Effortless perfection...

[Dry7123]

A rather long story but definitely a must read

I have such a higher respect for formula one drivers. The pinnicle of racing at it's finest. To be able to just dig deep and get into that trance of full concentration. It's a loss of awareness from where you were to whats coming at you. All it is is just you, the car, and the upcoming corner. The feeling of going around the corner (let alone a track) at the expense of little to no effort, perfectly is just a satisfaction unlike any other. It's a sense of rhythm that consists of comfortability and a pain free state of mind. It is said that those who can get into that state of mind and stay in it the longest win the most races. For those that have been there can agree that it is simply incomparable to almost anything else. Not only just that, what about the drivers level of comfortability of the car. When is the moment to give your complete trust into the car, when should you push the limits just a bit further. When is the moment to anticipate an action just a fraction of a second earlier than you should? How early should you launch before you think you should during the start of a race? Anticipating early anticipation. This is why I will always have the atmost respect for the drivers of the 70's-90's era of formula 1.

Most of you are probably going to have a laugh at me, but I have reason to believe that I have entered this mode of "effortless" rhythm a couple of times when driving a car. (In game)

The first time was in f1 2012. My friend and I were running lap times on Monaco, it took me around 13 laps to get comfortable with the car and the track. I was using Jenson's mercedes benz and I managed to pull off a 1:08.991 through those tight city streets with a lower end car (compared to ferrari or redbull). It indeed was a valid lap with absolutely no driving aids or penalty faults (no corner cutting, no gentle wall rubs or suspension/transmission glitches) Needless to say, my friend was stunned. I almost couldn't believe it myself.

(You're probably going to laugh even harder) The second time I happened to notice myself in this state of mind was in Gran Turismo 3 (with a controller). I was running the f686m around the Grand Valley Speedway enduro of 60 laps. And for some reason, on one of the laps I just knew that this is it, no matter what I do, this is going to be my cleanist & quickest lap. I don't know how or why, but it just sort of happened, I just knew that it was going to be quick. And sure enough, I managed to shave off well over 7 tenths (0.732 to be exact) off of my previous fastest lap 13 laps earlier.

It's really hard to describe not only how to get into that state of mind, but how to hold onto it. If/when you do, it's equivilant to paradise (to me). You kind of need to not realise that you're in that state of mind, and just keep focused on going through the turn and go, go, go...

Have YOU ever entered this state of mind that consists of relaxed adrenaline? If so, share your stories!

 

[GOTMAXPOWER]

I've been doing the Nurburgring 24 Hours on GT5 recently and found that I wasn't even concentrating about 12 hours into the race, I was watching YouTube with 1 eye whilst my car was going around doing consistent laps within a couple of seconds of 7:51, I even managed to set a new fastest lap of a 7:41 (5 seconds before my previous best) despite it being pitch black at the time, I've never matched the lap since the sun came up.

 

[Dustone]

I know exactly what you mean! Two of mine:

One of the best ever offline races I had was in F1 Championship Edition at Monaco. I had the highest settings, damage on full and as you said, Monaco is a tough track to get right. I was using the Dpad, not a wheel mind you.

Monaco had always been a bogey track due to its nature and toughness of using a Dpad around it. I worked at it and managed to qualify top 3 for the race finally finding some speed around the track. The race was 50% distance with 2x fuel and tyre wear. I got a good start and was following Michael Schumacher. I was on his tail the whole first stint not giving him an inch. He pitted first and so for the next two laps I gunned it until I came in for my stop. Came out JUST in front of him but then the pressure of keeping him there, while keeping the laps off the walls yet still smooth and fast was hard! After another pitstop we crossed the line 1s apart. Loved every minute of it even if I wouldnt of won it.

