Fast Direction Changes

Introduction: Challenging the Notion of Smoothness

For this sim drill, we want to challenge the notion of smoothness in driving. While we should be smooth in many situations—particularly in cars with super soft suspension—smoothness must be applied selectively. The key is understanding where to be smooth and where to be aggressive.

With this car's super soft suspension, initial turn in requires light hands. This is the primary way of being smooth: smooth at first, but then during corrections, the approach changes. Corrections should not be smooth, and similarly, direction changes sometimes have to be fast.

Setting Up the Exercise

Begin with one warm-up lap to get the tires up to temperature. After the very long banked right-hander, set up an active reset. Complete that corner, exit it, and position for the active reset at the designated point. This corner will be used to challenge our notion of smoothness.

The Technique: Selective Smoothness

Pay attention to the changes of direction throughout this exercise:

• Be very smooth on initial braking

• Be smooth on turn end

• Be aggressive and fast on the change of direction—not cautious, not turning in slowly with light hands

• Force the car and throw it to the other side during direction changes

Especially with very soft suspension, the car will take a while to react to the input into the corner. If you try to be too smooth everywhere, the car doesn't have enough time to load into the corner. You have to force it a little bit more—you can even spin if you try to be too smooth.

Executing the Direction Change

Be more aggressive on the change of direction to try to be as close as possible to the second apex on the right. Break to third gear, stay smooth on entry, and then make the change of direction a little bit more aggressive. Use small corrections here and there to not hit the wall.

The objective is placing your smoothness in the right places and being quick in other places to make sure the car is rotating very well. On exit, return to light hands again.

The Light-Firm-Light Pattern

This technique follows the same light-firm-light pattern introduced previously, but now incorporates the change of direction:

• Light hands initially

• Firm during the transition

• Change of direction with more aggression

• Light all the way on exit to avoid excessive traction control and achieve a better exit

Notice how the change of direction is aggressive, followed immediately by super light hands, especially when the car touches the dirt on the exit.

Application to Chicanes

You can apply exactly the same technique to chicanes. Break at the appropriate point, shift to third gear, maintain smooth entry, but then execute a fast change of direction. When changing direction to the right, remember you're not really trail breaking—you're just lifting—and you can execute that transition quickly.

Chicane Entry Technique

For the entire sector approach:

• Entry under heavy trail breaking with smooth, light hands

• As you get deeper into the corner and change direction, be more aggressive

• Super light on the exit

Notice the clear distinction in approaches between the first corner of the chicane and the second corner of the chicane. Internalize this distinction, as it will be extremely useful when executing chicanes anywhere on any track.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Be careful not to brake at 100% as you turn into the corner. If you do, the car gets extremely lazy, full of ABS on the front tires. The car does not turn and you miss the first apex, resulting in a terrible line for the second apex as well.

The correct approach uses around 70% braking with extremely light hands. Downshift early, get super close to the apex, execute the change super close—that's the objective.

Exit Technique

Even the acceleration is very progressive because the car is coming from that rotation into the exit. As you relax your hands and slowly apply the throttle, the car transitions smoothly from the aggressive direction change to the progressive exit.

Using Simulator Time Effectively

Remember, you're in a simulator right now developing your skills. Use this infinite track time on the simulator to make mistakes—hit the wall, spin, try things that you would be way more careful to try in real life. This allows you to understand the dynamics at a deeper level without the risks associated with real-world practice.

Exercise Completion Criteria

Consider this exercise complete when you're able to have a clear distinction between:

• The initial entry where you're super smooth with the brakes and the steering

• The not-smooth change of direction that follows

Having these two types of driving style within the same compound corner will definitely make you a more complete driver.