Driver Coaching?

zenvision · Post 15 Nov 2006, 18:17

Does such thing exist?

In practically all other sports, stars are always aided by coaches who are there to improve their game, so I wonder if such thing exist for F1 drivers. Or have some famous young drivers ever been coached? I think that the majority, if all, had some sort of coaching to help them hone their immense talent behind the wheel.

manchild · Post 15 Nov 2006, 18:29

I remember that Senna had one but he was more like a guy responsible for his fitness just like Schuey's guru.

joseff · Post 15 Nov 2006, 19:23

There was a show 2 or 3 weeks ago on Discovery, it's called "Speed Science" I think. Basically the whole show is about driver coaching & conditioning.

There's this neurologist guy employed by McLaren and seemingly RBR. Can't remember his name now, but the show features Tonio Liuzzi, Pedro de la Rosa, and a bit of Lewis Hamilton.

They do off-track visualization, peripheral vision training, etc etc. Did anyone else see it too?

zenvision · Post 15 Nov 2006, 23:10

I've read that Nigel Mansell and Kimi Raikkonen went to a certain coach, forgot his name now. I don't know to which extent he helped them, and when, but they both have ballsy style.

Silver-Arrowz · Post 16 Nov 2006, 01:40

Pretty sure they do. Mika had some fella from New Zeland coaching him. I think Jackie Stewart coaches some drivers at the moment.

Rob W · Post 16 Nov 2006, 06:07

A guy called John Stevens is very well known for his F1 driver coaching. His coaching isn't conditioning or reaction-type training like many F1 driver support people but a teacher who helps drivers with corner lines etc or problems they're having on certain circuits etc.

He has worked with David Coulthard, Mika Hakkinen, Alan McNish as well as many non-driving F1 people to help them understand how to get the most out of a car.

I don't know whether he's employed by a team or driver anymore but remember seeing him on TV a few years back.

Rob W

Rob W · Post 16 Nov 2006, 06:10

Oh, and the Professor himself worked at McLaren for a season in the mid-late 90s to help with driving style, attitude etc.

Rob W

ketanpaul · Post 16 Nov 2006, 07:23

There was a show 2 or 3 weeks ago on Discovery, it's called "Speed Science" I think. Basically the whole show is about driver coaching & conditioning.

There's this neurologist guy employed by McLaren and seemingly RBR. Can't remember his name now, but the show features Tonio Liuzzi, Pedro de la Rosa, and a bit of Lewis Hamilton.

They do off-track visualization, peripheral vision training, etc etc. Did anyone else see it too?

Even I saw it man. They mainly used the technique of coaching the mind to perform most of the stuff on the track unconsciously so that more brainpower is left to think about overtaking, and other on-going car data. It was really awesome but I still dont know how Liuzzi got the racing line out of the problem corner eventually

NickT · Post 16 Nov 2006, 16:10

Driver coaching metoring has been going for many many years. Many young guns were paired with the top guys to see them in action first hand. Jackie Stewart is the most notable and still does it today. Less well publisied examples would be Fangio and Clark both of whom took time to help others.