I thought I'd post a topic to stimulate some dialog on video as a tool for learning. This could be video from a video game like GT 4 or video from a track.

Prior to going to VIR last year I studied a video of Watts at VIR doing a 2:03 lap after passing Stickley. I must have watched that lap 200 times before I got on the track last year in my IP car. I definitely believe it helped me learn the track and speed up the general learning curve on lines. I managed a 2:14 in the IP car and was happy. It's been said that many pro drivers use GT 4 to learn a track they haven't been on. A couple of years ago I did hundreds of laps on the Nurburgring in GT 4 and I'd love to see what it would be like in real life.
 
I watched the Watts video again as many times this year prior to April's race. Not to learn the track but to see if I could leverage the visual cues now that I would be in a CM car which would be capable of a sub 2:06 lap time at least. I believe it did help me achieve a personal best of 2:02.9 in the first race with a much lighter and more capable car than the IP trim of last year. I also created a video which allows me to compare the lap with my "tutor's" lap. I posted that in my blog:

www.driversmeeting.com/MarkMarquis/blog/40/

I find this comparison video very interesting as it helps me see where there is more in the car much like data acquisition. Now I just need an updated video from Andy or Brian with the 1:58 laps!

I believe some people are visual learners and some can learn by studying data. I believe I am a bit of both. I also believe there is a limit to what you can learn by simply watching someone else's work, it's just one input of many that are needed.

So what do you guys think? Has anyone else found that studying video is helpful? Just for learning a track or for more? I'm curious about Ross' perspective on this and what role video has played in his coaching work.

Cheers,

Mark 

I wasn't doing 2:02s, but I find watching video to be both enormously helpful and frustrating. You are looking out of this tiny little window. You can barely see elevation changes. Seat of the pants is completely gone. Going through the esses, turn 8 feels like nothing but it doesn't feel that way in the car. And so on.

I still watch a ton of video and it helps a lot. Until I have the turn numbers down I watch the video with a map. With VIR this took a while. I also find and use turn by turn guides when I can find them on the internet.

In his book "Speed Secrets" #2 (I think that's which one it is) Ross talks specifically about using video and using simulators as a learning tool. He also talks about using data aquistion systems for driver develpoment (I think that was in book #4 for the driver coach). Anyway, not speaking for him, I got the impression that he was definitely in favor of it. Personally, I start watching a track video usually about a month before an event to give me the mental image of speed before I get there. So far that strategy, along with using my instructors' knowledge for everything I can has kept me safe and improving. What I am interested to find out if it is working is the addition of simulated track driving. Being realistic about thw whole thing, iRacing is about as close as I will get to a real simulator but a couple of the tracks are within a few hours from me and I can get to Summit Point from my house in under an hour so I have signed up for it. Next week will be my first event of the season, can't wait to see how it has helped if any at all.

http://www.vimeo.com/6676211 http://www.vimeo.com/6676884

I don't know if I would class these as educational, definatly entertaining. The car I am driving is an old oval thunder car I rebuilt into a road car. The chasis is a 1982 Monte Carlo with a CASCAR body.