Not that anyone would really argue the opposite. Here’s a decent article I came across regarding the subject.
2 Likes
I’ve started making it mandatory for newer drivers I work with to walk the track each day for the first 6 months they drive. Even if they’re going to the same facility again and again, it’s always a great idea. If nothing else, it’s a peaceful way to start the day!
1 Like
I think it’s a habitual thing, but whether there’s any real value in doing in I am not so sure. I see countless drivers do it each weekend and the result almost never changes (same drivers win, same gaps between best-good-bad drivers). People do them because they need to be ‘seen’ to be dedicated. Even the Hamilton sees little value https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/track-walks-make-zero-difference-for-hamilton-788824/788824/
Of course some people will swear by them (it’s something to do rather than sit about waiting), but I think it’s perfectly fine to spend your time doing something else maybe more productive.
It’s a nice routine and it gives a chance for a bunch of us who tent together to go pick each other’s brains. It’s fun and can probably be useful.
I do one every morning with my drivers usually. I usually bring along @Terence_Dove’s book to point out key points I want to touch on for certain corners, and also to roll up and smack drivers who aren’t paying attention to what I’m saying. 
Even if drivers have been to a track before, it’s good to repeat lessons and drill things into their heads.
I even do one on my own if I’m driving. Basically every track I race at, I’ve been to almost 10 times, so it’s not that I’m really learning something new, but more just re-acquainting myself with the circuit. And if something has changed in the surface, like a new crack appeared or some tar sealant was laid down, it’s easier to see those little things. I’ve seen measurable benefits for my drivers when they can slow everything down and get a chance to just stare at a corner for a bit to understand where they need to drive. When they go out again, you can see they’ve made the line adjustment. Of course that’s not all drivers, but I don’t see why you wouldn’t want to get a preview of the run before going into it.
As Dom noted also, if you’ve got a few quality drivers in your group, they can say “well I do this here and it helps corner exit” and everyone can learn from each other.
It’s also nice to get a brisk 1-mile walk in every morning before the race.
2 Likes
Track walking is something that I picked up from my autocross days, but it’s always stuck.
Even on a track that I’ve been to 100 times before, I still walk the track to re-familarize myself with it, or to see if anything recent has changed.
Normally with me, I’ve learned something new about my driving technique since the last time that I came to that race track, and so walking the track helps with more accurate visualization, since I’m standing right there.
When we get a chance to do it as a team, that’s also helpful, because I can listen to how other people approach the track. Sometimes it’s more of a lesson of what not to do though. 
Article I wrote about track walking a few years ago (six years, jeezus).
Thanks for the mention TJ, maybe I can organise a hard back copy for you to see if that inspires more commitment from your drivers 
The main purpose of a track walk for me is to get away from all the distraction in the pit and have a chat with the driver 
But if we are going to do it properly we usually only have enough time to go through one or two corners because it takes a while to understand all the details and how that particular driver sees it.
I tend to start at the finish point of a corner and go backwards, then apply whatever details we identified and go forward through the corner, then crouch down and see if we can actually identify the points we picked up… then start over because we realise it all looks different from kart driving height 
3 Likes