Stewart urges F1 to embrace driver coaches

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John Stitch
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Stewart urges F1 to embrace driver coaches

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http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/68770

Obviously I agree, what do you think?
Formula One teams must end the sport's resistance to the use of training coaches if they are to avoid the type of mistakes that resulted in Lewis Hamilton's crash in the pitlane at the Canadian Grand Prix.

That is the view of former world champion Jackie Stewart, who thinks both teams and drivers are wrong to believe they cannot gain from the kind of use of coaches so typical in other sports.

"One of the weaknesses we have in F1 is the lack of training we have," said Stewart, during a breakfast briefing for Williams sponsor RBS at the RAC Club in London's Pall Mall.

"This is the only sport that I can think of that doesn't have coaching - at Wimbledon just now, coaches are coming out of their ears. And for sure it makes a difference. You have football coaches, you have rugby coaches, you have cricket coaches, and you have golf coaches.

"Tiger Woods wouldn't walk 10 metres without his coach, in terms of how that swing has to be repeatedly put into his head – is it too fast, too slow, the wrong muscular movement? Yet racing drivers claim they don't need any help at all.

"And when you suggest that they might benefit from it, there is a resistance. I don't understand that. They seem to think once you get into that zone that they race above it and don't need it – and they also wonder how is it going to make a difference?"

Stewart's comments come a few days after Hamilton told The Daily Mail that he saw little reason to go to former drivers for advice.

"I'm in a unique position," said Hamilton. "Nobody has felt exactly the same things as I've felt. The only person I really take advice from is my Dad (Anthony). He's great. He says the right things. He's guided me the whole way through my career. So if I have any questions, I ask him.

"I don't doubt his motives. And I'm old enough to know whether to take his advice and also when to make my own decisions.

"Whenever I speak to Damon or Jackie I do take what they say on board, but I'm not going to go searching them out and ask how I can be world champion. I want to do it on my own. I got to where I am on my own, with my family."

Yet Stewart thinks that the events of Montreal this year, where both Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were involved in a pile-up in the pitlane when they failed to spot a red light, is a prime example of a situation where they and their teams would have been better off had they used a coach to help improve communication during a race.

"I think one of the biggest and most important elements is communication, and I don't think there is enough communication going on," he explained. "For example, the accident in Montreal – how did that happen? That happened because there was so much distraction going on, so much interference in the drivers' young heads, that they didn't hear the message: 'the pitlane is closed, the red light is on'.

"Here was Lewis, with nearly a nine-second advantage, and Nico with a very competitive car was up for a very good performance and possibly a podium, when the safety car comes out. It doesn't matter who you are, you are going to be upset and annoyed, and does it affect your head? Yes.

"They come in (to the pits), and they need to be talked down mentally. And that is almost a psychiatrist's job because that is where the coach could have come in, because the man who talks to him (the driver) should be the man who specializes in good, clear communication. He should know when to put the emphasis on a certain word – just like an air traffic controller.

"He will have had almost a lap to be talked down, to have his head clean, for when he comes in. There has to be the right choice of words, not unnecessary words spoken because that causes fog. So don't say anything you don't need to say.

"You have to bring the guys head down so when he accelerates out you say: "By the way the red light is on. The red light is on. Repeat. Do you understand?

"You say that while he is still in the pits. The blame that Lewis got and blame Nico got was all on their shoulders. That was wrong. Because the team should have actually ensured that they were clear, there was no big rush. The pitlane is closed, the cars are stopped. Each had the 'oh ---' factor. He looked up, and bang. They hadn't been properly prepared mentally to restart the race."

Stewart says he is not surprised that drivers are so reluctant to accept driver coaches – so thinks it is up to the teams to shift cultures in F1.

"I think it needs to come from the teams. At the end of the day they are the employer because they have so much more to lose than the drivers.

"Nowadays the safety factor is so big that there are not many penalties for drivers, but there are mammoth penalties for teams. If we in Williams do not finish races, the cost to Frank, the team and the sponsor not being as well pleased as they might be is very large. The leadership in this must come from the teams.

"I am a big supporter of Lewis although I have been quite critical. In 36 to 48 months is going to think back, why didn't I think about that? Why did I not do that? "

He added: "And that training is just as important for the Sam Michaels of this world, or the engineer or the man doing the communicating on the headset. Where was he trained?"

Stewart thinks that even greats like Ayrton Senna benefited from being around the right kind of person – because he reckons the Brazilian was helped a great deal in his development as a driver by racing alongside Alain Prost.

"Some racing drivers are very fast but don't consume a lot of information about how best to make a car work. Prost in my opinion was one of the greatest drivers of all time because he made a car work for him, and he made it work for Senna. I don't think Senna would have won as much if Prost had not been there.

"What he did with the development of the vehicle for McLaren helped Senna, who was a much more liberated driver – with absolute feel, balance and driving skill that was probably above Prost. But Prost made it happen. You just need to look at the onboard camera and watch the steering movements – the wheel hardly moved.

