Driver Analysis with DataTeq

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~ by Daniel Demaras ~

During my first Enduro Elite race weekend, I jumped into the driver’s seat of the race car for a two-hour stint, despite just one day of practice in the DriveTeq BMW 135i. Over the course of the weekend, I experimented with racing lines and found more pace as the laps ticked by, and I gradually grew more familiar with the Bimmer.

But while the process of going faster can take time from the driver’s seat, modern technology has dramatically changed the process.

DriveTeq refers to their organization as a complete motorsports ecosystem. Part of that is the DataTeq division run by Tim. Together with the experienced racer, I reviewed my laps from my first Enduro Elite race weekend, through a comprehensive analysis of braking, throttle, steering, and speed, all with overlaid video to better understand where I could make up time. On Monday, I had the chance to get back in the driver’s seat to apply these lessons on track.

A different race car means new handling characteristics and driving techniques required to get around most effectively. The soft suspension of the BMW means balance is the name of the game, requiring good usage of the brakes to keep the car settled on corner entry. In turn, more trail braking allows you to push your braking zones deeper into corners. This can be daunting as it means keeping the throttle pinned past your usual markers.

As I worked out these lines on track, I reviewed the data with Tim and found new ways to unlock time. Not only did I gain lap time, but I got a better understanding of how to drive the car effectively, which is important when adapting to new tracks in the future.

Big thanks to Tim and DriveTeq for providing me with seat time and data analysis helping improve my skills behind the wheel. As my second race in Enduro Elite approaches in two weeks, I’m certainly coming in with a better understanding of the car, and potential for better results than the first time around.

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