Driver Masterclass: Get Fast Faster

Podcast: Missed Apex

Published Date:

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 19:50:08 GMT

Duration:

1:15:40

Explicit:

False

Guests:

Please note that the summary is generated based on the transcript and may not capture all the nuances or details discussed in the podcast episode.

Notes

Spanners and Trumpets are joined by professional race car driver Bradley Philpot as they find the limit on driving styles differences. From track limits testing to unraveling understeer, from lowering  lap times to sim race suffering, no traction event goes unrecorded in this, the latest episode of Missed Apex Podcast


Please consider supporting us on patreon. We exist only because of our patron support:

Missed Apex F1 is creating Podcasts

Or use our Tip Jar to support our 2023  advertising campaign and help us grow the podcast 


Send us your mailbag questions at [email protected]


Spanners Ready Spanners���� (@SpannersReady)

[email protected]

Matt Trumpets mattpt55 (@mattpt55)

[email protected]

Matt Trumpets (@[email protected])


Brad Philpot Brad Philpot 🏁 (@BradleyPhilpot) / Twitter

Through The Visor - YouTube


We want to promote brad’s new coaching school so if you want 1 to 1 tuition on track or on a sim go to bradphilpot.com/coaching


SIGN UP for the M4EM 24 hour race here: (1194) Discord | #🆕new-drivers | The m4em 24H (Missed Apex Server)




Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Summary

**Missed Apex Podcast Episode Transcript: Driving Styles, Coaching, and Virtual Le Mans**

**Intro:**

* Welcome to the Missed Apex Podcast, a Formula One podcast hosted by Richard "Spanners" Ready and Matt "Trumpets" James.
* Today's episode features professional race car driver and expert coach Bradley Philpot, who joins the hosts to discuss driving styles, the recent virtual Le Mans event, and how to improve driving skills.

**Sergio Perez vs. Fernando Alonso:**

* A listener asks which driver they would rather be in the shoes of for the 2023 season: Sergio Perez or Fernando Alonso.
* Matt prefers Alonso because he believes he has a higher ceiling and is more satisfied with his driving life.
* Brad agrees, stating that Alonso has a higher ceiling and is probably more satisfied in his driving life because of it.

**Max Verstappen as a Teammate:**

* The hosts discuss whether Sergio Perez could win a world championship if he had a different teammate, such as Max Verstappen.
* Brad believes that Perez could win a world championship if he had a teammate who wasn't as dominant as Verstappen.
* Matt argues that Perez is in the top half of F1 drivers and could win a championship if the car was tuned to his driving style.

**F1 Driver Coaches:**

* A listener asks why more F1 drivers don't have dedicated driver coaches.
* Brad explains that there is a stigma against using driver coaches in motorsport, as some drivers believe that a coach must be faster than them to be effective.
* He emphasizes that a coach's role is to help the driver extract the maximum performance from their abilities and to keep them focused on the right things.
* The hosts discuss the role of race engineers in providing feedback to drivers and how driver coaches can complement this role.

**Daniel Ricciardo's Struggles at McLaren:**

* The hosts discuss Daniel Ricciardo's struggles at McLaren and speculate on the reasons behind his poor performance.
* Brad suggests that Ricciardo may have been unable to adapt to the McLaren car's driving style, which was very different from the cars he had driven previously.
* Matt adds that Ricciardo may have been overthinking his driving, which can lead to slower lap times.

**Coaching for Different Skill Levels:**

* Brad discusses where he believes he can be most useful as a coach.
* He explains that the further down the professionalism, skill, and experience ladder a driver is, the more they can gain from coaching.
* He emphasizes the importance of experience in improving driving skills.

**Virtual Le Mans Event:**

* The hosts discuss the recent virtual Le Mans event, which saw Max Verstappen express his frustration with the event's organization.
* Brad explains that Verstappen's frustration was likely due to the fact that the event was not run to a professional standard.
* He also discusses the challenges of organizing a virtual racing event and the importance of clear communication between the organizers and the drivers.

**Coaching Services:**

* Brad promotes his coaching services and invites listeners to visit his website, bradphilpot.com/coaching, to learn more.

**24-Hour Sim Racing Event:**

* The hosts promote their upcoming 24-hour sim racing event, which will be held on the Missed Apex Discord server.
* They encourage listeners to sign up for the event and compete for a chance to win prizes.

**Outro:**

* The hosts thank Brad for joining the show and remind listeners to support the podcast on Patreon or through their Tip Jar.
* They also encourage listeners to send their mailbag questions to [email protected]. # Missed Apex Podcast Transcript Analysis

## Introduction

- The podcast episode features professional race car driver Bradley Philpot, Spanners, and Matt Trumpets.
- They explore the topic of driving style differences in racing, particularly in Formula One.

## Main Discussion Points:

### 1. The Role of a Driving Coach:

- A driving coach can help drivers improve their skills and techniques, allowing them to become faster even without natural talent.
- The coach's role is to ensure drivers make progress efficiently, minimizing wasted track time.
- The earlier a driver receives coaching, the more beneficial it is, as it helps establish correct driving habits from the outset.

### 2. Common Areas for Improvement:

- A common area for improvement identified by Brad Philpot is maximizing track usage.
- Many drivers, even experienced ones, often leave significant track space unused, resulting in slower lap times.
- This issue arises because drivers may not realize the potential of using more track or may have ingrained habits that prevent them from doing so.

### 3. Breaking Bad Habits:

- Breaking ingrained driving habits can be challenging, especially if they have been practiced for a long time.
- Drivers may struggle to change their approach even when they intellectually understand the need for improvement.
- This highlights the importance of receiving coaching early on to establish correct techniques and avoid developing bad habits.

