Rebuilding Confidence after Nürburgring Crash 

Important note about weight transfer. You start doing this when you're already at the limit of the tires. Anything less than this, and you're still primarily just steering the car. As a person learns to drive fast, they learn how fast the car can go. They might have very brief stints of 9/10ths or 10/10ths at small sections of a course, but everywhere else they're at much less. Mostly, you're just steering around the course. Then you slowly push harder and harder. You start seeing those 9/10ths and 10/10ths limits more. Now you're getting up to speed. You're starting to actually sit at the limit more, for a duration of time now, through a lot of the corner, for several seconds at a time. Now you start playing with weight transfer. Now it starts to really mean something. The last part is dissecting the track, figuring out lines, knowing exactly where you want to place the car. Where do you want it to be right now, what position, what angle. You start asking yourself how can I be at 9/10ths and 10/10ths in more places? The exactness of placement of a car is where you really dial in fundamentals like weight transfer. You'll start to manage tire vectors and chassis inertia and delays in motions. You'll get more deliberate not only with timing of inputs but rate too. You really begin to make the car dance right on your virtual ideal line you've mapped out in your head. Now that line might not be the best line, but that's a whole other thing. There are two very dangerous times for a newer driver. One is when they first start experiencing 9/10ths and 10/10ths driving for the first time. To actually reach limit, and then go over that line. The car will do things they've never experienced before, and there's seldom any mental gymnastics they can do to save themselves if it goes very bad. They simply lack any experience. They have no reference, no understanding. Part of the respect of the hobby is humility in one's own capacity. With time you learn to tip-toe cautiously to the limit. Misha made a great point with sims. Sims are a wonderful place to just go ham and do wild stuff, and it can teach you a ton. It is a very safe place to do very bad things and learn from them. And if the sim is good, it will translate quite directly to the real world. But you have to respect the real world because there is no reset button. The second is ungrounded confidence. There are points where people think they're hot stuff and go a bit hard. Often this is also still with a moderate lack of skill or understanding of car dynamics. Very, VERY commonly this utilizes and reinforces really bad behaviors, like one handed driving, being very aggressive with driving inputs, and dealing with corners AT the corners rather than before the corner. People correlate hard driving with fast driving. Stab the throttle, stab the brakes, yank on the wheel, feel the forces from that and look at how fast I'm driving, right? Right? They constantly flirt with danger, but it just hasn't quite bit them yet. Real fast driving is smooth driving, delicate driving, surprisingly boring driving when observed as a spectator. A very fast car will often look like it's just casually driving down the road. It'll be on the knife edge the whole time, but man it sure looks slow. It takes serious self-reflection to begin to understand and grasp how you as s driver influences how the car behaves. And with time, you learn to be fluid enough to drive a wide variety of cars well because you're self aware enough to adjust yourself to what the car likes and what its mechanical properties are. A Civic Si is driven vastly different from a S2000 because they a mechanically extremely different cars. You the driver needs to be humble enough to remove yourself from the equation. You adapt to what the car wants, what it can do. It's not about you. All you have to do is listen and learn what it teaches you. I've been racing as a hobby for over 15 years. I am not confident with any car I drive at the limit, even my own cars that I've driven hundreds of times. I am forever cautious, careful, always listening, always adapting, and doing what it and the road surface likes. It's not about me at all. I'm just a dance partner, but it's taking lead. Humble yourself, and you'll be a much better driver. I'll end with a small note. Experience is a means of amassing a tool kit of knowledge. You learn a small piece here, a small piece there. You understand the tool and apply it to do work, to solve a problem, to impart change. No inexperienced driver is good. Some may learn faster or more intuitively know what to pay attention to, but competency takes time. It takes a wealth of experience, years, and then more years. There is no reason to hurry. There is no one to impress. The hobby should be for fun, for self exploration and growth, and there's no checkered flag waving at the end. Relax and have fun. Both experience and skill will accrue automatically. And if you forever view yourself as the student, maybe you'll come into every experience with an open mind and an eagerness to learn something new.

