Pascal Eckhardt’s driving tips for the racetrack Concentration

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Pascal Eckhardt's driving tips for the racetrack Concentration
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Pascal Eckhardt’s driving tips for the racetrack Concentration

Pascal Eckhardt’s driving tips for the racetrack
Part 11 Full concentration

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A well-organized racing driver usually has his nose in front on the racetrack – says Pascal Eckhardt. A guide to how the time between turns can be used sensibly is available here:

Pascal Eckhardt

October 15, 2013

When I started racing and started in the Yamaha R6 Cup, I came into contact with the IDM paddock. Then I thought: “Are the IDM pilots such fun brakes that they only sit in their boxes?” A few years later I was one of those fun brakes, although I am really sociable otherwise. But at the latest from certain goals and a certain level you have to approach a few things professionally.

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Use and structure time

This also includes the time in the box. I know that most of them go to hobby events because of all the trappings – meeting buddies, exchanging heroic stories, turning on the grill in the evening and having a beer together. If you roll around like that, don’t feel a bit of ambition with the lap times and for whom the back places in the race are good enough, you can do that for the whole weekend.

However, I recommend everyone else to use and structure the time before and after a training session accordingly. That’s why fun doesn’t have to be neglected. But a chat with the pit neighbor is much more relaxed if the back of the head is not constantly boring that the visor is still dirty, the tank and possibly the canister are still empty and the tires felt somehow strange. If you want to get this done in the last ten minutes before the next turn, you will be stressed and get on your motorcycle completely exhausted. Anyone can imagine how the next turn will turn out, but a personal fastest lap will probably not result!

In my opinion, driving on the racetrack is a lot more fun if you do it in a structured way. When I have reached my goal at the end of the day, I don’t have to lie cramped in my motorhome and scream into the pillow, but sit down calmly with my friends at the grill and open a beer.

Tire warmers, air pressure, visor

Let’s go through such a process once – without claiming to be complete or in exactly the right order. Everyone does it a little differently, so this is more of a guide that you can tailor to your needs.

Your turn has just been waved off, you come into the box. First, you pull up the tire warmers and switch them on. The constant hot and cold is not good for the tires. Put your helmet and gloves aside and then directly measure the air pressure of the tires. Very important: Always measure the pressure hot, because you want to know what the tire is doing on the track and not when the motorcycle is in the pits. You can find out from the tire technician what pressure you need hot.

Next step: fill up with fuel. If you want to do it very professionally, you can fill up the tank and always use the same amount of fuel in order to be able to make better statements about the chassis. Also check brake pads, etc. should be clear. Then, if available, the data recording or the lap timer is read out. With the data in hand, I would then sit down and worry about the last turn without being disturbed.

Friends see something like that

I admit, undisturbed is such a thing. It is not uncommon for the box neighbor to come running with beads of sweat dripping from his nose and really want to get rid of what kind of awesome round he had, which highsider he was just able to catch or how mean one was driven in front of his front wheel. A polite hint that everything can be discussed in ten minutes, but that there are still a few things to be done, should suffice. Friends see something like that. If anyone doesn’t see that, I wouldn’t care about their story – no matter when or where.

Very important: clean the visor immediately after the gymnastics. There is nothing more annoying than discovering the next time you drive out that a fly carcass is blocking your view in front of your left eye.

Now comes the post-processing of the turn. But before we ask ourselves this question, we have to be clear about what went on in the turn and what things we noticed in order to change them or tick them off as good. For example, I always started with the sitting position. Was the brake lever too far? Does the translation fit? What do the spring elements do? What about the tires – is the tire picture correct, have the tires greased? Make a list of these points at the beginning and adapt it to your needs. Then work this meticulously after each turn until everything is done. Then you can start the next turn concentrated and calm. Give yourself enough time there, put on gloves and helmet in good time, concentrate on the route and which points you want to tick off there. And then let’s go.

In the evening around the grill, it will then be found out who the real hero is. I am sure that a well-organized racing driver will always be one step ahead. Then the after-work beer you deserve tastes twice as good. Have fun and success – that’s possible!

The coach “corner”:

Pascal Eckhardt has been riding a motorcycle since childhood, but came to racing late. In 2003 he entered the Yamaha R6 Cup, was runner-up the following year and finally won the Cup in 2006. After that, Allgau Supersport competed in the IDM, celebrated several race wins and made it onto the podium countless times.

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