Jesnse Miedema - Training Plan No. 1

Goal

Improve to racing skills and remove the need for assists.

Conclusion

Great first session with a number of areas that we can concentrate on to start bringing your lap times down. Normally with the first few sessions there are fundamental errors that crop up and need to be worked on. When these basic mistakes are under control then it is possible to work on the subtler aspects of race technique.

It is important that we turn off traction control, when first starting out it is understandable to use it but very quickly it becomes a key factor why the lap times aren't getting quicker. Try turning off ABS and TC, it'll be a big change but worth spending the time now to get used to how you'll need to brake and accelerate more smoothly.

Assigned Task

Follow the advice in the mistakes below, turn off your assists and drive as much as you can this week. Don't be tempted to turn on the assists again, just start slowly and don't push the car too much. Every 5 laps try to better your lap time, not every lap which is a common mistake. Remember your braking points (with assists off this will be further back). Don't jump onto too many different tracks, it is much better to keep with one or two of your favourites.

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1st key mistake: Too harsh braking
Why it matters

Similar to too much braking and both affect the weight balance on the car. By stomping the pedal, the weight is shifted forward and control is trickier.

How much of a problem it is for you

A bit more than 16% of your mistakes are related to this so it's worth paying attention to.

See an example in your own sessions

A good example can be found in segment 8.

Learn to improve

Hard and fast braking is very useful, however be mindful that on high speed corners it is important not to brake too much. Try to use less than 100% braking in these situations. Tricky but with a bit of dexterity it is possible.

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2nd key mistake: Braking too late

You often brake a tad later than the reference lap which means you overshoot the corner and lose a ton of time on the exit and gain very little on the entry. Try to be more patient and see where the reference laps brakes to optimise your braking point.

How much of a problem it is for you

15% of all of your mistakes are due to braking too late.

See an example in your own sessions

An example in segment 10, chicane technique is a little different to other cornering techniques.

Learn to improve

Here is a good recommended video that teaches chicane fundamentals.

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3rd key mistake: Gear too low
Why it matters

There are many situations on track where it is better to run the car in a higher gear to gain full potential from the engine.

How much of a problem it is for you

This mistake happens a lot, 12% of your mistakes can be attributed to this.

See an example in your own sessions

An example can be found in Segment 9. Notice how the reference lap chooses to get into each gear quicker than yourself.

Learn to improve

You'll be surprised how much time can be lost by being in the wrong gear. Very important to test this, either by referring to the reference lap or by looking at the deltas when you drive. Carrying speed and staying in a higher gear can often be the difference of 0.3 - 0.5 seconds on your lap time!

Your predicted potential lap time improvement

0.4s - 0.8s

Check out your best session