Thanks to all of you guys for the positive comments and well-meant advises. Not often you find this much respect and tolerance within an online community. And once again a big thank you to Misha for taking me on this lap. Yes, I’m Patrick from the video 😅 For those who wonder how the story of rebuilding confidence is continuing so far, here a short insight: The lap with Misha was the best experience I could wished for. Especially since I did not expect (neither force) the crash at any time, the instruction lap with Misha helped me to build up an enormous amount of trust into the car again. It showed me clearly what the car is capable, if the right amount of driving skills is sitting in the driver seat. Even I might have known before, I feel now first that I really understand how important experience and driving skill is for safe and fast (secondary) driving. In order to gain those skills I have visited a one day safety training with focus on track driving (actually my wife booked the training for me straight after I came home with the damaged car, haha). An additional 15 laps on the ring has also brought back some confidence in the meantime. Besides that I have started to take SIM training at a SIM racing center nearby. Unfortunately they don’t have the Swift in their program so I drive a Clio RS, which I hope has similar characteristics. Last but not least I have spent some time (and money) in making my car more safe and reliable, as it’s now equipped with a Wiechers roll bar, Recaro PP’s, Schroth six point harness and the Öhlins R&T suspension. Super excited to experience the new setup on the ring late August!! So as for me…you don’t need to worry that I will give up in near time ✌️

Great instructor lesson Misha! All the best for Patrick, you got this man 🏁

It says a lot about Patrick's character that he was willing to be vulnerable with someone with a huge RU-vid channel on camera to improve himself. I hope he regains that confidence and gets back on the Ring! I'd love to see a video of him driving with Misha in the passenger seat observing

"...of course you have idiots everywhere" Man this is the best channel I have discovered in a very long time. You are so down to earth and willing to share knowledge and feedback in a succinct, yet pleasant and empathetic manner.

Great safety lesson Misha - must watch! Good luck Patrick, and anyone this has happened to. Been in two potentially fatal accidents - 1. sliding out at ~120 km/h in a corner, and 2. actually flying off the highway down the enbankment at ~80. Getting confidence back is a long process that can in most cases probably not be helped through rationality - it's an emotional process. As I've said, all the best to anyone who has suffered from this - you'll get back, it just takes time. Oh, and like mentioned in the video, indeed, even a passenger lap with Misha has the potential to change you as a driver. Sure did for me. I wasn't a bad or slow driver before, but witnessing what the car can actually do, when it's driven how it should be driven, gave me quite a bit of extra confidence. I can only recommend the experience to anyone.

the owner was listening to you so carefully that it is more than proven how important it is that you do and represent for all those who like to run safe and have fun, which I want to believe are the majority. congratulations 👏

Such a humble and lovely guy Misha is, great teacher and explains everything calm and perfect. Patrick seems like a amazing person aswell! wish him all the best on track, be safe and enjoy!

i started myself with sim racing in 2017. in 2018 i started to drive on e ring. and in 2019. got myself a year pass, and whent almost every weekend to the ring in my corolla diesel. did 4-6 laps a day. and could do 2 weekends on 1 tank. now in 2022 i started coming back again. and soon i wil start going more amd more. and it staryed with one turn of a wheel.

A must watch. What a great lesson! Imagine if more people signalled when they were going to stay on line before giving way.

Fair play to Patrick for reaching out to you I'm sure that took a bit of courage and fair play to u also Misha for helping him. What you are telling him about keeping your eyes on the road while being over taken was a very valid point. My first year I was guilty of this and I was on the grass. Luckily I got away with it.

Excellent insights about track analysis. I do several track days on motorcycles, but I spend a lot of time watching videos from faster riders and my own videos to figure out what they're doing better and where I can go quicker while staying relatively safe.

Spread the love and knowledge!!! Is really nice to see good race drivers helping new one!! Can bee scary to start in this word!! Keep driving!! And improving

Can confirm that even an entry level force feedback wheel like T300 strapped to a desk can teach you a LOT about weight transfer and how a car behaves in different scenarios. IRL I daily drive MX-5 for about 15 years but only after I started sim racing (~3yrs ago) I developed this deep understanding and feeling of the car and my inputs got a lot more deliberate and precise. I have no issues with confidence anymore and I feel like I'm finally ready for more powerful car :D Thanks Misha, great video!

Very sensible approach... The Suzuki Swift's are a great little car. So much fun... and they drive pretty dam good.

What an important video, props to Patrick!

I own two swift sports the Mk2 is still my favourite, although the Mk3 around town is quite nice with the turbo. Great easy to drive reliable cars. Ofc there are faster cars but what's the fun in that you just end up on the track less than the slow cars :)

You learn a lot from driving in the sim. You can also do a driving safety training to learn how your car behaves in different situations. Knowing how your car behaves and being able to catch oversteer gives you a lot more confidence, the speed will increase naturally. Really good video and a fun car!

