i lost my self-confidence,

"Shall I calm down and just be a little milder?", "cost of repairing isn't an issue". Just because you have the $$ to purchase these cars, does not mean you can jump in one and be a race car driver. It takes time, lots of seat time. Slow down, learn from the instructors, go to competition school, take smaller steps, get better instructors. If your hitting walls every third weekend you go out something is not right. Couple of wheels off is one thing, walls and tires barriers are another. Glad you and your instructor are ok.

 

hit the cart races for a while.

Get a good instructor.

Take some classes.

Take some more classes.

then spec miata race.

Hopping into a 400+HP Ferrari is not the place to learn to drive.

I learned more driving a 240HP car near it's limit than I ever learned driving m 360 at 5/10ths.

If you keep hitting ****, you're not ready to drive.

D

 

I have tracked and raced over 25 years. I have been victim of 2 wrecks raced only 2 cars a lot, 348 Ferrari challenge and C5Z06 corvette (similar capability and power to your car). You have way to many incidents for the short time you have been on track. Car power is only part of the problem. Your shunts in lesser power cars will only have less carnage but incidents just the same. Big power cars will result in more potential injury it is just physics.

If you can drive streetcars safely without hitting anything you can drive a racetrack. It takes time to build up speed. Take proper lessons from recognized schools. There is so much to learn before you go fast. In fact fast is the last thing you need to learn about track driving.

 

I echo the comments here. (1) Start with a momentum car. Winning is based on ability, not your pocketbook. It can be quite humbling. (2) Get a coach, and (3) Start using Data Acquisition to really learn.

 

Dont give up on sport and so glad no one badly hurt.

But please realize your stats of accident every 2 or 3 trackdays is way, way, way (did I say way?) off base and unacceptable. I have had 4 spins in over 100 track days and 1 was in snow and other was because radiator hose spilled coolant on tires. So 2 spins from driver error over 15 years without any contact and they still upset me

first off you are clearly driving over your head. It is your instructors responsibility to recognize that and immediately pull you off track and make that clear to you. Hpde is not racing, qualifying, or testing. It is just a place to exercise your performance car for fun. You need to put your competitive nature away for the day and get comfortable pointing others by you.

Secondly a powerful race car on slicks without electronic stability is not good for you either. In theory. It shouldn't matter if you just drive within your abilities but in practice it is emotionally hard to be in a ferrari challenge and be passed by a mini. And having stability control will not only help save a spin but help you learn what your doing wrong.

I would get a low power, auto trans street car on street tires, leave all stability controls on, and hire a private coach. At very least slow down well before turns to street speed, coast from turn in through apex, and no power until well past the track out cone

hpde is fun but not worth paralysis or death to you or others

 

Buy yourself a shifter kart and practice. Build your technique, reflexes, and confidence. Then drive whatever you want, actually you'll find most cars boring to drive.

 

I say quit while your ahead - IE before you really hurt yourself or someone else. And FYI - a good soccer player doesn't make you a good driver.

 

Unless you have obvious issues with eye hand coordination, reflexes and car control, I would not quit.

You are clearly pushing to much for your current skill level. I question whether your driving coach is really helping you.

 

I've been racing off and on since 1959. Got my first FIA license in 1964

I have always raced either sports racing or open wheel cars in SCCA and Vintage.

I was pretty good at it Won more than my share.

I've been playing Golf for 20 years, played all over the world, taken lots of lessons, and I still suck at it, sometimes whiffing the ball completely.

Some things we're OK at, some we're not, that's just the way it is.

Sounds to me that maybe other sports beckon.

 

A crash every 2-3 track days? That's...worrying.

Get in something slower, cheaper to repair. **** your ego, you don't HAVE to drive a Ferrari at trackdays...you'll actually gain tons of respect for a) driving a car that suits your talents (you can always move up later) and b) taking a slower car and beating faster will be a huge ego boost .

Everyone is different, there are people that with very little experience get themselves in a GT3 car and are doing a decent enough job, or people who are driving much slower cars but can't seem to string laps together.

 

Just be glad you don't race motorcycles! I think racing is in ones blood. Why else would we spend so much and risk so much for no real return but the experience. Only you can decide if you are or are not a racer. Being good at it comes with time and practice. Most will never exceed at it. Its about the need to better yourself in a senselessly dangerous environment. Nothing really more rewarding. You should be commended for even participating in what others only dream about. I'd hang in there and take the great advice given by others here.

 

Wrong car.

Go karting, that is where you learn the skills, not from an instructor. You need to training your instincts not being told by an instructor how to think ... if you have to think it, you are too late.

Honestly why anybody would jump into a Ferrari and think that you can become a racing driver with a bit of instructing ... you should always start with a car that has more chassis than power IMO.

Karting, karting, karting ... that is where you learn how to drive.
Pete

 

NO TIMING LAPS!!

that is your downfall

 

You have yet develop the correct reactions and are pushing it. Driver inputs should come natural and come with experience. As I mentioned before buy a kart, learn the technique.

 

You don't have to sell it. Keep it, and once you're ready for it, use it. 5 seconds is LOOOONG on a short track. Get into something slower. Or at least buy a proper kart.

 

and be sure to avoid traffic on track. drive by yourself. if you are in traffic, just pit in and ask marshal to send you out when track is clear of traffic. this way you avoid car to car contact and no pressure on you to keep up with faster cars

 

if I were you, i'd just get one of these and forget about it,,,
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No biggie.
Just get a cheaper car to learn in. Put the Ferrari ego crap aside.

Ricardo just said he finally learned to properly drive a F1 car 2 years ago.

RICARDO !.

BTW a supercalifragilistic 360 ain't got nothing on a 50HP FV in a pack.
Now that's racing.

Did you give up on walking after the fourth time you fell ?

 

Frankly, I think you have too much money. When I first started hitting the track, I drove my 550 Maranello. One day, at a Ferrari event, the parts manager told me the hood on my car cost $8,000. I pointed at a Spec Miata sitting nearby and asked how much a race car like that cost, and he said $10,000. I said screw this and never drove the Maranello again in anger.

I once asked a Spec Miata guy if he liked his car. He said, "Hell no." When I said why drive a car you don't like, he replied, "Why would you want to destroy a car you liked?" Racing is racing.