F1 driver coaching - a question?

[Hugh Jarce]

This one has been 'driven' having been watching the world snooker where Ray Reardon - a wise old hand has helped tranform O'Sullivan's performance.

In virtually every sport I can think of, competitors have old experienced mentors to help them improve their 'game'.

I have never heard of this in F1 or motorsport. You get a drive and then its up to you to perform on quote 'natural ability'.

In other sports, you still have to have amazing ability and often perform single handed (tennis etc) but coaching brings out the very best. Often it's also about mental / confidence issues.

When you look at the smaller teams, it seems like you're in for one season and out. A few mistakes and you're history. Do the younger one's get any support?

Is there any valid coaching for F1? I guess Renaults Driver Development Programme is a possible example - but do they get 'technical improvement' tuiton? I guess they have sports psycologists - don't they?

I mean, could there be such an influential role for a future 'retired' MS for example to do this? Would it help?

Just a thought - back to watching a very improved Ronnie O'Sullivan.

[Hungary 89]

I'm not sure that it is quite the same as Reardon/O'Sullivan situation but I'm sure that Murray Walker used to refer to Stefano Modena (I tink)unts protogea also hasn't Martin Brundle been working with David Coulthard. I'm sure I've heard of other examples as well.

Of course situation has to be different as when practising in snooker is the mentor felt that the Student has performed a shot wrong he can put the balls back an try again It's a little more difficult (and expensive) to atcieve that in a Formula 1 Racing Car

[fatpiranha]

Murray didn't exactly do a lot for Stefano's career then

[hamsmith]

Martin is employed by David Couthard to manage his carreer. Acording to DC it was because he felt the managment company was more interested in how much their percentage is worth and not really interested in what is best for DC. He pays Martin "handsomly" for the responsibilty. I don't think that is the same as mentoring.

[Barbazza]

Keke Rosberg managed Mika for a long time - it would seem likley he passed on a few tips. Did Mika in turn say he was going to give a bit of advice to Kimi when he retired? Must be a Finnish thing. Jackie Stewart did a bit of helping out with Jody Scheckter I saw on a Motors TV review of 1974 the other night - didn't seem like Jody appreciated it much though.

[KC]

In the US, Rick Mears is employed by Penske in the capacity of racing coach. He mentors and coaches all the Penske drivers before during and after the races to help improve their analytical approach to racing. Gil deFerran even gave Mears credit for helping him to his championships by being a calm voice in his ear and through his post race feedback.

I know Mario Andretti did the same for his son after he retired. Jimmy Vasser worked to some degree in this capacity last year racing with A.J. Allmendinger.

It may seem a blow to the ego of a driver to have a coach, but it would be foolish to pass on any help to make one's self better. After all, they all use some sort of physical trainer to direct their workout program and all have dieticians and nutritionists to monitor their food intake.

[BARrouette]

Every professional needs a coach even MS dont know everything about driving, there allways some place for improuvement and that where a good coaching come into place...

[Mackmot]

Those who cant teach, those who can stay in F1 for many years making millions of dollars

[Gt_R]

Isn't Stewart very helpful when Barrichello drove for him?

Actually, modern drivers have many "coaches". Engineers, Trainers, etc all "teach" drivers how to maximise the different factors that put together a winning driver.Those who think they can just leave to their natural talent to do the hard work are those who won't improve.

[Mattracer]

About the nearest similarity would be the role of test driver. Many hours in the car can add up to quite a reputation, perhaps a race drive, the most famous of which must be Damon Hill who went on to a WDC on the back of his input and hard work developing the Williams Renualt package in the mid-nineties.

[Dixie Flatline]

There are some being "groomed" by teams to eventually take the next step - Toyota has invested a lot of time and money in Ryan Briscoe, and for a while, Jaguar was doing the same with James Courtney, but he seems to have dropped off the radar recently.

In terms of Briscoe, he is put by Toyota into Toyota-aligned teams in lower formulas and given the opportunity to develop racecraft outside the hurly-burly of Formula One. Briscoe apparently feels he's ready to take the next step and wants a F1 drive next season - either with Toyota (unlikely) or Minardi.

[N I Tram]

There are several examples of former drivers working with current or up-and-coming ones, and a lot of the advice they give is technical in many cases. Anotehr example is that Marc Hynes helps out the drivers at Manor Motorsport, who he won the British F3 title for in 1999. This kind of advice will always come through more experienced team-mates as well.

[sonic]

There are dedicated driver coaches in karting and the lower formulae but i guess because equipment changes every season very few have the necessary qualifications to help a contemporary F1 driver. There are a lot of variables that don't exist in non-technical sports.

But GTR is right - snooker players, etc don't have 50 people in the room all continually analysing various aspects of the overall performance.