My most recent track day

[roblee8g]

A mid-week track day at The Bend was my opportunity to scrub in a new set of slicks (Hankook F200 200/610/17). This video captures lap 2 @ about 75% and 1 hot lap. Other cars on the track at the time include a couple of Lotuses, a Porsche Boxster, Subaru WRX, Toyota 86, and Hyundai Excel. I let the Porsche past during lap 2, then caught him easily during the hot lap, but he didn't move over to let me past. Perhaps he couldn't accept being passed by a Renault Clio.

 

[R20BTG]

Car looks great, I wish I had a Sadev box! What are the track day rules over there, same as the UK? Overtake on left with consent only, slower car to indicate and move right?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[roblee8g]

Overtaking rules are as follows: 1. No dive bombing under brakes, 2. Overtaking on either side is Ok ,given that the slower car moves off the racing line. 3. No indicators as it can be misinterpreted. 4. The faster car has the responsibility to do it in a safe manner. The rules make it a bit difficult for the Clio as the more powerful cars just blast past on the straights and then hold you up in the corners. The Sadev box is great fun and makes a big difference in lap times.

 

[Marsch]

If you continue to hold the wheel like that I'm going to come down and cut off the upper part of it so that you're forced to grap the right position. Then you'll finally have an F1 style wheel.

On a more serious note. To me it seems you're afraid to use the thumb rests and put the thumbs into the wheel. Did you ever had an accident in which you've hurt your thumbs? I'm just trying to understand what keeps from actually grapping the wheel like it's intended. The current way is not only not safe but is also keeping you from actually throwing the car through the corners because you simply don't have a firm grip and therefore presumbly less confidence.

 

[LiamP]

The car looks like it has an insane amount if grip / turn in, very jealous

I assume this has the cup racer exhaust as it sounds very similar to the akrapovic but with the added whine from what I guess is the seq box.

 

[Big Ben]

Great video. Car sounds and goes great.
Lovely looking circuit. Flows

 

[roblee8g]

Marsch,
I will try to change. I will attach a Post-It note on the steering wheel saying "Don't Shuffle".

 

[roblee8g]

Marsch,
Reflecting on your thumb grip comments........ When I started competition driving (late '70s) in cars like the R8 Gordini, the steering wheels were large and there were no thumb grips. See this video from the era with works driver, Jean Francios Piot at the wheel.

. Drivers like Jean Ragnotti drove an R8G recently (2017) and held the wheel @ 10 to 2, and utilised a semi-shuffling style with some more aggressive tighter grip to initiate oversteer.

. His style when driving the Clio Williams or Megane 1 Maxi was quite similar with minimal crossing of arms, but the grip is a bit tighter (but still mostly at 10 to 2).

I guess that old habits die hard, but adaption to more modern cars and driving style on closed circuits is probably beneficial.

 

[Marsch]

Hahaha, yes I know these types of wheels from the older Mercedes' my dad had. Even the 190E still had one the size of an oil-tanker. I've learned drifting in that car, great memories. In this case or when driving like Jeannot in the vids (which is rally and not racing) you of course don't hold the wheel like on track.

Here is a vid from some crazy guys from the French community with their Ragnotti.

As you can see the driver Raoul is all over the wheel but will still return to the "desired" position if possible.

Looking forward to next video with the post-it on the wheel.

 

[NickD]

Thing is also with cars like the Renault 8, they were worm and peg steering and with no assistance, about 700 turns lock to lock. In the Megane Maxi, he knows exactly where his left hand is on the wheel.

 

[RSRowe]

Does it really matter on a trackday anyway?

Maybe I’m not sitting right, but there’s absolutely no way I can do Anglesey without shuffling the wheel.

 

[Big Ben]

Does it really matter on a trackday anyway?

Maybe I’m not sitting right, but there’s absolutely no way I can do Anglesey without shuffling the wheel.

I’m the same tbf. And no I don’t think it matters personally