I wanted to share a driving technique I've been using for the last few months. In the past I've had a hard time picking a line around tracks. I understand the racing basics, but there are many variables, such as early, normal, late apex, etc. It started at Watkins Glen and the esses of turns 4a, b, c, d. I know the goal is to get the driving line as straight as possible. What I did was use the existing black tire marks on the track as a guide. The difference being I tried to get my outside wheels on the black marks. This meant the black marks moved from my left to right to left to right tires while my car deviated very little. I visualize downhill skiing where my skis move from side to side more than my body.
This also gets you to the apex of corners, sometimes clipping them pretty hard. I adjust where I am relative to those black marks depending on the curbing present, some sharper curbs really don't like to be clipped and some cars don't like clipping curbs. But overall this process has made me feel better about my lines. Now that I know what to do I just have to figure out how to do it. 😁
Known issues: No black marks present/can't see black marks. Reverse tracks not always the best.
Added bonus: There are often black marks where cars start to brake. This may not be where I brake, but it is another visual reference.
And remember there is lag between when I think 'brake' and when I actually brake, called reaction time. I've been caught out watching replays of fast people where I see where they brake, not where they think 'brake', so I move that reference point back a bit. At a mere 200 km/h (about 125 mph for the imperialists) that's close to 20 metres (20 yards for aforementioned imperialists) in 3/10s of a second, typical reaction time.