Time or Distance for driver delopment

[FoxSTI]

Can you guys give me some examples or recommendations on which approach is best used to what?
I am cuttingly looking at my fastest laps on two sessions and trying to understand what I did better on the faster lap to continue to get faster etc.

Seems that with DISTANCE. I can better see the delta of speed for instance in particular track sections, but don't really get an idea of how that additional speed for instance put me ahead etc.

In terms of driver development, what else are you folks looking at?

[David Ferguson]

Distance is used with comparing two laps with different lap times. Time is usually only used when looking at a single lap, or with data that doesn't have any speed/distance component.

For example, on a car with suspension sensor fitted, I would like to zero the channel when the car isn't moving. But in distance mode this is just a single data point that you can't really zoom in on. By switching to time scale, I could look at the car sitting in the flat pit lane stopped before it enters the track. That's a perfect place to zero the suspension channels.

I also use Time Mode for looking at logged data from a dyno run, were the car didn't move, but the engine sure did.

So, for your use, you will use distance mode and compare laps. As to what we look for, we'll there are books on that -- but I would pay attention to the variance channel. When it makes a big jump, figure out what was different in the one lap that made it faster. Another great technique is to get a really good driver to put down a reference lap -- comparing that will show you where it's possible to go faster. You'll probably find that the pro can generate more G's under braking, and either generates more lateral G force, or sometimes the same G-forces, but goes faster by taking a larger radius entering & exiting the turn.

When only comparing data with yourself. First look for similar speed corners and determine if you get the same lateral G=forced in all of them. If not, why? Overlay the "Corrected Speed' channel all your laps and see where there you are not consistent -- look at which lap had the fastest segment time and understand what you did with the controls to make that happen.

[FoxSTI]

David,

What should I be trying to take from the number of lateral G's I am putting on a turn etc? In a straight line I think it would an indication of how hard I am accelerating and how hard I am braking. Is this correct?

What is the "corrected speed"

You mentioned segment time, and I wanted to ask if i2 has the ability to put together a theoretical reference lap by combining the fastest segments?

[David Ferguson]

By comparing Lateral-G's in different corners you may find places where you could go faster (and thus generate more Lateral-G's). You have to ask yourself -- why am I not able to generate the same G's as other corners -- is it because of the track surface, the track banking, or could I carry more speed and turn the wheel more?

The Longitunal-Gs represent the forces from forward acceleration and braking.

Corrected Speed is a channel that can automatically select the first working sensor (if you were to have a speed sensor failure), and compensate for wheel lockups. In I2, look in Tools->Corrected Speed and Distance... for the settings.

Yes, I2 will do segment times, including fastest theoretical lap (but that is not a reference lap...). More importantly is does the fastest rolling lap, which is a real contiguous lap just not necessarily timed from Start/Finish to Start/Finish. I have a Section Timez tab in my I2 Standard, Circuit Workspace -- have you looked at that?

[FoxSTI]

Dave,

I knew the tab was there but didn't a clue at what was really looking at until you pointed it out.

1- Can the software a create a lap / track map type from that data?

2- So for the next time I go to that track, can I take my Rolling Min. and key that into the venue as a reference lap?

[adrian]

i2 will only create reference laps from full laps ie beacon to beacon. You can't create a reference lap from your rolling minimum.

[FoxSTI]

^ Feature request ?

Anyhow, it is great that I have a "real fast" lap to work towards.

[adrian]

^ Feature request ?

Already done

[elrod]

In addition to a reference lap it would be hugely helpful if i2 could provide an overlay from the rolling minimum and the eclectic laps. The sector report allows you to manually go find them but the software should stitch it all together and make it easy to compare against.