What defines you as a good driver?

[Mr.Grandorifto]

I don't know if anyone has done this poll before, but i'm going to do it anyway. So like the title says, what makes you a good driver? Racing on-line, or having top times in the rankings. This will just be a straight up answer. If you look at the poll, please vote, even if you don't feel like posting. Every vote counts!

 

[supersonic-88]

Racing always for me. You can be great at time trials but its useless if you're not able to race other drivers properly. Racing is where the real test is.

 

[arora]

This is touchy........ I'll give me quick comment and run

Both! Live racing is of course more simulating but, nothing sweeter then nailing that perfect lap. There is a reason for quali times in all pro car racing, I like watching f1 q days as much as I like watching the race day 👍

 

[zed300]

Time trial teaches "your" fastest way around the track, a person may never be able to do this with other drivers on the road. But if they can still drive quick and compromise their fastest lines, that makes them a good driver IMO.

 

[IsmokeGT]

A fast driver is one who knows exactly what will happen with every input you put into the car. That said, a lot more input is needed to race other people, faster reactions, and knowing what will happen when you do those faster inputs to the car. By far racing Live is more challenging, rewarding, and defines faster drivers.

First sentence is a paraphrase from Carl Edwards on Larry King Live.

 

[Joel]

Racing for sure. I know all kinds of people who can shoot the puck (hockey) as good as an NHL player. But they can't do it in a game. Same thing here, if you can do it on you own, fine, but it's not worth that much unitil you do it in a race. (I should probably shut up right now because I can't do either )

 

[Dragonistic]

Both and more. Racing requires putting your car on the limit, being able to overtake, defend and not compromise to much pace. It's a game of tactics as well as straight up speed, but without any time trial speed you may struggle to even keep up with the race to do anything.

I also think other factors are involved in being a good driver, personally I think any driver worth his salt should also be able to powerslide a car, be able to correct quickly when put into a slide for whatever reason, be able to handle a variety of vehicles. etc. etc

 

[dranddad]

Mr Grandorifto good question after 40years of driving, 37 of which in a professional capacity what defines you as a good driver, two words, control and patience.

Real world Sim world, would you do some of the things in the real world that you do in the Sim world, after watching some of the guys driving, if they did their life expectancy would be very short.

But as it’s a chose of A/ B it has to be both. Learn your control and patience in time attack then put that in to practice with online racing.

Phillip.

 

[chrisbroughton]

Racing shows you can pull out the times whenever, and it eliminates luck to s certain extent - if you spend 10 hours a day for a year time-trialing one one track that doesn't make you great.

 

[rookiebalboa]

what defines me as a good driver, is that im not. I don't care! it's about having fun, and the people who have the most fun are the best drivers

 

[Mr P]

Being respectful and courteous to your opposition whilst still being competative is what makes a good driver imo 👍

But a great driver is someone who can race any car with any tyres on any track! ... and still apply the points I highlighted above

 

[MeAgainstYou]

Time trial teaches "your" fastest way around the track, a person may never be able to do this with other drivers on the road. But if they can still drive quick and compromise their fastest lines, that makes them a good driver IMO.

well said 👍

 

[CodeRedR51]

Both! Live racing is of course more simulating but, nothing sweeter then nailing that perfect lap. There is a reason for quali times in all pro car racing, I like watching f1 q days as much as I like watching the race day 👍

Agreed. Almost anyone can lay down that perfect lap when hey have the track all to themselves. BUT, kudos go out to the drivers that can take that time attack car and run fender to fender and win races with it.

I find satisfaction in taking a car that is not as fast as everyone else, the "underdog", and winning races with it.👍

Edit: which helps prove what kind of driver you really are.

 

[L_Hamilton]

Where's the "Both" option?

I think you need TT to sharpen your skills at that particular track and become consistent. Then you need racing skills when that TT has other people in it.

 

[Ardius]

Being able to drive a hotlap and being able to drive consistently and defend and attack are 2 halves of the same battle. Knowing when to push and when to hold back are needed to be a great driver.