### 4. Differences in Driving Styles:

- Driving styles in Formula One vary, but the differences are often subtle and within a narrow margin.
- Variations in driving style may involve preferences for slightly oversteery or understeery cars, influenced by a driver's formative years and experiences in different teams and cars.
- These preferences are often related to the specific feedback drivers receive from the car's handling characteristics.

### 5. The Influence of Car Characteristics:

- The characteristics of a particular car can significantly impact a driver's style and approach.
- Drivers may need to adapt their driving style to suit the car's strengths and weaknesses.
- This can lead to situations where two drivers with different styles may adopt similar approaches if they are driving the same car.

### 6. Visualizing Driving Style Differences:

- It can be difficult for viewers to visually distinguish between different driving styles in Formula One.
- The variations are often subtle and occur in the nuances of steering weight and car response at specific phases of a corner.
- These differences are not always apparent from watching races on TV.

### 7. Identifying Driving Styles in Lower Categories:

- Driving style differences may be more noticeable in lower categories of racing, where drivers may have less experience and less refined techniques.
- In these categories, drivers may exhibit more extreme variations in their approaches, making it easier to identify individual styles.

### 8. Brad Philpot's Driving Style Preferences:

- Brad Philpot prefers a neutral car that responds precisely to his inputs, without understeering or oversteering excessively.
- He acknowledges that achieving a perfectly neutral car is unrealistic, but he aims to find the limit where the car is about to understeer or oversteer and maintain that balance throughout a corner.

### 9. The Importance of Feeling the Limit:

- Brad Philpot emphasizes the importance of feeling the limit of grip through the steering wheel and pedals.
- This allows drivers to make real-time adjustments to their inputs and maintain the car's balance throughout a corner.
- Relying solely on visual cues or hearing tire squeals can lead to delayed reactions and less precise control.

### 10. Micro-Inputs in Cornering:

- Brad Philpot's driving style involves making numerous micro-inputs through the middle of a corner.
- These inputs help him maintain the car's balance and prevent it from understeering or oversteering excessively.
- This technique requires a high level of skill and is not commonly observed among all drivers.

## Conclusion:

- The podcast discussion provides insights into the role of driving coaches, common areas for improvement, and the influence of car characteristics on driving style.
- It highlights the importance of establishing correct techniques early on, the challenges of breaking bad habits, and the subtle variations in driving styles among Formula One drivers.
- The episode also emphasizes the significance of feeling the limit of grip and making precise inputs to maintain car balance throughout a corner. ## Podcast Episode Summary: Missed Apex Podcast: Driving Styles and Limits

**Key Points:**

* **Driving Styles:**
* There are no universal driving styles, and drivers have different approaches to extracting the maximum potential from a car.
* Driving style differences arise from variations in how drivers perceive and react to feedback from the car.
* Some drivers rely more on feel, while others rely more on analytical data.
* The best drivers are able to adapt their driving style to different cars and track conditions.
* **Limits of Grip:**
* Drivers are constantly pushing the limits of grip to maximize their lap times.
* Understeer occurs when the front tires lose grip, causing the car to push wide in a corner.
* Oversteer occurs when the rear tires lose grip, causing the car to slide or spin.
* Drivers use steering inputs, throttle control, and weight transfer to manage grip and maintain control of the car.
* **Sim Racing:**
* Sim racing can be a valuable tool for drivers to practice and improve their skills.
* Sim racing can help drivers learn how to handle different cars and track conditions.
* It can also help drivers develop their racecraft and situational awareness.
* However, sim racing has limitations, and it is not a perfect substitute for real-world driving.

**Controversies and Insights:**

* **Max Verstappen's Criticism of Virtual Le Mans:**
* Verstappen was critical of the Virtual Le Mans 24 Hours event, citing issues with the simulation and the behavior of other drivers.
* Some drivers and fans agreed with Verstappen's criticisms, while others defended the event.
* The controversy highlights the challenges of creating a realistic and enjoyable virtual racing experience.

**Overall Message:**

The art of driving a Formula One car at the limit is a complex and challenging one. Drivers must constantly adapt their driving style to the car and track conditions, and they must be able to manage the delicate balance between grip and control. Sim racing can be a valuable tool for drivers to practice and improve their skills, but it has limitations and cannot fully replicate the real-world experience. # Missed Apex Podcast: Driving Styles Differences, Le Mans Virtual Debacle, and M4EM 24-Hour Race Announcement

## Introduction:

- Spanners, Matt, and Bradley Philpot join the podcast to discuss differences in driving styles, track limits, understeer, and sim racing challenges.
- The podcast highlights the recent technical issues faced during the Le Mans Virtual event, leading to frustration among participants, including Max Verstappen.

## Le Mans Virtual Controversy:

- Verstappen's criticism of the Le Mans Virtual event due to server issues is discussed.
- The exclusive rights held by rFactor 2 for hosting Le Mans 24-hour sim races are mentioned.
- Concerns are raised about the platform's reliability and capability to handle large-scale events.
- Alternative platforms like iRacing are suggested as more suitable for such events.

## M4EM 24-Hour Race Announcement:

- The hosts announce the M4EM 24-hour race, an event organized by the Missed Apex podcast.
- The race will take place on the Circuit de la Sarthe, the same track as the Le Mans 24-hour race, but with a different name to avoid legal issues.
- The event is scheduled for May 27th and 28th, running for 24 hours from 12 PM to 12 PM.
- Listeners are encouraged to participate in the race, and details for registration and team formation are provided.

## Conclusion:

- The podcast wraps up with a reminder of upcoming live streams and social media handles for the hosts.
- Patrons are encouraged to support the podcast through Patreon.
- The episode ends with a promotion for PrizePicks, a daily fantasy sports platform offering a deposit match bonus.

Raw Transcript with Timestamps
Back to Episode List