Great video, everyone can learn from it a lot. I just wanted to add one more way of learning, for me watching from a passenger seat as someone else is driving is an amazing way to learn. I remember when we went out with Misha in my Alfa - during one lap I've noticed so many things that I could do better, it works great - at least for me!

I just got a Swift Sport so watching this video has been really helpful. Where I drive it's more single track country lanes with lots of mud so a little less predictable to drive than the ring 😂. Thanks to both of you for the awesome video!

Recently found this channel and my god what an amazing person. Obviously your driving skills are extremely excellent loved the Porsche video. Thank you for being so awesome and so kind ❤

Awesome lesson Misha. Not only for Patrick in his Suzuki Swift, but also for - US - the numerous Nordschleife novices, regarding correct use of mirrors along with correct right/left indicator ‘language’ for faster cars looking to pass. You have mentioned many times Misha about the purchase of a ‘beginners’ car and fitment of appropriate modifications like brakes, tires, increased oil and water temperature capabilities, roll cage, seats and harness. Not overly expensive modifications for cars like this Suzuki Swift that will increase handling, performance and experience as you learn to drive effectively at the NBR in a car that has enough speed to have fun whilst accumulating 100’s of laps and experience.

Misha, this is one of the best video's you've ever made! Giving the driver tips, giving him more confidence!

A lot of fun to be had in an inexpensive car.Slow & steady Patrick you got this.Misha the guru,we all learn from clips like this bud👍🏻.

It's a pleasure to listen your advices even from a video Misha! Great video, keep it going

I just got my 1st sim wheel G29 few days ago cuz I totaled my car.. unmarked roadworks and stopped traffic behind a blind corner dont mix too well.. I knew sims where very good but hearing you say how much it helped you.. now I cant wait to learn, because I do want to start going on track days at my local track with a car and a bike too.. I just wish one day to rebuild my sierra and take her to the track.. it was such a blast to drive

Nice of you doing this Misha. I myself had a crash in september 2022 with my yellow EK. Was a big mental blow and financially. Took me a while to get going again. Luckily friends helped me through it. Dennis Derks, the yellow EG you drove, helped me with my first round ring again. He drove while I was passenger, but took it easy. Now time has passed and I've been able to give it a rest and am exited to visit the ring again. I'm even working on my own EG now :), but it has a stock 1.4 in it. But with time I will make something amazing. Not long ago I got it painted in captiva blue.

I know EXACTLY how he feels. I crashed my dirt bike while racing pretty bad last year. Didn't ride for almost 9 months an just recently started again. Its like i went backwards in my skills an confidence. Slowly working on getting my confidence back an working on little things to help keep me upright an on 2 wheels

Hav the same car, stock. Did my first 3 laps last Sunday. Epic experience. Good car to start I think.

What I like about this channel, I can sit down and talk to Misha as my self if I ever crossed paths with him. You don’t have to fake a personality. He’s direct and will drop a couple f bombs with you. Learned a lot racing on the sim from his videos. Thanks for these tips. This video is very helpful as I have my first track day coming up at lime rock race track in Connecticut, US. Thankyou, and I hope this man regains his confidence and enjoys himself

Patrick I’m over in October in my swift I’m happy to take you out for laps if it helps. Always keep a torque wrench in your car as after a lap they get a little loose once tightened they are fine again!

Loving the comments on this one almost more than the actual video, which is really damn good. Cant wait to see you hit a million Misha, keep up the good times!

Really enjoyed this type of Nur content. Misha, it's hard to imagine how meaningful the help and informative input for people like Patrick by people like you is. Loved the fact that you mentioned SIMracing as a really well and powerful to lift up the skill base and learn the work with car chassis and car weight, dynamics behind the steering wheel safely and no danger for the wallet or others or himself, it definetely is for 300%! :) Most likely by the YT stats the huge power cars with louder names on video title and thumbnail makes more views per video, but this type of "down to earth" content really warms up the soul.

That was an amazing instructional video, thank you very much Misha! :)

What a fun car and extremely nice man! As always, Misha instructs so well!🎉

Loved this one, a lot of videos you don't talk so this was refreshing and I feel like I learned a lot!

