Comparison of driver handling abilities?

[JimClarkFan]

Does anybody know of any data regarding the the ability of drivers in the paddock to handle oversteer and/or understeer.

An article I read a while back suggested that the best drivers are the ones that can cope with the greatest amount of oversteer because it allows them to manipulate the rear end of the car to corner.

The same article went on to say that when all the data from the drivers was compared it was Hamilton who came out on top in his ability to control over steer which is one of the reasons why he is held in such high regard.

It would be great to see some of this raw data, or some variation of it. Trouble is where does one find such data

[raymondu999]

I don't know of any raw data available - but there are some good articles out there, which are generally quite insightful.

Here's a sample: http://www.racer.com/racer-special-f1s- ... le/219407/

(Note: It's not quantitative either)

[JimClarkFan]

A quote from Paddy Lowe in 2008;
http://mccabism.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/ ... ility.html

"He's tremendously good at controlling a car in oversteer. We saw that from the first moment he got in our car. We saw the data, and on every entry we could see there was a massive correction on the steering, and our normal drivers would have been bitching like hell that the car was undriveable, yet he didn't even pass comment. So with a driver like that, you're better equipped to push the boundaries to new levels. Speaking generically of that characteristic, a lot of the performance limit of a car is set by stability; if you can't hang on to it, you will have to introduce understeer in that zone. But if you have a driver better able to deal with oversteer in those zones that induce it, then you will have a less-understeery car elsewhere and therefore more total grip over the lap. The great drivers over the years - Senna, Schumacher, Mansell - have all had that ability. Like for like compared to other drivers, they want more front end."

Not the article I was referring to but hints at the same thing.

[JimClarkFan]

I don't know of any raw data available - but there are some good articles out there, which are generally quite insightful.

Here's a sample: http://www.racer.com/racer-special-f1s- ... le/219407/

(Note: It's not quantitative either)

I think that may be the article I was refering too. Paddy Lowe seems to indicate that he is comparing Lewis's data with others, I know they have data on steering angle and other things in F1, and I am sure that much of this is inferred, but it would still be great to see and compare a few drivers.

[Kiril Varbanov]

I think there's no definitive answer to that tricky question. In my humble view, it all boils down to the driver's ability to over-drive the car's deficiencies, as opposed to merely separating them to over and understeer.

For example, Massa is a driver who hasn't changed much of his driving style ever since his Sauber days, and he prefers understeer, just like I'm told that Button likes. Drivers like Hamilton and Alonso would enjoy playful rear end, thus embrace oversteer, while Vettel is very used to solid and planted rear.

But in the end, being a rear wheel drive, F1 drives should better be good in managing oversteer

[raymondu999]

I don't think there is one all-encompassing answer either.

For example, Driver X might deal with an oversteer entry well, and oversteer entry might kill Driver Y's lap time. But Driver Y handles exit snap oversteer better than Driver X, who just dies if he has exit oversteer.

My point being - they might deal with different traits better.