What characteristics do you need to be a great driver?

[spider]

Right, first-off, I am aware that I’m posting this in the Formula One section, but it is a little more generic than that series. At my company we’re doing one of those ‘Be a racing driver’ events and in the brain storm of the challenges to unearth a talent (which never happens with these things…), we got into a bit of an argument here.

What is it that makes someone a talented driver? It’s not like when you’re running in a 100m race, where your body can only hit a certain speed due to your muscular structure. If you’re put into an identical car as someone else, what is it that enables them to be quicker than you in machinery that has the same performance parameters?

Do they need outstanding reactions? A mathematical brain to calculate sensations and grip levels to maximise a car’s potential on any circuit? An ability to risk-assess quickly? Good communication skills, to build a team around them and work with their engineer? An engineering brain perhaps, to truly understand what and why the vehicle acts certain ways?

If you had to set a few challenges to unearth a talent, what ‘tests’ would you do and after thinking about this, which drivers out there at the moment tick the most boxes?

[nycuk]

Originally Posted by spider

Do they need outstanding reactions? A mathematical brain to calculate sensations and grip levels to maximise a car’s potential on any circuit? An ability to risk-assess quickly? Good communication skills, to build a team around them and work with their engineer? An engineering brain perhaps, to truly understand what and why the vehicle acts certain ways?

I think you've answered your own question pretty much there Spider!

All of the above are vital traits I would imagine, plus sheer ruthless, single-minded drive, and immense mental strength. I think a lot of what constitutes the 'right stuff' though comes down to 'feel', something indefinable that simply can't be pinpointed. I would think if you asked Senna, Schumacher, Clark, Moss or indeed any of the greats, to explain exactly how they did what they did in a racing car they wouldn't be able to.

[spider]

Thing is, was wondering if people on here believe there are certain natural characteristics you are born with that make you a supreme talent. I remember reading an article by Irvine stating Schumacher's reactions were nothing special...

[nycuk]

Sounds like Eddie being Eddie...

I definitely think that most of the great drivers are 'born with it' - Senna, Schumacher, Gilles Villeneuve, et al.

But I also think that you can succeed with, and become 'great', by sheer hard work and focus. Someone like Nigel Mansell is a good example, I think (watch out - here comes the lynch mob...) Not a 'God given talent' by any stretch of the imagination but talented nonetheless, as well as brave, determined and bloody-minded. Nigel always seemed to dig deep within himself when producing his classic performances and wasn't enjoying a car advantage, and that's why the crowds loved him. By contrast, I can't imagine Schuey having to dig deep in quite the same way - he just did what he did and made it look easy.

So yes, I believe there are certain natural characteristics you are born with that make you a supreme talent, but hard work and focus can sometimes be as effective.

[Scream'n_Demon]

I work at an indoor kart track, and by watching the general public race karts all day, I am convinced that some people are born with the 'feel' and some aren't. That doesn't mean that people without the feel can't be fast because I've taught people without it to drive fast through pure practice. These people couldn't tell you why they can go faster than someone else if you asked them how they did it. People with the feel can drive well straight away because their brain understands what the kart is doing without thinking about it.

Could you do a test to tell who is which? Probably not. Its just one of those gut feel things that can't be taught or measured.

You don't have to be super fast to be a talented driver. Speed can be taught, feel can't.

[Armco Bender]

You need to be short and like to change your girlfriend every week.
Other important qualities are preferably having a father who is both a former F1 driver and very rich.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Armco Bender

You need to be short and like to change your girlfriend every week.
Other important qualities are preferably having a father who is both a former F1 driver and very rich.

Way off the F1 subject but here goes-

How does your description here relate to great Touring Car Drivers? Or is it just an F1 set of traits required?

[spider]

Having taught adults and youngsters both in karts and cars, it seemed to me that those who had a good level of balance were quick instantly, oh and spacial awareness.

Some 8 year olds jumped in a kart, no practice, never been in a kart before and after 10 laps were hanging the rear of the kart out and doing things that adults with years of experience couldn't muster...

[neilap]

I feel that as in anything in life you need initially a genetic gift. Any great athlete is gifted genetically. I feel great racers are born not developed. Exceptional racers are developed by adding tertiary factors that surpass great skill.

MS is a great example of this. He was faster than most but the fact that he had a team built around him (which was not only because of his skill) put him over the top. MS was as a racer very calculating and thorough he prepared his body and mind to their limits and surrounded himself with only people that supported his cause.

[flashing]

Even though it’s now very dated Denis Jenkinson’s book The Racing Driver is still a must read if you want to fully understand what it takes to be a top class driver, and what separates a driver who can drive quickly and a RACING driver.

It’s amazing that even though it was written in 1958 it still rings true, might be hard to find a copy though.