Crashes always haunt you, at least this is what it does 2 me. I wish everyone would have such good teachers, because the mind will always remember you what happened. Nothing better then to have someone to get your confidence back who knows exactly how to drive. Keep it save and good luck!

I own a Swift sport too!! So excited!

I absolutely loved this lap! Really, confidence inspiring for the owner of the car. I hope you do another lap with him to see his progress.

after owning a miata NB, then buying the same exact swift sport ZC32S, i was afraid to take it on the track, i tought it cant take a beating. Turns out, it can!

Great video, good for him getting back on the horse and being man enough to ask for help to many people need it but don't ask. GG

Very insightful vid, thanks. Accelerate and brake for steering brings to mind Hamiltons Top Gear lap

Misha did a great teaching 👍

As fast as Blue R34

Slow in fast out 16:52. I heard Barrichello saying that once. He also said that the point to start throttling is when you start seeing the next straight. There might be exceptions like long high speed turns but it is a good head start.

I really enjoyed this type of video where you give some tips and tricks , it would be awesome if you could make a mix between fast laps and beginner friendly type of video, Also would be interesting if you could make a ranking video at the end of the year with all the cars you have tried and with some thought!

What a master class Misha! Great educational video

A rare one too a 3 Door swift sport we doesn't get those, only the 5 doors. Nice one !!!

Миша, спасибо за то, что поделился знаниями, очень интересно было слушать. Про сим-рэйсинг хотел добавить, что есть виртуальные курсы, где дают теорию, потом практика и небольшие заезды под наблюдением инструкторов, сам в такой обучался от Скотта Манселла, очень понравилось, после этого стал себя чувствовать за рулем намного увереннее. С большим удовольствием смотрю за твоими заездами, спасибо. P.S Если будет возможность найти Levin/Trueno AE101 c 4a-gze, интересно было бы услышать мнение о машине, очень мне она нравилась.

Could you do a video with tips on cornering at high speeds and where to look at, or what to look for. When you approach a corner at high speeds, do you look at the corner itself or you look far ahead into the corner. Your tips to constantly look at the road even when you are being overtaken are something I never thought about, but now that I think about it, it makes sense to look at the road ahead of you. After all you subconciously will steer in the direction you are looking at (atleast I think so). Another great video from you

I remember the first and last time I induced lift off oversteer in an empty road in a high visibility corner in my 2 tons fwd suv. It was so subtle and controlled that by the time I was exiting the corner the car strightened smoothly in its own and recovered grip after trottle input while pointing forward... I did it while it rained too and only using my lane. Doing it in more grippy conditions would need more speed and more than just 80kph and way more dangerous and unpredictable. Never tried it again but it was good to know the limits. I had practiced with a civic in the sim a ton.

Extremely instructional video! Thanks!

Best Video Misha! I would say you are one of my favorite drivers over all (MSC, Röhrl, Lauda, Richard Lietz, Misha, )^^

I love the fact that Misha mentions sim racing. Of course, the G-force of cornering is missing but I've never been on the ring or driven a real car fast, but I definitely know how much weight tranfer affects handling.

Great video!

Good talking, great lesson Misha! I'd love to do data analysis with people to compare eachother and learn more! Also the next level thing sounds interesting! I was very surprised by the pro drivers on the Porsche GT3RS day at Spa when they told you to brake later 😂

Watching RU-vid Ring laps not for fun… but for analysis, watch when other people brake etc. That helped me alot. And also watch cars that are equal.

Jimny and Swift! Two best drivers cars in the world! 😍 I dont even have a proper drivers license but I drove a Hyundai ... something rally kit car for a few km's on a gravel road once... 120 hp in a car maybe even smaller than this Swift... or probably about the same, it was amazing, weirdly enough it was used as a street car, it was not all built up for rally, but anyway, I got to drive it... And think of that experience when I see these! :) This was like 15 - 20 years ago xD Your advice and your approach to all of this talking to these guys when they ask for advice, you are so nice and helpful and you are not trying to pull them in to Apex specifically its just very thoughtful and great advice without looking to make a buck out of someone, its so refreshing and awesome to see! You are a good man Misha! :) But I still maintain that I think you go a bit too hard sometimes lol This one was more sensible! I approve! :P

In the most respectful way, what are you or what do you do? Like do you driver other peoples car to show what their car is capable of ? Or are you a instructor ? I’m so intrigued

Excellent video! Excellent instruction.