"Prost absolutely drove the car to mechanical perfection. Senna could take that mechanical perfection to a higher level but then it introduced over inducement, but he had the reactions and the dynamic feel to still control the semi wild bull that Prost very seldom visited.

"Prost was very seldom on the back of a wild bull – which is why he was so good and delivered such success. I didn't want to be on the back of a wild bull, it gave me no thrill at all. I needed to give it Valium to calm it down."

Stewart believes the most likely candidates for successful coaches are not former drivers but engineers who are well versed in vehicle dynamics and car feel – like former F1 technical director Gary Anderson.

"I could work with Gary if I was a driver," he said. "Or Richard Parry-Jones, who never went into motor racing. I would pick someone like him."

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WhiteBlue
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Re: Stewart urges F1 to embrace driver coaches

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I don't see a need for a particular person in that role but I imagine that a good race engineer could take that role as needed. I know that Jock Clear was something like a coach for Jacques Villeneuve and Ross Brawn was simillar to Michael Schumacher.
Formula One's fundamental ethos is about success coming to those with the most ingenious engineering and best .............................. organization, not to those with the biggest budget. (Dave Richards)

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Scuderia_Russ
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Re: Stewart urges F1 to embrace driver coaches

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Raikkonen uses one... here in England. Two and a half grand a day I've been told. On the one hand part of being one of the best in the world at what you do means unshakeable self confidence and belief in your abilities. I would imagine that a driver choosing to use a driver coach would have to trade off the benefits one would gain from it vs. accepting that they are lacking in some areas.
"Whether you think you can or can't, either way you are right."
-Henry Ford-

donskar
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Re: Stewart urges F1 to embrace driver coaches

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I agree with Jackie Stewart. Driver coaches could play an incredibly important role in preparing for a race and during the race.

And Hamilton needs a media coach, what is sometimes called a handler. His public statements are really beginning to paint a very negative picture of him:

"Hamilton told The Daily Mail that he saw little reason to go to former drivers for advice.

"I'm in a unique position," said Hamilton. "Nobody has felt exactly the same things as I've felt. The only person I really take advice from is my Dad (Anthony). He's great. He says the right things. He's guided me the whole way through my career. So if I have any questions, I ask him." That is simply ludicrous.

"I don't doubt his motives. And I'm old enough to know whether to take his advice and also when to make my own decisions." A coach might have questionable motives?

"Whenever I speak to Damon or Jackie I do take what they say on board, but I'm not going to go searching them out and ask how I can be world champion. I want to do it on my own. I got to where I am on my own, with my family." Now THAT is a revelation! All this time I was under the misapprehension that Ron Dennis and McLaren had given him considerable support.
Enzo Ferrari was a great man. But he was not a good man. -- Phil Hill

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rkn
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Re: Stewart urges F1 to embrace driver coaches

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Michael also used to have a guy, think his Name was Balbir Singh. Don't know if he was only a mental trainer but he was his trainer, physio and PA, Singh has also been referred to as Michaels 'Guru'.

zac510
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Re: Stewart urges F1 to embrace driver coaches

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I have heard of this before, in a Racecar Eng or Race Tech issue about 10 years ago.

It's not so much the issue of the coach or not, but more is that the drivers are too egotistical and filled with sufficient feeling of success having made it to F1 alone to ever feel the need to take constructive criticism from anybody ever again.

Hamilton's comments, although probably paraphrased, fit with this quite well.
No good turn goes unpunished.

Conceptual
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Re: Stewart urges F1 to embrace driver coaches

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I think the most likely candidate would be the race engineer, since he is a familliar voice that really SHOULD be doing these things already.

I am honestly surprised that the teams haven't been doing some kind of psychologocal training for their race engineers. The drivers already trust what they say 100%. If LH's race engineer was educated in this area, he would have scenario responses already written. IE: Leaving closed pits, blue flag, fighting teammate for position, etc...

I am seriously surprised with the level of development that these cars undergo, and now drivers like LH who has 10 years of development, but not this kind of training to literally "operate" the driver.

Jackie isnt saying that the coaches tell the drivers how to drive, but almost be hypnotic in their effort to calm and relax the left side of the brain so the right-side "talent" can stay at the fore. Call him a race engineer/spotter/shrink hybrid, and GET THEM THE EDUCATION!

Chris

waynes
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Re: Stewart urges F1 to embrace driver coaches

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rentagob jackie stewart bleating in the run up to the british grand prix

nothing more predictable than an italian tank reversing when a car backfires

yawn

Conceptual
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Re: Stewart urges F1 to embrace driver coaches

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waynes wrote:rentagob jackie stewart bleating in the run up to the british grand prix

nothing more predictable than an italian tank reversing when a car backfires

yawn
Ya, because what he says only makes sense if you actually read it. It is MUCH better to simply dismiss him as a loon, and wallow in your own personal reality.

