Update

lovef1 · 8 Mar 2012, 18:20

Dear members,

I was wondering what do you guys do, to have confidence in your abilities. I seem to have pretty low esteem before a race, whenever I get into an incident with someone, I am always the first one to apologize even though at times it's not my fault. As always your advice is very much appreciated.

midgetman · 8 Mar 2012, 21:42

It's called experience. Relax. Enjoy yourself. Confidence and self esteem have to be earned from yourself, just as much as from other people. In no time you'll not be the novice, and someone will apologise to you!

midgetman · 8 Mar 2012, 21:52

I teach kart racing to 10 - 15 year olds. It's great to watch them flower from kids driving go karts into confident young racing drivers. You will too, just practice, practice and practice.

**dtype38** · 8 Mar 2012, 22:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovef1

Dear members,

I was wondering what do you guys do, to have confidence in your abilities. I seem to have pretty low esteem before a race, whenever I get into an incident with someone, I am always the first one to apologize even though at times it's not my fault. As always your advice is very much appreciated.

Confidence comes from knowing your abilities, working within them and striving to improve them. If you always drive within your abilities then you'll nearly always finish races (except where someone else driving outside their abilities crashes into you) and you'll always finish in the best position your ability allows. As you gain experience and skill by practice and learning from better drivers, your ability will improve and your finishing positions will too.

From your other thread I think you are not very experienced, but you should absolutely not think that means you don't have ability. It just means you still have a lot to learn. Don't get down on yourself before a race, just accept that you can't win races until you learn how to, and in learning how you're going to make a few mistakes. When you do, it is good to apologise for it (although you might want to wait til the other driver has calmed down). When it was someone else's mistake, and you are sure of that, you should shrug your shoulders and say 'these things happen'.

Stick to it and learn quickly and it won't be long before you're looking at new drives and smiling at the memory of when you used to drive like that

lovef1 · 9 Mar 2012, 01:57

thanx for the advice guys...

Denis Bassom · 9 Mar 2012, 08:21

I have total confidence in my level of ability. It is incredibly low and I just remind myself that this is all just a hobby, that I am out there to enjoy myself and as long as me and the car keep on improving then that is all I desire.

If you keep at it you will either keep improving or reach a plateau.

If you reach a plateau and aren't going quick enough to be enjoy yourself then get some training and get the car checked out...there is always a possibility it may not be you as a driver.

When I first started I was dog slow. I got someone to drive my car and he went a couple of seconds quicker than me which gave me a target to aim for. Years later a well respected professional driver drove my car, he was slower than me albeit with far less time in the car....just down to experience.

Peat · 9 Mar 2012, 09:39

Will echo everyone else view that it all comes with time. Be patient.

It is far better to be slightly lacking in confidence and slow than cocky/know it all and slow. People are willing to help the former.

Paul D · 9 Mar 2012, 15:24

I think it's a personal thing too - everyone will be different. Personally, I've never had a problem with confidence behind the wheel - probably too much so when I first started racing! But if that's the way you're wired, then that's how you'll be. If you're not a particualarly confident person generally, then you're going to have work at it and ease yourself in a bit more.

Me? In qualifying for my first ever race, at a soaking wet Oulton, I went out - convinced I was going to be the rainmeister - and promptly binned it coming out of druids on the first lap, and wiped the front and rear off my car! We managed to knock it back into shape in time for the race, and, starting from the back of the grid as I'd set no time earlier, I promptly got left behind at the start as, unknown to me, our green flag lap had been cancelled! Wasn't until after Cascades that I realised - but they were all long gone by then. However, I managed to catch up and even passed a few by the end of the race, so I salvaged something positive from an otherwise pretty disastrous day! But even that ominous start to my racing career never dented my confidence one bit - that's just how I'm wired.

Not everyone is wired that way (it's probably a good thing really, isn't it?

), and if you're not, then you're likely to be a bit more cautious until you've got a feel for it - and that's a good thing, and will certainly save you money in repair bills!

So, my advice would be, get out there, go at your own pace and don't feel pressurised into keeping up if you're not comfortable with the pace of the other cars. Keep an eye on your mirrors for faster stuff coming round to lap you and simply try to stay out of the way. As others have said, confidence (and pace) will build with experience. Most of all, you should be enjoying it - it's a hobby after all - and you aren't going to enjoy it if you put too much pressure on yourself to perform too early in your career.

Take it easy and have fun!

lovef1 · 9 Mar 2012, 18:37

thanx for the advice guys, I hope things will get better with time... Btw, I have a "proper" race at the end of the month. I'll be racing a 2 stroke 125cc, I'm having second thoughts about out it, since I can barely drive an 80 cc 2 stroke. Do you guys think I should just go for it, or wait until i have improved? I quote the word "proper" because, this is potentially the first race that I'll participate that involves money as a reward.

**dtype38** · 9 Mar 2012, 22:58

125cc is a big step up in power from 80cc. If you decide to do the race may I suggest you make a sacrifice to whichever god can keep the rain away

JohnD · 11 Mar 2012, 12:12

In the paddock, after any race, get out there and talk to the other guys. Ask how they got on, about their machines and their plans. Make conversation, maybe have a drink in the bar later. If you are too young for that maybe a Coke? Become known, and knowing, around the grid, someone who relates to the others.
Then, because you're not talking to the guy for the first time, it'll be easier for you to say something a bit critical, and because they know you, less easy for them to dismiss you without responding.

And if you do have a problem with someone else's driving, don't start off with a critical statement. Say something like, we had a problem there, didn't we, can we sort it out? They can still be arrogant, saying that you drove like an idiot, but at least they have the opportunity to not lose face by admitting straight away that they were at fault, and can discuss it instead.

It's called being assertive, and you'll find lots more advice on the 'Net!
EG http://www.crackingconfidence.co.uk/...ggressive.html
Good luck!
John

IAN #51 · 11 Mar 2012, 13:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnD

They can still be arrogant, saying that you drove like an idiot, but at least they have the opportunity to not lose face by admitting straight away that they were at fault, and can discuss it instead.

Good luck!
John

Spoken like an ex TR/TSSC veteran John !

;-)