So, I rate myself as a driver on how well I'm able to do in both time trials as well as in race situations. I try to keep a good balance though I tend to favour a consistent steady race pace rather than being a fast qualifier or a fast attacker.
I'll make most of my attacks at turn 1 on lap 1 (or wherever is a good passing oppurtunity, basically mostly lap 1 action stuff, as everyone is close together and you have to defend and attack to finish well anyway) and after that I try to keep a pace I feel comfortable with and attack drivers as I catch them. It might not lead to the best possible results, but its a lot less stressful and does bring in good results most of the time.

Thats not to say I don't have the odd race that I push 100% and go for the win or I don't try to qualify well or try to get a good time trial time. Its just I leave that for when I enter serious competitions, like the official GTP events. I don't enjoy getting stressed about screwing up, so for general racing I just drive for fun.

Anyway, I rate myself as a decent driver based on my attempts of time trials and doing fairly decent (division 3 in the registry is probably as far as I can go) and in races I've traded paint with some drivers considered the best and held up ok most of the time, I have very rarely led a race of GTP'ers, but on the couple of occasions I have. So I reckon its a bit of both is needed to make a good driver, but I guess I really just want to say I'm good

I suppose if you want the "proper" answer, its a driver who drives cleanly, is fair and always puts on a good show.

 

[balang_479]

Consistency wins.

 

[Paulie]

I voted race, I'd say it's something like a 35/65 split in racing's favour. You need to be fast in the first place of course, but in a race you need to be able to race closer to your time trial pace than the other guy, and use good racing skills all round to get on the podium.

 

[Mad94d]

I voted race even though i'm more of a TT specialist. The thing is with time trial is that it can take you a good hour to actually get a good time. In racing you need to punch out fast lap times as often as possible. I'm pretty conistent in TT's, I can do about 10 laps all within 0.1 of each other. But doing that in a race with all the other distractions such as opponents and passing moves. This can all affect the rythm of a good time trialer. That's why I voted for online racing, I believe that it's hard to be consistent with all the pressure involved in online racing.

 

[Chunkee_Monkey]

Both besides other non listed points. You need to understand, observe, learn the track and the machine which you can do in TT. You also need to understand, observe, learn the track, machine and other competitors in racing mode, to push the car to its limits in TT is ok but dont expect to push its limits in a race when the racing line is not available, besides carelessness and ignorance thats how collisions happen

 

[Anghammarad]

I suck less in actual racing

 

[Ghoa$t]

TT = Learning the fastest way/best lines around the track, which is mandatory in a real race if you want to have any real chance of winning. In TT hoewever you can have a magic lap where everything goes right and you post a great time when in reality your actual pace is way off. The way this applies to racing is that if you cant match your TT pace or if your actual TT pace is way off from your best time pace, in a race where there are many more factors other than yourself and the clock, for most drivers it becomes much harder to maintain that pace. Also, even if you're consistent in TT it does not mean you'll be consistent in a real race. The downside to TT is that no matter haw many times you go around a track it will not improve your racecraft.

Racing = Great judgment, patience, great reaction times, running alternate routes/lines to get around your opponent/traffic, consistency, and courtesy. Yet you can have all these things and still be way off pace because you dont know the quickest lines around the track, thats where TT comes in, to be fast at a track you MUST learn it and the best way to do so is Time Trial.

That being said, a great TT'er will never become a great racer if he sticks to TT alone, where as a great racer can achieve great pace and learn great lines through racing but the process will take much longer than if said driver had practiced using TT.


A good driver has a mixture of both, being a good racer and a good timetrialist. A great driver has the perfect balance of both.

 

[d3br34k5]

I chose online racing, but a decent ability with time attacks is essential for displaying any ability at all while racing online.

Integrated online and moderated 'race seasons' are needed. Time trial rank is the only gauge in town, as of now.


