JQ at the TITC – Day 2
Day 2 of the TITC is in the books and Invisible Speed’s Joseph Quagraine is back with more of his thoughts on touring car racing and his experience of driving all the top cars, well sort of. Take it away JQ…….
3 rounds of qualifying are now done. I have been learning a lot, and successfully applied some ideas for myself, Pekko, and a few of the top fast guys. Today I want to highlight something often overlooked, and actually the most important thing: Driving. I have driven most top driver’s cars. I go on the right side balcony with my radio, and pretend do drive their cars. The people who have seen laughed at me, but that’s normal. I’m used to being laughed at, as well as occasionally doing things better than others, and some things for the first time before anyone else. Those things often go hand in hand.
Driving their cars, I can really ”feel” the difference in driving style, and see how their cars are handling. Here are a few highlights:
Akio Sobue – Axon: He is the smoothest of the top guys. He had one of the lower top speeds around the track, but also one of the highest minimum speeds. Driving his car felt very doable which is an interesting experience if you ever try it. He maintains a steady speed without braking or accelerating throughout the center double apex right and left onto front straight, while many other drivers clearly accelerate and brake there. His driving is all about maintaining momentum, even continuing the right hander further on the left side of the track, opening up the following left hander so he can carry more speed through it. Driving style + line choice + car setup = success. Right now 5-5 in qualifying, but he has more to give based on his practice runs.
Hayato Ishioka – Axon: I was not able to drive his car. This guy is so aggressive with everything, steering inputs, braking and accelerating. I was not able to do anything. Yet 3-6 and solid A Final. Opposite of his team mate.
Bruno Coelho – Infinity: Bruno was close to Sobue, but not as smooth, harder acceleration and braking, and more open lines. I don’t know why, but it’s as if he is avoiding the curbs and white line. I don’t know if it is because his car doesn’t allow him to do that so he is playing it safe, or some other reason. If your setup is a bit off, driving over the curbs can result in a spin. Bruno also had some quite early braking points, which is only a point to make because it is a mistake many drivers including me make, braking too late. 2-2 for 2nd at the moment.
Michal Orlowski – Schumacher: Michal’s driving was not doable for me. It wasn’t as crazy as Hayato’s, but it very clearly required extreme levels of precision. Michal drove very fast in very straight lines, and braking points were vital, using curbs a lot, turning quite sharply, and making the track quite pointy. He would even drift slightly at times. Distinctly different from Sobue and Coelho, a mix of smoothness and aggression, requiring a high level of skill as well as a personal setup. (More about that after the race). 1-1 for TQ, managing to TQ even when setup was a bit off, and having the mental presence to know when the last lap was in Q3 to launch over the line. Maybe that was the difference…