[TD in DC]

In reality, I was only a little scared during the first lap until I saw (and felt) what Cervelli was doing.

Cervelli is a big proponent of trail braking. Before I saw how he drove my car, I would get "most" of my braking done in a straight line, turn in, and then get immediately back on full throttle and power through the apex to track out.

By contrast, Cervelli would brake about the same distance as I would, but he would use about 50% less braking pressure, which he would continue as he turned in to the corner. His corner entry speed was consistently 10-15 mph faster than mine. He would use the brake to rotate the car at the beginning of the corner, and then he would modulate the throttle until he could get back on the gas. He would get on the gas far later than I normally do, but he was so much faster because his entry and mid corner speeds were so much higher. He also corner braked to some degree at every corner on the track.

It was stunning to me because I had never ridden in a car with someone driving like that. I knew the theory behind what he was doing, but I had never personally experienced it. Nothing replaces feeling how a car feels when driven by a true professsional. I didn't know my car was capable of that, nor did I realize what my goal needed to be. Now I do. Imagine going 60 mph into Turn 6! It was even more shocking because it was in my car, so I knew exactly how much of it was car and how much of it was driver.

I felt that his method of driving is much safer, believe it or not. However, you really shouldn't run out and try this until you practice at lower speed and SAFE corners, because it takes a lot to get used to the proper timing of everything.

He also said that probably one of the most important differences between good drivers and great drivers is confidence in car control skills. So, if your goal is to be a great driver, you need to focus on the basics and become entirely comfortable with your ability to control your car before you try to imitate Schumacher.

Here is a comparative speed graph for Turn 5 at the bottom of the chute. The black line shows how i drove before I saw what Cervelli did. The red line shows Cervelli driving. Notice that I entered the chute a little faster than he did. We both braked for about the same distance, but he braked with less pressure, rotated the car with trail braking, and then held the car at a higher speed through the corner by modulating the throttle (he could not get back on the gas without spinning us) until he could accelerate fully again. By contrast, I overslowed without corner braking (I probably went about fast as I could if you don't trailbrake because my car understeers through that corner in the absence of trailbraking), which allowed me to get back on full throttle immediately. V shaped curves are slow. U shaped curves are fast.

I have more, but as }{ points out, I type too much.