comes from experience. You will get more comfortable as you have more experience in racing situations. Try to focus and keep your breathing steady and stay calm when you’re out there. I know a lot of drivers who get really anxious and excited before a race and they can’t focus or they hold their breath while they drive. As you race more and more, you’ll find your brain can manage a lot of these things in the background, and you can stay much calmer and focus more on the driving. Sim racing can help with this to an extent, just getting laps in traffic and practicing to focus on your own race and not worry about what’s behind.
The flip side of this is that as he lifts earlier and earlier to try to be super clean, he’s opening up an opportunity most likely. If you could park on his butt, and he’s been consistent about it, you could try to send it down the inside when he goes wide to shoot out.
The problem with that is he comes across and can get you in the exit with the better run out. Or, you force him wide at apex if you are able to get far enough inside. Risky, probably. Even if successful, it would likely slow both of you down. I’d think that with this guy, you’d need to be patient and ride the bumper till he falls off.
Also, this is a good thing to happen to you. Given your first races and the enormous gap between you and the field, a little humble pie is in order. You are talented and you are quick. But, your inexperience this season will lead to stuff like this. You will learn a ton and then you’ll be begging the series to equalize weight.
So this is where it gets tricky, the brain. I wish I had something brilliant to tell you, but basically… you will calm down as you get used to racing.
At first, your heart is literally trying to leap out of your chest you are so amped up. In time, you chill out. Just be thoughtful about what you do until then, pay attention, and learn.
Most of this is mental. You can do that final turn just fine. Your driving is becoming automatic and clean. The more of these battles you experience, the better you will be equipped to make passes in uncomfortable situations.
If you figure this out, let me know. I find that I have to push a bit when I am ahead. I can’t go down to 99% and stay there. It’s a fine line and I haven’t gotten there yet either.
@Bobby It occurs to me that there is potentially a 4th “P” … Punt .
That is some expert level skills I can’t comment on 
The flip side of this is that as he lifts earlier and earlier to try to be super clean, he’s opening up an opportunity most likely. If you could park on his butt, and he’s been consistent about it, you could try to send it down the inside when he goes wide to shoot out.
It might just be me and the track I drive at, but the difference in speed between lifting a little later is not enough to get up the inside on a corner. At best I can get my front tyres even with the person in front’s rears. That to me is not enough to be considered up the inside.
Same thing came on my mind. Considering my personality I was positively surprised when I started my first race this year. When I drive, I am weirdly calm and I am very focused. Only reaction is me being a bit excited before the race, but that happened only once and now before this race, not sure why but I guess it affected me in the way that it takes me more time to get in the zone. Instead of maybe a lap or two, it took me over 4,5 laps this time. Don´t know why but it happened. I will certainly try to keep myself as calm as possible.
@Bimodal_Rocket He told me that later on as well but sounded like he was finding an excuse. The corner is just too fast, it has very little space for me to play with and as I learned so far, the only way to pass there is to get side by side before the actual turn, before the lift. It is very risky for both drivers if I send it while not side by side, leader won`t expect that and if he sticks to his racing line, I am forced to go over kerb to avoid major contact. That kerb is not helpful for balance under braking nor exit speed. So it all kind of goes back to me, why I wanted to overtake him there instead of the straight. I used fast line that puts me up on his bumper before the braking. Partially to make a gap to guys behind, partially because I was not thinking I guess…
Ok. Well, if you can’t pass safely there, do what the other fella does. Set up the exit for a strong run and try to get alongside before the next turn.
Yeah, I will need to do that from now on. I will focus on passing on straight more. By the way, I got you something in DM about this, just something I found interesting 