The Perfect Corner: A Driver's Step-by-Step Guide to Finding Their Own Optimal Line Through the Physics of Racing (The Science of Speed Series Book 1)

The main strength of this book is that it gives you a thorough and intuitive understanding on how to optimize any "standard" corner. This is presumably any corner with a single apex where the entire track width is used. The book is fairly well written and organized. Especially the first half of the book. Examples are given of different types of corners, and different mistakes drivers make and how to correct them.For an Autocrosser, the weakness of the book is that many of the corners on a course are not "standard" (the outside limits of the corner are often not well defined). So, much of the information in this book is not applicable .The reason that I don't believe this will ever become a definitive resource is that there is no actual math, real world testing, simulation results, etc. backing up any of the claims in this book. From my understanding of physics and math, I'd say it's reasonable to believe that most of the information in the book is accurate, but there is nothing to back it up other than intuition.Many reviewers are criticizing the "astronaut" examples used in the book. I thought they were an interesting way of thinking about the forces the car will see. Reading through this section, I got a little too hung up in trying to understand the exact angles of the forces, speeds, and shapes of the curve. I'd recommend readers not worry about these details too much. After getting farther in the book, I realized this section is just a loose analogy to get you thinking about the general direction of the forces. (For example the author refers to the curve shape as a parabola, but later in the book, he reveals that it's actually an Euler spiral).

I drove HPDE and time trials for 10 years and 10,000 track miles comparing data logs and videos to faster drivers looking for improvements. By the last paragraph of the first section of this book when I read "you will be able to watch their laps and identify where they are losing time" I was hooked. By explaining the goal rather than the "how," I was able to visualize my best course of action from any place on the track. I saw immediate improvement with my lap times. Most importantly, I enjoy driving more and my study time is much more focused.

I've been doing a mix of HDPE, instructing, karting and iRacing (sim racing) for a while now and have read a number of books on the subject. This is the first in a series of 3 books and I have to say is really excellent in cutting through some of the black magic and getting right to the heart of what is needed to optimize the line through a corner. Very little fat, just the way I like it. Highly recommended.

This book explains the physics behind optimal cornering in a detailed but intuitive way, but the physics isn’t simple, so be prepared to *study* the book and read it multiple times (I have a good physics background and substantial track experience).Based on the premise that minimizing lap time involves balancing both reduction of distance and increasing average speed, simply trying to increase speed at particular points on a track may be counterproductive and actually *increase* lap time. Instead, reduced lap time is achieved by always using the maximum force the tires are capable of generating in order to move the car in the desired direction, which generally means slowing the car during corner entry and accelerating the car down the track during corner exit. This is something you need to both visually see through spatial awareness and also feel kinesthetically - the 'Universal Cue'. The book of course expounds on these points in considerable detail.Overall, this is an outstanding and important book which takes a sophisticated physics-based approach to optimizing driving. But it’s essential that readers also move on to the second and third books in the series, which pick up where this book leaves off and take the reader’s understanding to a more comprehensive level.

I landed on the Amazon page for this book from one of the suggested items that was below another book I was looking at (can't remember which one) and the reviews were very compelling so I decided to take a chance since it was relatively inexpensive.I really enjoyed the book and felt like I got a lot out of it. On a recent track day at Roebling Road Raceway I was able to use the techniques in this book (and book 3 that deals with more complex corners like double apexes) to shave some time off in turns 4 and 5. Coincidentally? I also attended a Ron Zitza track walk that same weekend and, in two corners especially the line he recommended for more advanced drivers (the "Hurley" line through 4) was a match to the guidance in this book and in book 3. In turn 5 the guidance (from both the book and the track walk) had me driving a decreasing radius as I went through the turn, setting it up so that I could go full throttle by the apex. A lot of folks make a short straight through 5a/5b at this track and then late brake/rotate the car to power out, and I used to be one of them. Comparing my fastest laps using that approach with my fastest laps using the guidance from the book, I am .43 seconds faster in that corner following the approach in the book, and the corner felt much better as well.So far applying the principles in this book and book 3 (Perfect Corner 2) have been working out for me and I will continue to apply the ideas and guidance and see where it takes me.

Great book, I'm not a fan of the astronaut example but it thas the job. I was a decent driver before reading this book but I was always struggle to find the best line and was asking or looking to other drivers to find the best lines at the track. But after this very simple book I don't, and I know for sure that what I'm doing (or trying to) is the right way to get the lap times, is a must for everydriver that want to go fast. I have put it to practice and shave some time of my lap times right away!

I read few books on this topic including Ross Bentley's Ultimate Speed Secrets and Skip Barber's Going Faster as well as few others. However I can definitely say that the Paradigm Shift series of books are just amazing! Perfect content, very well written, no vague statements just pure explanation from the physics standpoint. It's not too technical though so anyone can really understand it.It's just simply the best book!

I really like the idea of these books, adding an understanding of basic physics to the art of driving a racing car, but it didn't work for me. Also feel that splitting them into 3 lightweight volumes is just a gimmick.

Excellently written and well laid out. The whole series is a must-read for people with track experience looking to find those final tenths.

El único pero que le encuentro es que está en inglés pero siendo gratis no me puedo quejar, por lo que he visto hasta ahora añade ilustraciones para ayudar a visualizar las explicaciones y parece que es una lectura corta y amena. Gracias a reddit, que es donde los autores han anunciado el regalo y a 900grados.es por recordarlo.

Absolute epiphany for everyone who wants to master driving and go from seeing driving excellent as some kind of sorcery to seeing und applying the principles behind it.Never invested 10€ as good as with this book and i will now by the other two of the series.