In the world of sim racing, data acquisition is crucial for extracting the maximum potential. Braking is, arguably, one of the most difficult driving skills in terms of finding lap time. In Coach Dave Delta, we make it easy to view your brake traces via the live data in the game and offer valuable insights into the driver’s performance. Analysing these traces can help sim racers improve their braking technique and gain lap time.
What Is The Brake Trace?
The Brake Trace represents how much brake pressure a driver applies over a position of a lap. Coach Dave Delta seamlessly imports live telemetry data into easy-to-read channel reports which shows timing and pressure while also making it easy to compare the reference laps from our professional Coach Dave sim drivers.
The X-axis usually indicates time or distance on the track, while the Y-axis indicates brake pressure (expressed as a percentage). The shape of the brake trace can reveal a lot about the braking style of the driver, including aggressiveness, smoothness, and consistency. The timing of the brake trace can easily show if a driver is overbraking, underbraking, or braking too early or too late.
A well-formed brake trace shows controlled, deliberate pressure, with appropriate modulation and release at the correct points on the track. The shape of the brake trace can highlight erratic or inconsistent traces that may indicate errors such as locking up, over-braking, or under-braking.
Coach Dave Delta also specifically provides data on the percentages of brake pressure along the braking phase, which can help determine lock-ups and other potential braking issues.
How To Analyse Initial Brake Application
Initial brake application is one of the most crucial elements in the braking zone. Top-level drivers apply the brakes firmly and quickly to their peak level where maximum deceleration is needed. This can be seen easily in the brake trace as a sharp rise in the initial slope of the trace.
Coach Dave Delta allows you to easily compare the rate at which you reach maximum braking pressure against a reference lap. If the application is too gradual, it can indicate a lack of confidence in the braking zone or a lack of confidence in braking reference markers of when to start applying the brakes. The aim should be for a smooth but rapid initial application, reaching the peak brake pressure quickly while keeping the car stable.
At the peak of the braking curve, look for juddering in the curve to identify where the car’s ABS may be engaging too aggressively, which can extend braking zones and reduce the car’s ability to turn. The duration of the peak where a driver is on maximum braking can also identify where a driver has been on the brakes for too long, compared to a proper reference lap.
The initial braking phase is also where it can be seen if the driver is properly threshold braking, which is a sign that either the driver needs to work on their technique or confirm that their pedals are configured properly to ensure they are getting maximum braking pressure easily when they apply the pedal.
Braking Through The Middle Of The Corner
After the initial pedal application, there should be a gradual reduction of brake pressure as the car approaches the corner. This brake reduction allows the driver to manage the weight of the car as it turns, with the aim of a smooth release of the pedal.
This can be seen in Coach Dave Delta, based on the slope of the deceleration curve on the end of the brake trace. If the trace suddenly drops off near the end of the braking, compared to the reference lap, the driver may be releasing the brakes too quickly which can destabilise the car as it’s turning into the corner (and the downforce loads decrease, if the car has significant aerodynamics).
The driver may also lack confidence in trusting the speed of the car, as it enters the corner and is slightly panicking as they come off the brakes. The objective should be a control and consistent reduction of braking pressure that matches the car’s deceleration and weight transfer loads.
How To Identify Trail Braking
Trail braking is the ability to gradually reduce brake pressure as the car turns into a corner, allowing the driver to carry more speed while keeping the front tyres loaded for better turn-in. In Coach Dave Delta, this can be seen as the brake trace tapers off near the end of the braking event, where the pressure is reduced rather than a complete lift of the brakes.
Our professional reference laps show excellent trail braking references, but this is also dependent on the type of car you are driving, as well as how it’s set up. However, the setups that are provided by Coach Dave Academy provide the driver with the confidence to brake late and trail into corners.
Examine your trail braking segments by comparing your brake trace with your steering input trace. The brake pressure should gradually taper off as steering input increases.
Conclusion
Brake trace analysis is a powerful tool for sim racers looking to refine their technique and improve lap times. By understanding and applying the techniques outlined above—such as evaluating brake modulation, mastering trail braking, and achieving consistency—you can unlock valuable performance gains.
You can learn a ton of useful information from this single data channel in Coach Dave Delta. The tools within Coach Dave Delta reveal areas of inconsistency or overdriving thanks to the fantastic UI and graphs that display this information in real time. By studying these traces, you can gain insights into your driving habits, such as how aggressively you use the brake pedal, how smoothly you apply power, and how consistent you are across a lap.
Each sim has a different approach on how to achieve maximum braking. It’s recommended to download reference laps from Coach Dave Academy and access our resources to learn more about how to maximise your braking performance!
