COVER STORY
RACING
LINES

The Perfect Lap
The core challenge for any racing driver is to master a fast lap then repeat it
time and again. Will Gray spoke to some expert instructors and data engineers,
for tips on how to improve your pace and consistency
Ask any racing instructor the key to a fastest lap and they will
tell you there is no answer. That may not be what you want to
hear when trying to unravel the secrets of the racing line and
how to master it, but the number of variables that exist means
that goal is never the same twice.
There are some fundamental principles to going fast in a
racing car. Concentration, self-belief, and desire are all part
of the mix, but they cannot be taught, they are only acquired
through practise and time out on track. Technique, however,
can be taught – and there are plenty of tips to be had on that.

Back to basics
Good cornering technique involves perfecting three key
elements: braking in a straight line before the corner, turning
in and hitting the apex in the right place and getting on the

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power as soon as possible on the exit. Getting this right,
however, is far more complex.
Brake hard: Most racing instructors will agree that braking
is the most important element of all. The key is to stop
hard and sharp, but as Ronan Pearson, a British Touring
Car Championship (BTCC) driver and driving instructor at
Knockhill, will attest, that is extremely alien to anyone who is
used to driving a road car, where standard practice is to gently
squeeze the brakes.
“So many times, people will brake as though they have got
eggs in the boot,” reveals Pearson. “Actually, you want to be
hard on the brakes and pitching the car forwards before
you enter the corner, feeling like you are moving forward in
that seat, feeling the load through the car. That is one of the
biggest opportunities for time gains.”
Revolution - September 2023