[Adam43]

Not being called Ralf, or Eddie...

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by flashing

Even though it’s now very dated Denis Jenkinson’s book The Racing Driver is still a must read if you want to fully understand what it takes to be a top class driver, and what separates a driver who can drive quickly and a RACING driver.

It’s amazing that even though it was written in 1958 it still rings true, might be hard to find a copy though.

Indeed, a great book, even if the language is rather quaint to modern ears.

I have a 1st edition, but it's so frail it's unreadable. Everytime I pick it up, little bits of it fall off!

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by spider

I remember reading an article by Irvine stating Schumacher's reactions were nothing special...

Originally Posted by nycuk

Sounds like Eddie being Eddie...

Well, i'm sure that Eddie would have more of an idea than the rest of us!

Jeremy Clarkson once done the old drop the ruler through the fingers trick on Michael Schumacher and his reaction time was no quicker than the average man on the street.

[flashing]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

Indeed, a great book, even if the language is rather quaint to modern ears.

I have a 1st edition, but it's so frail it's unreadable. Everytime I pick it up, little bits of it fall off!

Heh, mine too.

But I think what Jenks wrote all those years ago still holds true to this day.

Perhaps it's time for a modern day scribe to write an updated version. I'm sure that many younger fans have very little idea what makes a real racer tick.

[Casper]

I don't know what it is but I have only seen two people with it. You just had to watch them prepare for a race to know they "had it". They were both ruthless on the track and would rather go off trying to win than come second. Both could not be bothered advancing in motorsport beyond their chosen level despite others having the opinion that they could have gone to the top levels if they had wanted to. I would think that this story could repeated by many others, only the truly commercially motivated drivers rise out of the pack and they are not necessarily the best. I certainly would not rate MS as a great driver in the Clarke, Moss, Villeneuve mould as others would. I suspect that MS's star would not have shone so brightly had Senna not died.

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by spider

Thing is, was wondering if people on here believe there are certain natural characteristics you are born with that make you a supreme talent. I remember reading an article by Irvine stating Schumacher's reactions were nothing special...

They were special enough to win him a ton of races and championships though. He just became one with the machine I think..

Back on topic though, determination, belief in yourself and some luck I think.

[Taprobane]

It's not his reactions per se, but the fact that as with all racing drivers he can almost tell who is going to happen before it happens. So it's not so much having quick reactions in the traditional sense of the word as having a fantastic racing brain. Much like a batsman reacting to a ball being bowled at 90mph or a tennis player returning a 140mph serve...

[trevisio]

The only way to tell is to get the entrants onto a track racing each other, indoor/corporate karting is probably the most economic way to see who has "it" as long as they are all competing at equal weight, using ballast.

This is the method used by all of the "bearacingdriver" type contests.

No amount of questions/answers will provide the data you need, only actual racing. Not testing. Racing

Originally Posted by spider

If you had to set a few challenges to unearth a talent, what ‘tests’ would you do

Using indoor kart racing you could use an "attack" test and a "defence" test.
The "defence" test would involve giving the driver a slower kart and seeing how long they can stop the driver of the faster kart beghing overtaking them. The attacking driver would have to be the same driver each time, e.g. an instructor. The "attack" test would be as above with roles reversed.

[foreversideways]

Well in James Hunt's case, an ability to consume copious amounts of alcohol, 40 + fags a day and have plenty of sex with lots of admiring women

[Bibs]

I was at a meet with an ex Lotus F1 driver and he was asked this question.

He said 'big balls'!

[foreversideways]

well you sure needed them in the past when a mistake cost you your life. Not so sue now though.

[koper]

Originally Posted by spider

Having taught adults and youngsters both in karts and cars, it seemed to me that those who had a good level of balance were quick instantly, oh and spacial awareness.

Some 8 year olds jumped in a kart, no practice, never been in a kart before and after 10 laps were hanging the rear of the kart out and doing things that adults with years of experience couldn't muster...

Consider that 8 year olds are much lighter than adults.
Weight is very important in that sport as well as hight - particualry in karting.

[Force_Majeure]

Long time lurker, first post.

First, I would like to say, I'm not going to comment how I think the best racing drivers enter a corner different than lesser ones or any such thing, as I think I am not at all qualified to do so (haven't even got my driver's license). There are likely people around here who can adress that issue a lot better than me.

Instead I would like to focus on a couple of characteristics that sets apart the very best drivers from the others, although I believe that all current drivers in Formula one are quite close in ability.

There are some factors in which the best flourish.
Let's consider some of them.