Next one was online with the V8Supercar mod at Bathurst in rfactor. The league I used to race for simulated the Bathurst 1000 online with co-drivers etc. We made qualifying into the top 10 shootout by getting 9th and seeing as I was the one who qualified, I did the shootout. Imagine that, 1 lap to get everything perfect all the while everyone else online is watching you do it too! Talk about pressure lol I managed to qualify in 3rd place for the start of the great race. Even though it wasnt a front row, I was ecstatic. The online world has alien drivers and to do my fastest ever lap around that place (which is not easy!) with everyone watching you was amazing. The feeling of just nailing every corner perfect, every up shift, downshift, braking point, line into the corner and out, it just felt amazing to nail that one lap

 

[Dry7123]

. The online world has alien drivers and to do my fastest ever lap around that place (which is not easy!) with everyone watching you was amazing. The feeling of just nailing every corner perfect, every up shift, downshift, braking point, line into the corner and out, it just felt amazing to nail that one lap

THIS, this what I am talking about. It's like you're hitting everything right without the sloghtest ease... The funny/sad thing is that I find about this state, you don't really notice or remember until it's over. Then you're stuck there realising how thrilling and satisfactory that little stint was.

Gotta love the feeling of good pressure. Some people buckle under pressure, and others thrive. I simply cannot get enough of it . Great stories!

 

[NoobMan DS]

What you guys said sounds like an extended explanation of that famous quote by Ayrton Senna after his qualifying laps for the 1988 Monaco Grand Prix! If that doesn't quickly come into mind, I mean this one:


"I was already on pole and I was going faster and faster. One lap after the other, quicker and quicker and quicker. I was at one stage just on pole, then by half a second and then one second and I just kept going. Suddenly I was nearly two seconds faster than anybody else, including my team mate with the same car. And suddenly I realized that I was no longer driving the car consciously.

"I was driving it by a kind of instinct, only I was in a different dimension. It was like I was in a tunnel. Not only the tunnel under the hotel but the whole circuit was a tunnel. I was just going and going, more and more and more and more. I was way over the limit but still able to find even more. Then suddenly something just kicked me.

"I kind of woke up and realized that I was in a different atmosphere than you normally are. My immediate reaction was to back off, slow down. I drove back slowly to the pits and I didn't want to go out any more that day. It frightened me because I was well beyond my conscious understanding. It happens rarely but I keep these experiences very much alive inside me because it is something that is important for self-preservation."


No matter if it's not real life, the details you've been providing here seem to be highly related to this quote, especially the first two paragraphs - they kind of elaborate the meaning behind it even further. Hopefully they would help to clear up any confusion among people who thought of this quote as just some vague, romanticized r*bbish (if there are any).

 

[jucksmanBR]

The last time I found myself ' in the zone' was a few weeks agor, during a league race. I was in 2nd plaçe at the start in Tsukuba and aftera few laps my G27 usb cable got disconnected. I lost an entire lap to reatach the cable, so I was last and 1 lap down when I got back into the race. In 45 laps, I broke my lap record over 30 timas, going faster and faster without even noticing...I recovered the lost lap and finished 3rd, only a couple seconds behind the leaders.

 

[diptob79]

I called it "tunnel view"
Not so many times I experienced it, but I know what you're talking about

edit : just seen Senna's quote, that't exactly it

 

[Tarkata]

Well I have a story that you might want to hear...

In the past March i joined a Lan Party with a friend of mine. We took out the 24h Le Mans challenge at Gran Turismo 5. We used a DS3 and drived in 1:30H shifts. I was a way faster driver with the Peugeot 905. Every advantage i got in my shifts my friend lost. Later in the race we were feeling very tired.

The funny thing is that normally:

Tiredness = Less Concentration = More Mistakes = Slower Times

But that night we got a totally different result:

Tiredness = More Concentration = Less Mistakes = Faster Times

We were actually lapping 5-10 seconds faster than our best times.
Still to this date I don`t know why this happened. And all of this happen while driving unconsciously.

Also some times while driving multiple laps at the nurburgring unconsciously at night and I suddenly "wake up", I always get lost on the track.

