29. Dezember 2020
Question time, part 1
I get this question quite often: How do I find the limit or when do I know that I am at the limit? First of all, we should define where the limit is: When we talk about the limit, we mean the range in which the vehicle moves fastest around the track, i.e. in which the combination of vehicle and tyres is used optimally. So it can be said that the limit is the area in which the tyre is about to lose its grip. The area where the tyre is about to lose its grip can be influenced to a certain degree...
26. Dezember 2020
Overtaking - how to do it!
Hey guys, there hasn't been a topic in my blog for a while now, sorry for that! From September until the beginning of December I was only on the road with the LMP3 in Europe and the IMSA in the USA, so there was no time to take care of the blog. Today I would like to talk about the topic of "overtaking". 1. How do I prepare an overtaking manoeuvre? 2. How do I execute the overtaking manoeuvre? 1. How do I prepare an overtaking manoeuvre? For me, there are two types of overtaking manoeuvres....
04. September 2020
Hi folks, I'm currently on a plane over the Atlantic Ocean on my way to the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge at Road Atlanta, where I'm supporting a driver in the so-called "Gold" class, just like last year. Vehicles in the GT3 Cup "Gold" class are the first generation 991 GT3 Cup: 3.8 ltr. engine, 450 hp, no ABS, no ESP and no traction control - so a real driver's car. Usually I drive the car on Thursdays during the so-called promoter test to get the setup and reference laps sorted. Friday to Sunday the...
21. August 2020
Good morning folks, today's the second part of my "Racing in the Rain" blog. In the first part I have answered several questions, today I want to go a little more into the basics of driving in the rain. As I explained last week, the line in the rain changes dramatically compared to the dry racing line we know. There are several reasons for this: 1. The racing line is very much "dirty" with rubber abrasion, as all cars are racing there in the dry. This is very useful when it is dry, because our...
14. August 2020
Hey, guys, as promised, even if a little late, here is something about "Racing in the rain". Today I will answer some of your questions and address the topic of "Racing in the rain" in the first of two blogs. Question 1: "Without specific tips - is it still correct to search the line beside the dry ideal line? Basically this still applies. The rubber, which provides a lot of grip in the dry on the racing line, makes it much more slippery in the rain and also the water can't run off so well...
06. August 2020
Hi guys, it's Thursday again and so the next blog posting is here. ;-) As announced last week, this time the topic is "Trail Braking". Many drivers divide the braking and turning phase into two separate driving sections. In the end, this is often simply because beginners are not explained and taught why this is not necessarily an advantage on a race track. Also, Beginners partly take over the behaviour from road traffic (braking before the bend and turning in after the braking process is...
30. Juli 2020
Hey guys, it's time for another post on my blog. After we discussed the topic "Traction Circle" last time, we will continue with the dynamic axle load distribution and its effects on the driving behaviour of your car. The weight of the car is distributed over the four tires and the two axles to which the tires are attached. The two axles are connected to the car body via springs and dampers. Since springs and dampers are not a rigid unit, the car body moves with every driving manoeuvre we...
22. Juli 2020
Basic knowledge - tends to be rather boring but if you want to understand the background of driving on a race track, then unfortunately this is just part of it. ;-) Today it is all about the Traction Circle. Simply put, it's about how the lateral and longitudinal forces affect the tire and its ability to transmit grip. Lateral = cornering Longitudinal = braking or acceleration If we put the brakes on when we are driving straight ahead, the tyre can put 100% of its grip into braking performance....
21. Juli 2020
Hey Racers! Besides driving, I am also very much involved in looking after racing drivers. In the Porsche Sports Cup (Germany), in the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge (USA), in the VLN / NLS or simply on trackdays: I regularly pass on my experiences to others and that's how the idea of writing something about driving "at the Edge" came about - and that's how I ended up on this blog. Here I will regularly share basic knowledge, tips and tricks with you in the hope to help you with your driving...