Great video, thanks for sharing.

Really calm and cool video!

Very helpful video, thanks. 🙂

Inderdaad een leuk autootje, en nog snel ook. Vers gespoten of gepoedercoate velgen willen nog wel eens los lopen op de bouten omdat de verf en poedercoat nog plat gedrukt moet worden.

Misha, I take it that you have a video of the whole incident when he hit the barrier, as you were behind him. Maybe inform him of what he could have done to avoid hitting the barrier after he was already sideways. Unfortunately, he panicked and hit the Gas. Some people freeze when they get out of shape. Hopefully he can learn exactly why he hit the barrier after the initial lift off oversteer, and how he should of reacted after that moment. Maybe it would be beneficial for him to take a Car Control Course, you know like them Skidpans and so on. Awesome video in building him confidence on the Ring. Great video TY for the upload

Nice advices Misha to someone who looks like many of us (Sunday drivers)...

he should wait with the coilovers unless he has someone to go to to set them up properly. upgrade brakes. cage bucket harness and send it. install coils and get it setup and corner weighted when he becomes better. coils have a tendency on beginners to make them feel like the car can do so much more. a looser car is always better in the beginning so he can learn properly to be gentle.

Getting involved in racing, crashing is unavoidable. And it’s not easy to get through it no matter the level of crash. But it’s all part of the process and improvemend, you learn new things with everything that happens

1: 40 he feel ankompftebäl 😊👍

Verry interesting learning laps, thx

Great video on what precautions on lines and awareness when in a slower vehicle. Could there be more video like this and other ones on lines to take and if any hazardous parts of track likes of humps and cornering with sort of speeds for 1st timers on track.

Awesome episode. Also the swift is a great little car. at my last track day a swift did the most laps of anyone.

I love liftoff oversteer 🤤 And learn to brake with the left 🦶 😁 Good luck mate!

Have you thought about a strap around a steering collumn as an alternative solution to the sticky mount for the feet cam? Also keep up the great work! 👌

some lock tight will help with them lug bolts instead of s Stud conversion..

Also, SIM Racing is where you can develope a lot of skills without endangering yourself, others, and the vehicle. I sim race daily in preparation for the day I can have a nice fast vehicle on the track.

"Get back on my horse" kudos!

This entire video is educational purpose, great for most beginners! Include the nut/bolt check. 😅

Do you think someone who's only gone fast and consistent with simracing could go just as fast on track? In my case I feel like I have to relearn everything from scratch.

That was best case scenario for those wheel bolts coming loose..

@Misha Charoudin How would you compare this Swift Sport to the newer one you drove?

In FWD cars you will be usually fine if you just get back on the throttle hard if the rear steps out on the lift-off.

I've been in 3 crashes. 1 when I was a child and I remember vaguely, 1 when I was an idiot and overconfident which was not high speed, just stupidity, and one driving with someone else in a very expensive convertable Pontiac GTO. It has not stopped me from wanting to go faster and experience faster cars. We're all built differently and the most important thing is you're still alive, and have all your limbs! You learn and hopefully get back on the horse. There is plenty of fun to have in a little front wheel drive car, especially when you set it up for the track.

What sticky mounts is Misha using?

RIMAC ON NURBURGRINGGGGGG

Some of your videos should be played on repeat at the ticketbooth.

@mgcharoudin would you or do you ever use assetto corsa simulator to learn any new lines?

Rebuilding confidence after crash… Then lose a wheel! 😂

"always eyes on the road. Be predictible...... is that a dead mouse on the track." Very predictible hahahaha.

Should have given her more throttle! It is FWD after all. Am I correct, Misha? PS The fastest sofa racer in the room here.

Is trail braking part of what you are talking bout Misha when your saying that pro drivers using brakes and throttle more than steering wheel. Trail braking is a big help for having the proper weight transfer into a corner and really nailing the apex?

which sim do you use or have you used in the past?

Is there any way to purchase some sort of track insurance , even if it's just for that one day?

Misha, Does it ever get old driving over and over same track?

One time, at band camp.......😂No. Just to say it's very important to go to the road or to the track after an accident. Lot's of fear, like a nightmare, but you have to do it.

love the content wish i could be in germany

Good video

This is one of your best video yes it's not as exciting but very good video

Do you retain grip if you break slightly when lifting off? Or the oversteer will happen regardless?

what about a t-shirt? is it from your collection?)