Oh, that and your record in Race Event 03.... 0-3

 

[TN2004S4]

TT = Learning the fastest way/best lines around the track, which is mandatory in a real race if you want to have any real chance of winning. In TT hoewever you can have a magic lap where everything goes right and you post a great time when in reality your actual pace is way off. The way this applies to racing is that if you cant match your TT pace or if your actual TT pace is way off from your best time pace, in a race where there are many more factors other than yourself and the clock, for most drivers it becomes much harder to maintain that pace. Also, even if you're consistent in TT it does not mean you'll be consistent in a real race. The downside to TT is that no matter haw many times you go around a track it will not improve your racecraft.

Racing = Great judgment, patience, great reaction times, running alternate routes/lines to get around your opponent/traffic, consistency, and courtesy. Yet you can have all these things and still be way off pace because you dont know the quickest lines around the track, thats where TT comes in, to be fast at a track you MUST learn it and the best way to do so is Time Trial.

That being said, a great TT'er will never become a great racer if he sticks to TT alone, where as a great racer can achieve great pace and learn great lines through racing but the process will take much longer than if said driver had practiced using TT.


A good driver has a mixture of both, being a good racer and a good timetrialist. A great driver has the perfect balance of both.

I think DK pretty much sums it guys:tup: Hell, I can't put any better. Well said DK.

 

[Jack]

To me personally, its a good racer.

Within TT's although it takes alot of skill to find those small .001's, you must find the lines required for racing and learn the track full... BUT... I also believe its alot to do with luck. Lapping for hours, and get that luckly 1 lap out of 300, where all you sectors are togther doesnt really call out too me.

Lapping consistanly within .5 of that time every lap in a race, overtaking opponents in paces you dont even see possible, defending your lines so your 3 cars wide, and general car control all shines in a race.

That to me defines a good driving and a good driver 👍

 

[Hun200kmh]

^^^^ what Jack said 👍

I'm not a good driver, just average, but in my view to have "racing skill" you of course need to drive fast in a clean track, but you also need to drive fast (and not mess up) in traffic.

Saying this differently:

The best out there in TT, if given the pole position and a clean run into Turn 1, will win a race.

But if they start at the back, will they get to the front? TT doesn't teach them how to do it.

So, only the "racing" teaches you how to be a "complete" good driver.

 

[JDigital]

Racing.

Lets also not forget the other factors that exist in racing which do not exist in TT.

Drafting, not being able to take your usual line because someone is in the way, the ever changing situations...

 

[The_Hate_U_Gave]

A good driver is definitely one who can race online. one who can lead or follow off the race line. No matter your pace or time trial speed.

being fast is nice....to know how to follow someone closely without contact but still close enough to pounce on any mistake makes a good driver. Their are plenty of fast drivers who just dont know how to follow. more often than not causing the lead car to crash because of a miss judgment. It is easy to tell a fast driver who knows how to race versus someone who is just fast but lacks good judgment.

For instance, turn 9 on suzuka (the 90 degree turn just before the bridge). Their are plenty of drivers including myself that if following someone closely, rarely and i mean rarely do we make any contact with the lead car. However their are a few drivers i know that if your leading going into turn 9, look out. They are not dirty drivers by any means but they lack the judgment to drive close in corners like this. Where even a small tap causes you to meet the sand. instead of having a rare incident when following closely at turn 9, it is almost rare not to have one. Again i am speaking of someone following you closely. These are not dirty drivers. they just lack judgment and this is how you separate two fast drivers. One who possesses the ability to push hard but is always aware of the parameters of his car. and the other who knows a fast line but does not or can not deviate from this line on a corner such as turn 9.

 

[santiagomo87]

time trial defines you as a good driver, online racing defines you as a good racer. Not all good drivers are good racers.

 

[TN2004S4]

time trial defines you as a good driver, online racing defines you as a good racer. Not all good drivers are good racers.

agreed^^

But you have to master them both to be great.... The separation between men and the boys IMO.

 

[The_Hate_U_Gave]

time trial defines you as a good driver, online racing defines you as a good racer. Not all good drivers are good racers.

But all good racers are good drivers? I thought the original poster meant good driver as in Micheal Schumacher is a good driver.
Racers start your engines!