UPDATE PICS - Track day Tips?

[MrDo]

Hi

I'm off on a beginners track day at Brands Hatch Indy this Friday :driving: I'll be carefully as the Z4 is our only car (live in inner London so it's a toy really 8) ), but keen to know the following?

Does the Z4 have a rev lImiter? I think it does but on road I've never held it on the red line for long enough to find out.

Any tips from seasoned pros?

Sport mode or full on no DSC? The later scares me at bit given the dropping bend at Brands.

Thanks

 

[Aebous]

IIRC correctly there is a rev limiter, but you should be switching before then as it's a good way into the red before it kicks in. I'd be amazed if you went on a track long enough to hit the speed limiter :wink:



(Side note: First post from me in forever)

 

[Dreamer]

Brands isnt the ideal first trackday. Its quite tight and as its short, can get crowded. Plus the up and down sections can be a touch scary. Padock hill is a real test of nerve

Dont worry about the rev limiter (yes there is one) or turning the dsc of. Just go out when its at its quietest and have a bit of fun.

I never use sport mode on track as i prefer the longer accelerator travel. Feels less on/off.

If you dont have upgraded pads, then dont overcook it .

 

[Adamski]

I've been just shy of 6,500rpm without the limiter kicking in, but guess it can't be far past that... :fuelfire:

 

[Ellardo]

On a 3.0si it comes in when listening to very loud music at 7k and it feels like hitting a brick wall, trying not to do it again.
My 1st car (Rover V8) used to go into the red band and out the other side before running out of puff.

 

[bigshurv]

The rev limiter will stop you knackering the engine if you are concentrating so hard you lose track of the revs.As already mentioned, relax, go at your own speed, take care of your brakes, and drive as smoothly as you can.You'll love it.

 

[playalistic]

Brands isn't the ideal starter track but since it is a novice day you should be in good company.

Leave all the driver aids on and get some tuition on the day. You will be driving the car like you do on the road initially and you will be surprised how much harder you can push once you have an instructor giving you some guidance.

Make sure you have a few outlaps in in laps for each stint. On your inlaps you want to just cruise without braking to cool off your brakes as much as possible. When you come in after a stint put the car in 1st gear and do NOT use the handbrake. Let the engine idle for a few minutes then turn the ignition off. If you have been hard on your brakes and use your handbrake when you come in you will have your pads melted to the discs. Don't do this

Above all, enjoy it and don't feel you have to prove anything to anyone. Have fun.

 

[ga41]

If you dont hit the limiter at least once then you're not trying hard enough! oke:

Seriously now just follow the advice of the chaps above and you'll do fine! Take it easy at first and just enjoy yourself.

 

[drjhill]

Rev limiter protects the engine from overrevving as you accelerate, you cannot drive through it. But it cannot prevent overrevving if you fluff a downchange under load

But if you are following the sensible advice above you probably won't be doing that on your first trackday.

I'd leave DSC on until you are more experienced/confident. Won't spoli your fun but might get you out of trouble

 

[MrDo]

Wow what a day! 8)

Thanks for the advice folks.




My first track day :driving:



Thanks for the advice folks. The rev limiter worked fine.

Brands Hatch was very wet this morning.



I'm in the Z4. Sadly, on the next lap (only the 2nd lap of the day) the father and son in the Z3 roadster behind me overtook on the Brabham Straight and sped into Paddock Hill Bend too fast. :!: The Z3 over steered as it looked like they kept the power on in the bend. They slid off into the gravel, digging in with the passenger side wheels and flipped the Z3 which went into a double rollover, ending up the right way up. They are lucky they had a hard top fitted and although the Z3 is a write off, they walked away from it.

The Z3 went off a bit like this youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSSFouKzqCg


I kept the DSC on and as the track dried up got faster, but I think everyone was still a bit intimidated by Paddock Hill Bend as another car went off in the session after the Z3 was written off, plus a couple of motorbikes in the 2 bike sessions that interspersed each car sessions.

20 minutes sessions were enough as driving around you could smell the brakes of the cars up ahead. As playalistic wisely mentioned, the brakes get very hot so no handbrake when you park up after a session.

Thanks again to everyone for the tips

 

[ga41]

Wow! That must've been scary to watch! Glad to hear they're OK!

Also glad to hear that you enjoyed your first trackday.

 

[Adamski]

Great write up. I have never done a track day, but Knockhill is calling


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MrDo]

I have to wonder how survivable a roll over with the fabric top down would be in a Z4?

 

[dyshipfakta]

Very reinforced windscreen surrounds and rollbars too. My old mgf had no roll over bars just the wind screen and have heard of 2 or 3 of them rolling and people walking away without a scratch.

 

[Sirwacko]

I have to wonder how survivable a roll over with the fabric top down would be in a Z4?

Yup. Safest soft top, top stars on safety tests

 

[Dreamer]

Glad you had a good time

Paddock hill is a hairy one and its best to go in with caution!!
When i was there a corsa did the exact same thing as the z3. Luckily he had a rollcage fitted but it didnt look pretty afterward, definate write of. Im guessing nearly every trackday someone goes into that corner too hot and wirtes their car of.

I think one of the downfalls about it having a gravel trap is that if you did flip and had the roof down you would be litterally sandblasted in the face, which if you didnt have your visor down would be a nasty outcome.

My advice, get to Bedford and really let rip. Its like a playground where you can exploit the car to a huge degree without worry. :driving: