the title says all, i dunno if LFS can improve your real world track driving skills (not city driving). I know it can make you focus on the track better but im just not sure if it is possible to make you faster on real tracks. Had anyone who drive on tracks and LFS felt LFS improved their driving skills?
does LFS make you faster on real tracks?
(18 posts, started )
does LFS make you faster on real tracks?
I have yet to participate in track days but I know for a fact racing in LFS with a good wheel certainly teaches you a few things about car control, braking, under/oversteer to give you a good start.
However, it certainly doesn't teach you alot since LFS is still a very different experience than a real car. It just helps you.
I remember my first ever driving lessons. I just drove off without any help from my instructor, I drove to the highway and dropped the other student off. If it wasn't for LFS I'd need alot more help.
However, it certainly doesn't teach you alot since LFS is still a very different experience than a real car. It just helps you.
I remember my first ever driving lessons. I just drove off without any help from my instructor, I drove to the highway and dropped the other student off. If it wasn't for LFS I'd need alot more help.
In a small way i'd say yes. It's helps you learn the theory of track driving in a "virtually practical" way... If you understand me. Can't really be sure as I can't try both options, but my 1st track day in my MX-5 went well, the instructor geezer was quite impressed for a n00b 
It depends, really... While LfS can teach you a thing or two about vehicle dynamics and car control, there are many things a simulator just can't teach... It's more a matter of: "Use know-how where applicable." rather than: "I learned in LfS, I'm the next Schuhmacher!"
To be good in LFS you have to be reasonable in real life. But LFS is a safe, cheap way to practice and hone skills, and see what works and what doesn't. Because of it I'm a better driver (on roads and on race tracks), and I can learn tracks, and visualise how to be quicker, in reality too. I also have a lot more faith in my ability to catch slides and cope with understeer etc, I have a lot more mental 'room' to race people whilst thinking about other stuff (tyre condition), rather than being able to only think of one thing at once...
Yes, LFS has helped, but it can't turn a shitty driver into a good one - at least not overnight.
Yes, LFS has helped, but it can't turn a shitty driver into a good one - at least not overnight.
It would definately help with the theory behind everything if you actually know about car dynamics instead of just playing the game. LFs has taught me about racing lines and how the car behaves that I can now use when I go karting.
Yeah it certain tells you alot about theoratical speeds that you can carry in an unknown situation, and about driving with anticipation. I was out of a kart for over decade and when I get in a rental, without knowing the grip available, it took only half a lap to familiarize with the kart and start pushing it, the handling is quite like a lighter and more forgiving mrt so it gave me the confidence to test out the limit right away. Without sim experience it would take longer to get into the comfort zone, since you don't have a benchmark in your mind.
It definitely depends on who you are, how you understanding of racing is etc.
Of course, LFS will make almost anybody better at driving an everyday car, but when it comes to pushing the limits and driving the car on the absolute edge, it's a different story.
I have always been quite fast at adapting to cars and tracks in LFS, and I especially have a flair for the formula cars. So after two years of sim-racing, I decided to give it a go in the real world last summer. I signed up for a Formula BMW license course in Valencia, and even though I didn't get through to the next round, I could definitely feel the influence from simracing.
I had no previous experience, but I could maneuver the car around easily, keep up with the other drivers and even catch up with them.
I still believe that the reason I didn't go through to the next round was because I was not mastering heel-and-toe, which was essential to be the fastest. Cornering, lines and stuff like that was good, and I can only thank simracing for that.
And learning heel-and-toe is just a matter of getting a clutch pedal, which is what I am currently aiming for.
Of course, LFS will make almost anybody better at driving an everyday car, but when it comes to pushing the limits and driving the car on the absolute edge, it's a different story.
I have always been quite fast at adapting to cars and tracks in LFS, and I especially have a flair for the formula cars. So after two years of sim-racing, I decided to give it a go in the real world last summer. I signed up for a Formula BMW license course in Valencia, and even though I didn't get through to the next round, I could definitely feel the influence from simracing.
I had no previous experience, but I could maneuver the car around easily, keep up with the other drivers and even catch up with them.
I still believe that the reason I didn't go through to the next round was because I was not mastering heel-and-toe, which was essential to be the fastest. Cornering, lines and stuff like that was good, and I can only thank simracing for that.
And learning heel-and-toe is just a matter of getting a clutch pedal, which is what I am currently aiming for.
Yes, I've used Tweak and setups to resemble one of my cars; firing it up and pointing it at an Autocross track is helping me get an idea as to which gear to use in which kinda corner etc, without scrubbing off tyres (at £70 a pop its saving me money
).i would say only theortically. driving on a sim and in real life are very different things, and i dont think physically the two relate at all. there is also some of natural instinct when racing for real.
Things which are fairly theoretical and quantifyable like racing lines it will definitely help with, but other things which you need to 'feel' it will not be so good with.
LFS certainly made me faster on the track and I think everybody can get faster with it, but only if you have a good and clean driving style. If you just jerk the car around the track and you're more then 4 seconds slower then the wr I wouldn't recommend you to go on the track.
Best thing I can recommend you is buying a good racing technique book and practice in LFS. After that watch a lot of onboard racing videos, read the book again, and then go on the track. You should just really "get it" why a racing car does this or that, and after that I'm sure you'll be a lot better irl.
Best thing I can recommend you is buying a good racing technique book and practice in LFS. After that watch a lot of onboard racing videos, read the book again, and then go on the track. You should just really "get it" why a racing car does this or that, and after that I'm sure you'll be a lot better irl.
I think it helps you to be more sensitive on pedals. So passengers whit you won't be sick after your driving
And sure you can use some techniques on track too...
