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relatively low power and high grip
using those tyres. You can push it
very hard before it starts to slide,
so you can actually turn in more
aggressively than in a more con-
ventionally gripped RWD car.
“With the power the way it
is, you can slide the car into the
corners to scrub speed and start
rotation, but if that slide carries
on into the mid-corner and beyond
then you’re losing out and you
can’t rely on the throttle so much
to help you out!”
Johnson has taken sharing the
Porsche as a chance to learn from
Hammond, a two-time champion-
ship winner. He says: “Working
with Pip has made the switch to
RWD much smoother for me. Pip’s
input to my testing and his ability
to articulate technical information
and analyse data has proven to be
invaluable. He’s fast in everything
from lap one and gets the most
from even the briefest test session
– a key skill when club racing on a
budget. I’ve gained time and confi-
dence every time I’ve had him in
the car with me.”
Testing together while using
Harry’s LapTimer means they’ve
been able to see exactly where
time is being lost. After a disap-
pointing weekend at Rockingham
for Johnson then a much more pos-
itive test session at Oulton Park,
Hammond went through all the
data only to find that Johnson was
losing time on left-hand corners -
something a lot of drivers struggle
with - often finding the right-hand
turns more natural.
This has allowed the pair to
work on their weak areas and con-
tinue to improve. While Hammond
maintains his 100% win record
after an almost-perfect weekend
at Snetterton at the start of the
season, the rest of the field is get-
ting quicker too.
Both drivers agree it’s easier to
go from FWD to RWD. Hammond
says: “There are aspects of being
quick in a front-wheel drive which
are actually a little counter-intui-
tive to those who’ve raced karts or
a RWD.
“I think FWD specialists are of-
ten seen as having a bull-in-a-chi-
na-shop approach but there’s a real
knack to getting it just right. In my
experience, it’s almost a case of
arrive too fast, turn in hard and too
late, then hit the gas pedal. RWD is
more of a natural driving style.”
If you’re a driver looking to make
the switch, Johnson has this ad-
vice: “Try testing a RWD car and
take an experienced driver with
you. There are plenty of differ-
ences but the balance of a RWD
car like the 924 will surprise you.
It’s exhilarating when you master
those sweeping bends.”
Driving a RWD car can be a
great way to develop as a racing
driver, as Hammond explains: “If
you start with something that has
a similar power-to-weight ratio
as cars you’ve driven previously,
you’ll have less to get used to.
You’re probably going to need to
smooth your driving style a little,
but it will make you a better and
more versatile driver in the long
run. Just don’t ditch FWD com-
pletely – keep your eye in with
both if you can.”
Switching shouldn’t be daunting
and, while you’ll have to adapt
your driving style, once the fa-
miliarity is there, the experience
can make you a stronger driver all
round.
Keep an eye out for Hammond,
Johnson and the Turn Eight
Porsche in the BRSCC Porsche
Championship.