 

[Nismo34]

A lot of the league races I do, if I've practiced more than other races, a few laps into the race I start unconsciously driving. Next thing I know, 20+ laps have passed and it feels like no time has. The only thing is I dont drive faster, Im just much more consistent, sometimes as much as 0.00X in the lap times, on a good day anyway

 

[bread82]

Hi All,

Loving the above stories.

Vaguely related: Have you ever heard of "white line fever" (not the Motorhead song, and it's not a new album by Pete Doherty ft. Charlie Sheen). Also called Highway Hypnosis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_hypnosis

I've experienced this in RL (not racing, just everyday driving), when suddenly you think "wow, how did I get to here on my journey, have I really passed xyz already?" I'm guessing this is what happens in racing too, though obviously it's far more dramatic.

In GT5: I've had this a couple of times. I used to play Eiger short track absolutely loads. It's nice and curvy, and I used it extensively for testing. Having played it for hours in my favourite S13, I'd find little lines/braking points/shift points that I'd like, but stringing them all together in a perfect lap wasn't always easy or even possible. Then sometimes, usually late at night, I'd just feel this weird kind of flow, very casual and easy. I'd sometimes look at the speedo and snap out of it "whoa, I'm 4 mph faster at the end of the tunnel?!?!" But when you nail a lap or series of laps, sometimes with this sort of happy but uncaring feeling of security, or sometimes completely oblivious, it's really cool.

I remember with fuel and tire wear on, I set a good lap #2 or #3 and then got worse. I was about to restart but then just stopped caring and carried on, and got a couple of those weird laps, setting a new best time, on half-shot tyres. Perhaps the fuel load dropping too was helping, but I definitely felt in the zone, and the tyres should have hurt my times. I restarted, but I'd broken my concentration and couldn't catch my ghost, he was always half a sec or so ahead.

I like to mess around with drifting, and sometimes you get the same feeling there, you just know exactly how the car is going to behave and all your transitions go perfectly, like driving the car on that track is the same as you walking around your house - you just know exactly where everything is, almost like it's muscle memory rather than your brain calculating.

GT5 = meditation tool?! 💡

Cheers,

Bread

 

[urunatural]

Very interesting reading and watching Senna race was something else also:tup:

 

[seanneedscar]

Sometimes the stars align and you get a perfect lap

Thats all it is. Statistics. Do the same thing over and over again, eventually you will take every turn the proper way and you'll pull an outstanding lap. Thats all it is

Dont be swooned by the Senna quotes. Hopefully you dont need me to tell you he was a glorified blocker

 

[Dry7123]

Sometimes the stars align and you get a perfect lap

Thats all it is. Statistics. Do the same thing over and over again, eventually you will take every turn the proper way and you'll pull an outstanding lap. Thats all it is

Dont be swooned by the Senna quotes. Hopefully you dont need me to tell you he was a glorified blocker

Sure your pessemistic POV is true and proven to a certain extent, that doesn't give you the right to call Senna famous for his blocking. The 2 incidents that senna was in with prost are NOT all Senna's fault. Prost did turn in early at the last chicane at sazuka, and prost was WELL aware that senna was in on the inside line during the first turn.

Sure you do have a right to comment, but just understand that you're going to attract criticism towards yourself when you criticise and attack the main point of the story with a claim that's completely unrelated. Just because you haven't entered this state of mind yourself, doesn't necessarily mean that it's completely natural to get to that state so easily. If it was normal, then why are so many of us (myself included) so influenced by this psychological state?

I don't mean to over emphasize my desire towards this psychological trance, but to assumably call it nothing special, and that it's just "statistics" is more of an understatement then any of these stories being an overstatement.

Tiredness = More Concentration = Less Mistakes = Faster Times

We were actually lapping 5-10 seconds faster than our best times.
Still to this date I don`t know why this happened. And all of this happen while driving unconsciously.

Also some times while driving multiple laps at the nurburgring unconsciously at night and I suddenly "wake up", I always get lost on the track.

