Using the Oversteer/Understeer widget in Coach Dave Delta can provide valuable insights into your car’s handling balance, allowing you to refine your driving and setups effectively. Here’s how to make the most of it.
Step 1: Locate the Oversteer/Understeer Widget
Have open either a current session you are already in, or open one of your older session data in Coach Dave Delta.
Find the widget labelled “Oversteer/Understeer,” typically displayed on the right side of the app, below your sector breakdown and tyre graphs.
Step 2: Understand the Graph
There is no point looking at the graph if you don’t understand it first, so let’s break that down for you:
• Oversteer: Highlighted by the car over-rotating and turning too much in a corner, that will see the widgets migrate to the right.
• Understeer: Highlighted where the car resists turning and pushes during a corner, which will see the widgets migrate to the left.
• The widget aligns with specific sections of the track that highlight oversteer and understeer when cornering, allowing you to pinpoint where handling imbalances occur, in both high speed and low speed, thanks to the over 120kph/under 120kph markers on the widget.
Step 3: Study the Data Alongside the Widget
You can see when reviewing the widget against your lap and the data available, coupled with your own knowledge of the lap, if your steering inputs were correct.
• Excessive steering input with little directional change = understeer.
• Minimal steering input with significant direction change = oversteer.
• You can also check if speed or throttle changes correspond to these handling imbalances based on the graphs.
Studying this data will help you look for patterns and problematic areas with oversteer or understeer in the driving or setup. eg. Does it always oversteer in slower-speed corners, or does it always understeer in high-speed corners?
Tips for Effective Use
• Consistency First: Ensure your laps are consistent before analysing the data. Oversteer/understeer might appear exaggerated if driving inconsistently.
• Combine with Setup Adjustments: Use the widget alongside setup tweaks in Coach Dave Delta to test improvements. For instance:
• Reduce understeer by softening the front anti-roll bar or by increasing the rear ride height.
• Minimise oversteer by adjusting the rear toe or stiffening the front anti-roll bar.
• Overlay Laps: Compare multiple laps using the widget to see if adjustments reduced oversteer/understeer in targeted corners.