Q: “I’ve recently switched from a BMW M4 to Porsche GT3, and I’m struggling to adapt. Any tips or recommendations? I’m 2-3 seconds slower in the GT3, which makes zero sense. I’m guessing the corner entry (off brake and turn in) phase is killing me, but I could also be slow to get to WOT (different on rear engine?).”
Q: “How does the Bump/Rebound/Spring Ratio settings in the rear suspension affect a cars handling? I’m driving a FVee with zero roll suspension. So I don’t know how the suspension basics differs from a more conventional suspension. My main struggle with this car is that it turns in well, but mid-corner when I try to get back on the throttle it understeers a lot, so I end up having to release/accelerate a few times during the corner to get the car to the line I want. A few times I managed to get the car in the perfect mini-drift that rotated the car just enough to be able to get on throttle and exit cleanly. But it wasn’t easy to replicate. So how much of this can I improve with my driving and how? And what can I do with the setting to help out?”
Q: “I have a series of questions that were triggered by the Tires for Drivers webinar you and Samir Abid did recently. First, what is the grip tendencies of tracks that are super smooth like the newly-paved Watkins Glen compared to a very rough-course surface? The slides in your webinar of the tire on stones vs the smooth surface raised my awareness. My interest is in car setup for each, and a game plan or base line to start with a set up’s.
Then:
1. Tire pressures best being lower or higher on a smooth or rough surface?
2. Do tire temps (we use a probe) increase normally or decrease on each of these surfaces?
3. Which way do dampers get adjusted based on these two surfaces?
4. Is camber increased or decreased based on these surfaces?
5. Is body roll increased or decreased based on these surfaces?”
Q: “How do I approach a decreasing corner where I cannot straight line brake and must have some steering input while braking?”
Q: “Do you have any suggestions for how to deal with frustration and break out of the vicious cycle that sometimes develops as a result? I’ve found on occasion that if I run into an obstacle—say, a particular corner that I’m just not able to get right no matter what I try, I start obsessing about it and can get frustrated to the point that all other learning and improvement stops. Eventually, I can force myself to give up on whatever that is for the time being and focus on other parts of the track, but that might take a couple of sessions or even overnight and until then, it’s no fun for anyone, especially me.”
Q: “I’m having issues with light braking while downshifting before a fast-ish corner. I drive a Spec Miata so over-braking can be a significant problem. Do you have any advice on how to improve/practice lighter braking while heel/toe downshifting?”