Did you even read what he said?

Chris

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guy_smiley
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Re: Stewart urges F1 to embrace driver coaches

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I think a driver coach is a great idea. Simple reason: it's only going to help. And as some of you have said, drivers have had them in the past and some drivers have them now. Who it should be--race engineer, trainer, team principle, etc--depends on compatibility with the driver.
Smiles all 'round!

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gcdugas
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Re: Stewart urges F1 to embrace driver coaches

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Fernando could have used one last year. I would have told him to shut up, stop whining, put your nose to the grind stone, be a team player, beat Lewis on merit, win the championship, come back the next year ('08) in the Mac as a three time champ in a winning car. All of this was easily within his grasp. Sure Ron loves Lewis but Fernando won Monaco and Ron told Lewis to hold station and come home in 2nd. Ron also gave him a winning car right up until the end. Hungary was just horrible. There was the quali stalling in the box, and even worse there was the blackmail threat given for #1 status or Nando was going to give "evidence" to Whiting. He really lost his head in Canada when the safety car screwed him and gave Lewis his maiden win. From then onward he was out of sorts.

We are really talking about two things. In golf they also use "sports psychologists" and "swing coaches". The engineer is close to a "driver's coach". However, to be fair, a few drivers have worked quietly with Rob Wilson in the UK especially on weight transfer timing with steering input at corner entry. I read one account where a driver was so impressed with making a few adjustments after riding with Rob, that he couldn't believe it when he found out that the touring sedan that Rob used was front drive. He searched in vain for the drive shaft tunnel because he simply couldn't believe that a front drive car could ever be coaxed into a constant state of mild over-steer even under acceleration.

I think the Tiger Woods analogy is fully appropriate and the first F1 driver that makes full use of an able coach will change things forever even as Michael Schumacher did ushering in the use of physical trainers and the emphasis on scientific conditioning.
Innovation over refinement is the prefered path to performance. -- Get rid of the dopey regs in F1

waynes
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Re: Stewart urges F1 to embrace driver coaches

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Conceptual wrote: Did you even read what he said?
yes

its funny how we dont hear a peep until monaco or the british grand prix though?

and i didnt say he was a loon, he's got a point, i just think he's a rentagob

waynes

dumrick
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Re: Stewart urges F1 to embrace driver coaches

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I read a similar opinion by Pat Symmonds last year in a F1 Racing issue. He mentioned that F1 drivers were usually too full of themselves to recognize that coaching could improve their performance.
This role is somehow now fulfilled by race engineers, but I agree they would need at least some competences in psychology to fully "coach". In a race situation, it wouldn't be that different from some rally co-drivers that modulate their voice tone and pace while saying their notes to adjust the driver performance (calm him down, make him attack...)

John Stitch
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Re: Stewart urges F1 to embrace driver coaches

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Some great responses, thanks. This subject is particular interest to me as it is, as well as other things, some thing I do.

Stewart has often mentioned “Mind Management” but has rarely gone out on a limb and been this specific.

As far as I know quite a few drivers have used either mind coaches or mind conditioning techniques.

For specifics I can tell you the following:

Ayrton Senna had mental training from Nuno Cobra. Joe Saward has credited this sort of technique to the incredible first lap at Donnington in 1993 when he writes “Senna went into what he called his “spiritual mode” and pre-programmed the lap into his mind”

Karl Wendlinger used something but I don’t know what it was.

Michael Shumacher had Balbir Singh

Kimi Raikonnen had Don Macpherson.
http://www.themindbender.co.uk/index.html
http://www.msabritishraceelite.co.uk/20 ... e=profiles

David Coulthard and Kimi used a guy called John Stevens although he is more of an on the track coach.
http://www.racecoaching.com/

Andy Priaulx was trained in something called “The Silva Method” which uses self-hypnosis / meditation. This is something I am very familiar with. http://www.silvamethod.com/

But the really strange thing about this piece is that Hamilton DOES HAVE a mental coach. His name is Kerry Spackman. He is a New Zealander and a neuro-scientist.
http://www.kerryspackman.com/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/ma ... orts.sport
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/ ... 977547.ece

The challenge for the coaches in this sort of area is that when a sportsman gets a coach who improves his performance the sportsman will rarely recommend him to all the other guys in the competition.

Getting referrals is a real pain.

Robbie

John Stitch
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Re: Stewart urges F1 to embrace driver coaches

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gcdugas wrote:Fernando could have used one last year. I would have told him to shut up, stop whining, put your nose to the grind stone,...................
The strange thing is I think Alonso has had such training (but I don't think he used it last year ;-))

When he was at Renault after a particularly spectacular win against Schumacher he was asked in the post race interview if he had considered settling for second place. His response was "I only pictured the win". This is very specific language if you are familiar with mental training and in fact an amateur driver and friend who I coach phone me up to ask if I had seen the interview.