But it all depends, if you are noob in lfs, belive me you wont be bethis IRL or opposite
And sure you can use some techniques on track too...
But it all depends, if you are noob in lfs, belive me you wont be bethis IRL or opposite
This topic has been done before (I believe. I know LFS/real world street driving has been done).
This can go both ways I imagine. If you have never raced before, I imagine there are things in LFS/sim racing that can help you. The understanding of vehicle physics and stuff.
Though, if you already race or run trackdays, or whatever, then nothing beats the real thing. Instead, it would be reversed. The racing or trackday running would help you in LFS.
I don't race or trackday. I take my answers there from experience of the "does LFS help you in real world street driving" topic. I've been driving for 19 years. I do like to get "sporty" with my driving even though I drive stuff like econoboxes and 4x4 trucks. It doesn't matter, I'm a driving enthusiast and know the limits of my vehicles whether they are underpowered ill handling econoboxes, or topheavy slow 4x4's. I learned nothing in LFS that I didn't know out driving my vehicles over the years in a "sporty" fashion. Oversteer, understeer, countersteer, throttle management, threshhold braking, etc I didn't learn in LFS/sim racing. I learned that from real world driving experience.
Thus, if you have no experience, then, yes it will help. If you already have the experience, then you aren't learning anything as you already know.
This can go both ways I imagine. If you have never raced before, I imagine there are things in LFS/sim racing that can help you. The understanding of vehicle physics and stuff.
Though, if you already race or run trackdays, or whatever, then nothing beats the real thing. Instead, it would be reversed. The racing or trackday running would help you in LFS.
I don't race or trackday. I take my answers there from experience of the "does LFS help you in real world street driving" topic. I've been driving for 19 years. I do like to get "sporty" with my driving even though I drive stuff like econoboxes and 4x4 trucks. It doesn't matter, I'm a driving enthusiast and know the limits of my vehicles whether they are underpowered ill handling econoboxes, or topheavy slow 4x4's. I learned nothing in LFS that I didn't know out driving my vehicles over the years in a "sporty" fashion. Oversteer, understeer, countersteer, throttle management, threshhold braking, etc I didn't learn in LFS/sim racing. I learned that from real world driving experience.
Thus, if you have no experience, then, yes it will help. If you already have the experience, then you aren't learning anything as you already know.
i liked the response, very detailed and really from a good personal feel, respect
i know exactly what you mean
hmm where can i get "good racing technique books"? i would love to read them!
cheers
No faster but very safety on road
Not automatically, it speeds up with learning process though, but it does not help directly to be faster.
In my opinion it does help somewhat IRL but not very much, but it indeed speeds up learning process greatly as you will have basic understanding there already so you need just to refine what you have learned to how things work IRL.
In my opinion it does help somewhat IRL but not very much, but it indeed speeds up learning process greatly as you will have basic understanding there already so you need just to refine what you have learned to how things work IRL.
Darn, its been a long time since I played LFS...need to bump me up to S2.
Anyways, I've raced a little bit on real race and rallycross tracks and all I can say is that the experience is entirely different.
In real world, you drive your car more with your bottom than with other senses. When coming into a sharp turn in real life I can literally "feel" the moment when the car is going to slip. You simply feel how the car is behaving basing on vibrations, slight changes in acceleration, how the wheel behaves etc. Unfortunately there is no way (yet) to put this kind of experience into a virtual simulator. LFS is the best racing sim I've played ever.
One thing LFS helped me to learn and understand is how suspension & ratio tweaks affect the car. Im a type of person who understands things best when put into practice. Being able to tweak every single element of car's suspension and then putting it into a race track to see the result is priceless.
Also, LFS helped me to visualize a manouver that I later used in real life. It was during a classic car race on a racetrack and there were 2 laps left. I was driving a Fiat 124 SC (1.8 engine, around 120-130 bhp) versus a BMW 2002 Ti (2 litre, 130 bhp). The guy before me was slightly faster, but I had stiffer suspension. So, coming out of a turn, I was right on his tail. I did the turn slightly faster than he, so I started the straight with higher velocity. It was a short, around 70-100 meter straight and I decided to overtake. I almost passed him but the next turn (sharp angle, around 120 degrees left) came in too close for comfort. I started braking and had to brake until well into the turn. It was a bit risky, because if he hadn't backed off a little bit I could have ended out of the track.
Anyways, I've raced a little bit on real race and rallycross tracks and all I can say is that the experience is entirely different.
In real world, you drive your car more with your bottom than with other senses. When coming into a sharp turn in real life I can literally "feel" the moment when the car is going to slip. You simply feel how the car is behaving basing on vibrations, slight changes in acceleration, how the wheel behaves etc. Unfortunately there is no way (yet) to put this kind of experience into a virtual simulator. LFS is the best racing sim I've played ever.
One thing LFS helped me to learn and understand is how suspension & ratio tweaks affect the car. Im a type of person who understands things best when put into practice. Being able to tweak every single element of car's suspension and then putting it into a race track to see the result is priceless.
Also, LFS helped me to visualize a manouver that I later used in real life. It was during a classic car race on a racetrack and there were 2 laps left. I was driving a Fiat 124 SC (1.8 engine, around 120-130 bhp) versus a BMW 2002 Ti (2 litre, 130 bhp). The guy before me was slightly faster, but I had stiffer suspension. So, coming out of a turn, I was right on his tail. I did the turn slightly faster than he, so I started the straight with higher velocity. It was a short, around 70-100 meter straight and I decided to overtake. I almost passed him but the next turn (sharp angle, around 120 degrees left) came in too close for comfort. I started braking and had to brake until well into the turn. It was a bit risky, because if he hadn't backed off a little bit I could have ended out of the track.
does LFS make you faster on real tracks?
(18 posts, started )
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