So we want to go faster into and through the corners, cornering speed gives exit speed and then greater speed down the next straight but we are limited by the grip. So what can we do to increase grip. Basic things like better tyres, adjusting tyre pressures and suspension settings can help, but there is more we can do as the driver to manipulate the car.

Now we`ve learnt a little about how we represent the available grip and forces being applied, lets make the scenario a little more complex. We have four wheels, so actually we have four Friction Circles to consider. The front tyres twist to apply the steering while the rears stay fixed, but still need to come around the corner. Most of the braking force is done by the front wheels with bigger brakes.

Friction Circles are way of representing how the load or forces are being applied to the tyre as it’s in contact with the tarmac, and the level of grip that is available. In Part 1 we`ll cover the basics of thinking of the grip in terms of the Friction Circle, and then we`ll build on this concept in Part 2 and Part 3.