Sad thing of modern motorsport is never ending battle for horsepower – we see stronger and stronger cars but weakest and weakest drivers. Monkey can drive a stick in modern cars. Golden Era of Ari Vatanen, Walter Röhl, Tommi Mäkinen, Juha Kankunnen, Collin McRae, Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and many many more is long gone.
“Straight roads are for fast cars, turns are for fast drivers.” ~ Colin McRae
I grew up in mountains before I could even walk. I observed one simple dynamics of nature…everything needs to be self-sufficient and in harmony as whole.
This simple philosophy observed in childhood extends in to my life. If I can’t repair my car – I don’t drive it. If you have to rely on modern “experts”, you are doomed to fail.
It reminds me lots of fun with modern “part swappers”…these people have absolutely no idea about cars, they don’t even know what diagnostic tells them but they are very happy to completely swap all parts in your car. And they don’t care whether this part works or not. You end up with expensive invoice for your beloved car and it still doesn’t work – great customer service ?
Most interesting skills I simply learnt myself, always seeking real masters and absorb all I can from them. Those people don’t speak because they know.
I was advised to try Knockhill Rally Experience
The Optimal System
I always think about everything as a system – in case of cars it is you, car and laws of Mother Nature. I don’t know how to bend laws of gravitation so I worked on weakest links as described below. If you want a great car – fix following weaknesses of your car:
- driver
- driver
- driver
- driver
- suspension
- driver (once you fix previous five points)
- driver
- driver
- driver
- increase torque/power of engine and start all over again
SECRET #1 – you are the strongest and also weakest link of any system
Human nature love shortcuts and blaming others. There is no shortcuts to excellence. It is always your fault !!!
As a young, proud and arrogant idiot I tried to reinvent the wheel. I thought I can find a new way. It was lots of wasted time and pain caused by failures. One day I realised I can absorb what is already known and customised this knowledge for my purpose.
I noticed most circuit drivers started by karting so I went to closest karting company and got some seat time. I soon realise seat time is not everything so I worked on strategy and techniques.
As usually, I went to internet and seek what can be taught. Internet is full of eExperts but it is possible to find something useful.
SECRET #2 – smooth and steady = fast
Once you learn basics and you thing you finally know something…well that’s where all starts.
SECRET #3 – it’s all about balance
It took me two years to learn basics and execute them at unconscious level. Human brain is magic thing – at conscious level we are able to process few thousand informations at once…that’s why learning is so slow and you’re stressed.
On other hand, once learned skill is repeated enough it becomes your nature…subconsciousness is able to process billions of informations at once. We’re aware just about very little but your subconsciousness drives the car.
SECRET #4 – human mind is creature of customs and repetition
You have to always practice. Best practice is in your daily drive and you don’t need to break laws to practice !!! SPEED is just a result and results come from your performance.
SECRET #5 – it is all about you and speed is just result
I spent lots of money for karting, fuel and practice on my long journeys. Practicing for a racing is the best time saver on thousand kilometres trips.
I always pushed my limits ever since I was able to walk, ride, drive, climb or whatever crazy activity I was doing.
Scio me nescire. (I know that I know nothing) ~ Socrates
SECRET #7 – seek and learn from masters
With era of internet, all “know all, see all” pub experts moved onto internet and became eExperts. They know theory very well but they never did anything in real life. They love to talk and teach though. BEWARE of eExperts. Check out my book post about the greatest masters I’ve chosen.
Greetings! Quite helpful advice on this article!
It’s the small changes that make the largest changes.
Thanks a lot for sharing!