👋Put Me in Coach!

We've spent hours analyzing telemetry, and we've discovered a groundbreaking technique: turning the wheel before you're on the grass. The data is promising.

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F1 drivers send mixed signals: Last weeks F1 Circus in Hungary was a masterclass of collective confusion, with top drivers basically shrugging their shoulders at the results. You had Lewis Hamilton calling himself 'absolutely useless,' Max Verstappen labeling his car 'undriveable,' and Lando Norris putting his title fight in perspective by noting 'no one is going to care' in 200 years while Oscar Piastri calling his P2 finish "bizarre and frustrating" after losing pace. Meanwhile, pole-sitter Charles Leclerc perfectly captured the vibe by admitting he doesn't 'understand anything anymore,' which feels like the most relatable take of the weekend.

LMP2 is getting a makeover: Gibson Technology is officially bringing Nissan back into the LMP2 fold, announcing a collaboration with the manufacturer's NISMO division to create the next-gen engine for the class debuting in 2028. The new powertrain will be a 3.4-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 and will be supported by technical partnerships with Xtrac for the transmission and Bosch for the complete electronics package, including a new steering wheel. This move marks the Japanese brand's return to a category it once dominated, with Nissan-powered cars winning at Le Mans for four straight years before the previous ruleset ended in 2016.

Off to the Middle East: The World Rally Championship's inaugural trip to Saudi Arabia this November will challenge teams with 319 kilometers of unfamiliar terrain, blending high-speed desert runs with technical coastal sections based in Jeddah. The action kicks off Wednesday, November 26, with a super special in the city before heading into grueling new tests, including Friday's marathon day deep in the Saudi interior. It all culminates on Saturday with the rally's longest test—the 32.88km Asfan stage—and the Thabhan 2 Wolf Power Stage, where championship points will be on the line.

Why has coaching become so popular in sim racing?

It’s simple: sim racers are realizing that raw talent only takes you so far. Many hit a frustrating plateau — even after hundreds of hours on track — where progress seems to stall no matter how much they practice. Others simply want to fast-track their improvement, choosing to learn in weeks what might otherwise take years of trial and error. Instead of spending thousands of hours testing and figuring things out on their own, they invest in coaching to accelerate their growth with a more efficient and structured approach.

My name is Marian Barbieru and as a professional sim racing coach at GITGUD Racing, I’ve helped drivers from both camps. But here’s something you might not expect me to say: my ultimate goal isn’t to coach drivers forever. It’s to equip them with the tools, mindset, and process to eventually self-coach themselves.

In this article, I’ll break down how to think like a driving coach with one simple but powerful tip— so you can make your practice sessions more focused and productive.

The number one tip that will make a huge difference in your progress — and really captures the essence of thinking like a coach — is this: start with the outcome, then work backwards.

Here’s how to apply this principle when self-coaching:

1. Identify the outcome clearly

Don’t just say “that corner was bad.” Be specific.
Example: “I exited T4 wide and lost 0.3s on corner exit.”

2. Trace it backwards through the sequence

Ask: What caused the poor exit?

Keep going backward until you find the first decision or input that set the mistake in motion.

The goal is to look for root causes, not symptoms

That’s because too many drivers fixate on the moment of the mistake (e.g., snapping throttle on exit), but often the real problem started earlier — like not using all the track on corner entry, releasing the brakes too quickly mid-corner or not using enough steering angle at the apex.

A coach always looks for the root — not the reaction.

Let me give you an actual example. I once coached a driver who had been working on his trail braking for over a year. He was convinced that a lack of rotation in corner entry was caused by poor trail braking — so he kept refining that skill, lap after lap.

And to be fair, his trail braking was excellent. But the car still wouldn't rotate.

It turned out the real issue had nothing to do with his trail braking at all. The problem was excessive ABS activation, which was making the front end too lazy on turn-in. So even with perfect technique, the car simply wouldn’t respond the way he expected.

Once we addressed the root cause, his lap times dropped by nearly a full second.

If you want to see exactly how we identified and fixed this issue, I’ve broken it down in this trail braking coaching analysis video on my YouTube channel.

3. Turn the insight into a training focus

When you’ve identified the real issue — say, overdriving corner entry — build a practice session around it. You’re not just solving a one-time mistake; you’re building a skill. You have to hyper-focus on just that root cause mistake with deliberate practice.

The goal is always to fix the root mistake — but sometimes, identifying that root cause requires a deeper understanding of racing theory. That’s why self-coaching isn’t just about reviewing laps; it’s about building your knowledge. I recommend reading books, watching videos from credible coaches, and enrolling in sim racing courses that help you connect the dots.

I’ve created several courses with this exact goal in mind: to help you coach yourself, find the real cause of your mistakes, and unlock consistent progress.

So next time you’re struggling on track, remember — it’s all about tracing things back to the root cause.

- Written by Marian Barbieru, GITGUD Racing

Did you like this guest article? Email us and let us know. [email protected]

Now that you’ve seen how Marian with GITGUD Racing approaches his coaching advice. Let’s get to know him a little better…

Do you ever wonder what really separates the good drivers from the great ones? For Sim Racing Nation member, Marian Barbieru, a sim racer hailing from Romania, that question has become a full-blown mission.

His passion for the craft led him on a journey of constant learning, which he now shares with the world through his awesome YouTube channel and community, GITGUD Racing. This isn't just about posting hot laps; Marian dives deep into how real-world racing principles translate into the sim, exploring the fine line between raw talent and race-winning technique.

His biggest achievement so far has been building the GITGUD community from the ground up. Now, he's focused on becoming an even better coach and creating videos that help sim racers like you get faster.

He's currently working on a couple of new sim racing courses that he says will "completely change the way drivers improve." A bold claim, and we can't wait to see it.

When he’s not dissecting telemetry, you can find Marian playing sports, making music, getting lost in a good book, or traveling the world.

Ready to up your game? Follow Marian's journey and find those missing tenths.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GitGudRacing
Website: https://gitgudracing.com/

How closely do you think your real-world hobbies influence your virtual racing performance?