- The conviction they are the best (and the will to prove it)

I think most of the of greatest drivers are quite arrogant. Arrogant in the way that they are convinced they are the best driver on the grid. Ask Hamilton, Alonso or Raikkonen who they think is the best driver and they will probably all think they are it. And I believe it's important they believe this. They must be willing to prove they are in fact the best to get the best out of themselves, to push them to the limit. Compare this attitude to let's say Heidfeld's, whom I think is equally talented as the previous guys but hasn't got the winner's attitude.

- The will to win

No better example here than Ayrton Senna. Think of some of the drives in mediocre machinery, that made him shine. He wanted to win more than anything else. Also consider Michael Schumacher. You can't win 90 odd Grand Prix without having an insatiable hunger for winning. This will to win makes them perform better, I think.

After three outstanding seasons (98-00) Mika Hakkinen didn't seem to care too much about winning in 2001. He didn't have the hunger that much anymore. It was then that Coulthard was able to beat him again.

Compared to the best drivers, guys like Fisichella, Barrichello, Coulthard, Ralf and Trulli, though sufficiently talented, seem to lack the will to win. They never seemed too bothered when their teammates won. They're a bit too nice, I think. Every once and a while they'd shine and they would be satisfied. On the other hand, I don't believe for a second Fernando Alonso was too happy that Nelson Piquet gave Renault their first podium this year. Drivers like him don't know what satisfied means (in a good way).

- Calculated agression

The really great ones are exceptional in driving just a bit faster for a certain amount of time and still stay in control. Mika Hakkinen for example, was great in driving an outstanding qualifying lap in the last seconds of the session, that would give him another pole position. Schumacher would be ridiculously fast in the laps before and after pitstops, whenever there was someone close in front of him. How often have we not commented that he won the race in the pits? Hamilton thrives here as well. Some of his drives this year showed his sheer agression in certain parts of races, while easily bringing the car home, when he had (re)taken the lead.

Let's discuss Raikkonen vs. Massa (no particular race): When Massa is just in front of Kimi before the stops, Kimi seems to be able to go faster for a couple of laps, and when both have pitted, he is likely to be in front. When it's the other way around, Massa isn't able to do the same thing. I don't think this has something to do with Ferrari's preference. Guys like Raikkonen are more comfortable driving a bit out of the comfort zone here than the Massa's on the grid. Whenever drivers like Massa try to do this, they look really fragile, and are prone to make mistakes more often, while drivers like Hamilton and Raikkonen seem in control all the way.

- Control

It's hard to be able to be a bit more agressive when the situation merits it. It's not as hard to be in control when in front. However some drivers seem to be making more mistakes in comfortable situations than others. Guys like Prost and Schumacher could 'read' a race. They would show agression when needed, but wouldn't drive any faster than they'd have to when they were in the lead. We have often seen Michael driving 2 seconds slower near the end of a Grand Prix. These drivers are driving as 'slowly' as possible to win, whereas less capable drivers tend to ask more of their car in these situations.

Drivers like Schumacher and Prost are in control here. They wouldn't risk blowing their engine, or give away points by driving harder than need be.
The lead is safer in hands of drivers like them than guys like Fisichella or Massa (not saying that Massa could do that much about his engine fail in Hungary).

- (Driving) intellect

In recent years, partly due to the points system and car reliability it has become increasingly important to perform on a regular basis. Alonso won championships by winning while he could and getting the most points when he couldn't win, but not risking crashing the car when it was too hard to pass the car in front. Schumacher drove calculative as well, which helped him win the title in 2003. When in midseason the Ferrari wasn't as competitive as the BMW-Williams he settled for solid points finishes, always trying to get the maximum points, but not risking a great deal to get one or two points more.

- Not unimportant

They have to be bloody good drivers as well.

Summary

What sets apart most of the best drivers from the slightly lesser ones are in my opinion, the sheer will to win, their ego's, the fact that they are able to adjust their agressiveness while driving between very agressive and very passive, being able to 'read a race', always stay in control of the situation, and extract the maximum from the situation.


Err, it seems it has become a rather long first post. My apologies. :O

P.S. As English is not my native language, so I apologize for spelling and grammar issues.

[Teretonga]

There was a book written on the late 60's or 70's called "The Anatomy of a Grand Prix Driver" or something very similar.
It was based on an assessment of grand prix drivers by a Dr Bernice Krinkler who was involved in the rehabilitation of a driver who had been seriously injured.
Some of the things in her assessment (physical and psychological) were extremely good eyesight, extremely competitive, and relative 'loners'.

i.e. People who had a relatively low need for the company of others and for othe approval of others.
The other values echoed some previous posts so I won't detail them but at the time it was a serious attempt to find out what was unique to drivers of that era.

[Icebaby]

One word ."Money" , without it you stand no chance even if you are a great driver as you never get any further than the grass roots of the sport.