Driver Instruction

[Aussie 05]

Oh she is is she - thats what i thought intially - then someone told me that he was her brother. But i can't confirm so you must be right.

[DavidStHubbins]

Judit is Hungarian, Jamie was from t'up-north, she was Jamie's wife and used to race too. Wish I was back in blighty, would be nice to be there for that.

[Martin A]

Most instructors will be able to get you to go faster through a particular corner when they are with you. Due to their experience they have a much better idea of how fast a car will go through a corner on their favoured line. But is this really helping you to learn how to be a better driver? Unless the instructor is one M. Schumacher it may be possible that there is an even better line. What most instructors supply is a better understanding of the cars abilities but not of your own. For a really good instructor look for someone who is into Coaching with a capital C. If your coach has no appreciation of NLP then what you are learning is probably merely circuit specific and is unlikely to translate to other circuits. The coach should help you to raise your own awareness and not just say do this or that. It may be difficult to believe but it's true. If you want a really good driver coaching book try 'Inner Ski-ing' by Tim Gallwey. It's recommended by John Whitmore and I regularly use its principals to enable people to achieve car control which they don't realise they have.

[gfm]

Well said Martin A.
It's a very good point that if you can start by pointing out the benefits of how the initial addressing of (race) car and circuit needs to be undertaken, the mental approach first opening the mind up, then progress should be quicker.
And that said, if a would-be racer actually seeks help and coaching, then that too is a vital first step.
As the years have gone by, I think the biggest lesson I have learnt is that the mental stuff (preparedness) is at least 50% of the game. But in coaching, 'demonstrations' are important too.
I think it's wise to define what you mean by the phrase a 'better driver' exactly.

[Andrew Kitson]

I did my Brands course back in '82 and the instructor I had most of the time was John Stevens. He seemed so bored plodding around with us slow students! He was a coach with a Capital 'C' and many F1 drivers of the day went just that little bit faster after a day with him in a 2 seat Sports 2000 car.

[goforit500]

My 2ps worth....

Having raced for years and not having had instruction since year one when I did a couple of the Oulton Park School sessions, I was at a corporate day at Brands a couple of years ago. When they realised that I held a race licence they maybe wisely decided that it might be a bad idea to send me out with a trackful of novices !!

Instead, they organised a 45 minute session with an instructor (Welsh guy, Ex RS500 Touring car driver, ran his own car , can't just remember his name - Sean ??)....

I reckon he found me 0.75-1.00 a lap just on lines...And the next time I raced there I stuck it on pole ny about 1.5 seconds, had fastest lap and won....

Nuff said !!