I seem to rather understand this weird conundrum with late night/early morning fatigue and gameplay. It's almost like you don't try or attempt to give as much effort, and therefore have suprisig results. Gt5 and nhl 12 were the two games that I only did this with a friend, and those 2 games are among my happiest memories of latenight gaming.

 

[Yauma9]

I know exactly that feeling .. recently ... to try to get accustomed to the G27, I did the Nürb 4 hrs. with a S2000, about 3 hrs. into the race (continuous) I suddenly realized I was still driving, and my latest laps being faster each time. (marked blue)

I didn't rememeber when I lost this "awareness" The only things I remember was dodging cars. Needless to say I won.

 

[NoobMan DS]

Dont be swooned by the Senna quotes.

I'm not. Yes, I am aware that Senna was often overly glorified and he had made many questionable manoeuvrings. There were also instances in which what he said didn't go in line with his doings - he was a hypocrite to some extent. And his unexpected death just added to the thoughtless, out-of-out mytholigizing of the figure.

But I was referring to the quote alone which have became popular among racing fans. I was simply focusing on his comments which somewhat became well-known, not the person. Since they seemed to be aligned with what people have been elaborating in this thread, I just took the chance to insert the words and point out like, hey, those of you who often thought of this quote as some meaningless, romanticized 🤬, here are detailed elaborations from people that are seemingly able to make sense out of it. Just trying to get people to see some validity of something that became outrageously clichéd - you know, another common case is that people just take popular quotes for granted, think of it like "oh that sounds cool" and take it for granted without actually trying to see what is implied behind it! I was not attempting to contribute to the glorification of the figure. I find that the quote is in the context of the thread anyway - and with the thought that many know the quote regardless of their feelings toward the person, why not insert it here, point the correlation, just to eliminate misconceptions and also bring clarity? Ultimately that's not doing much, I know. Well, if any of you don't like it, I'm sorry. Perhaps I should insert in-game stories as well, not just put in a related quote. This thread was originally posted under "Motorsport" section, not "Games".

Perhaps the last line of my post sounded too one-sided - sorry about that. It should be a two-way direction actually - not just to people who utterly despise the person behind the quote, leading to the complete dismissal of it as 🤬, but also to fanboys who mindlessly see the quote just as something "cool" and take it for granted, simply glorifying it without trying to extract what it's about.

Sometimes the stars align and you get a perfect lap

Thats all it is. Statistics. Do the same thing over and over again, eventually you will take every turn the proper way and you'll pull an outstanding lap. Thats all it is

What you said is objectively correct, no doubt about that. The topic of the thread seems to be something open to highly subjective interpretation though. I suppose the people would just like to share their feelings and sensations brought by the "surprises" emerging from what was previously a stable state of mind, even if at the end of the day, it's technically a common happening when you achieve better results through doing more and more.

 

[Wankelhead]

I don't mean to over emphasize my desire towards this psychological trance, but to assumably call it nothing special, and that it's just "statistics" is more of an understatement then any of these stories being an overstatement.

Indeed.
From the stories here, if it was just "statistics", then one would be able to reproduce those fast laps afterwards as well. However, the facts show otherwise, as the lap times seem to be even better than one would be able to pull off with just practice and memorizing the corners.

 

[fbccars924]

Have had this happen both in GT5 and In real life. On one occasion I was driving from my job at wal-mart in Collinsville, Il to my apartment in Wood River, Il, only remembering turning on the on ramp and getting off the exit ramp in Wood River(roughly 16-17 miles)
Map

 

[CinnamonOD]

This happens to me very often

I'm driving on x or y track and then I start to improve my lap times without realizing about it, like if I didn't cared at all, but when I realize, my pace starts to get worse and stable with little mistakes here and there

 

[C6.R]

I also get sometimes in 'the zone'.
Concentration to it's fullest!
It's an awesome feeling to feel the car, the game and nothing else.

I experienced this in F1 2012 coöp. Started from P20 and drove 10 (out of 12) laps on the soft tyres and ended up with finishing 3th en my buddy 1st. Awesome feeling, nothing could stop me at that moment!

 

[HighISO]

This is one of the most interesting threads I've seen. What many of us are describing is a state of mind that psychologists refer to as 'flow' (i.e. see the book "Flow: the Psychology of Optimal Experience"). It's common among musicians, artists, athletes -- or anyone involved in an activity that engages them significantly. The fact that many of us have experienced this in a game like GT5 is a testament to how 'real' a virtual experience can be. This state of 'flow' is one of the things that draw me to GT5 every day.

 

[mr_serious]

This is one of the most interesting threads I've seen. What many of us are describing is a state of mind that psychologists refer to as 'flow' (i.e. see the book "Flow: the Psychology of Optimal Experience"). It's common among musicians, artists, athletes -- or anyone involved in an activity that engages them significantly. The fact that many of us have experienced this in a game like GT5 is a testament to how 'real' a virtual experience can be. This state of 'flow' is one of the things that draw me to GT5 every day.

It is also often called being in the 'zone'. I have experienced this many times in many disciplines,

• Listening to classical music
• Writing & performing music
• Drawing
• Creative Writing
• Real racing (Quads, Karts)
• Virtual Racing (since the days of Geof Crammond's F1 GP!)
• Virtual Football.
• Programming.

There are some theories that this occurs when the right hand side of the brain becomes dominant. I can certainly attest to this when it comes to drawing & creating / playing music.

There is a very, very interesting book called "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards. It is a six week drawing course with a difference.

The method she uses is to teach techniques to allow the right hand side of the brain to become dominant. If you ever try this and you are successful (and most people are) you will immediately find that state of mind familiar.

It is the same state reached in all the above cases.

more about the brain hemispheres
http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/a/left-brain-right-brain.htm

 

[Jaywalker]

Sometimes the stars align and you get a perfect lap

Thats all it is. Statistics. Do the same thing over and over again, eventually you will take every turn the proper way and you'll pull an outstanding lap. Thats all it is

Explain the 'better lap after better lap' syndrome then.

Dont be swooned by the Senna quotes.
So you're more knowledgeable about motor racing than he was?

Hopefully you dont need me to tell you he was a glorified blocker
Most F1 champs are/were. Cases in point: Schumi & Vettel.

 

[Yukon]

My most familiar memory of this ever happening was back when I was racing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, on Gran Turismo 4.

I don't know how far into the race I was or how far ahead of the chasing second place car I was, but I was winning. I was at the front of the pack. I felt unstoppable. It's like I wasn't even trying, I was just doing. Effortless is such a good choice of word.

The stint must have lasted for over an hour, it was perfect lap after perfect lap. I don't remember making a single mistake the entire time, it was such a good feeling. So relaxed. I'd always wanted there to be a transition of Day into Night whilst doing this but that never came until Gran Turismo 5 was released, unfortunately.

I often just go into a Practice on GT5 and do as many laps as I see fit on Circuit de la Sarthe. I'll put the change of time and weather on to make the experience more real. My favourite time doing this was I was driving one of the Audi Prototypes and I was listening to Brian Eno - An Ending. That's when I made it into the 'Zone', again.

Great thread. 👍

 

[seanneedscar]

Explain the 'better lap after better lap' syndrome then.

Lets look at it simply. You are repeating a process. Stands to reason the further you repeat the process the more proficient at it you become. Once you stop the 'learning' phase, your mind switches to an 'autopilot' phase and you start thinking about other things. In conjunction with the point I made earlier, not only does setting faster and faster lap times seem a possibility, it seems inevitable.

When you do things without thinking about them, you remove doubt, fear, pressure. Things that would get in a way of peak performance.

So you're more knowledgeable about motor racing than he was?

Lol, what? Senna was a human being just like you or I. Look at what he is talking about. Separation of body and mind, parallel dimensions, driving a car unconsciously. He is obviously talking out of his arse like most celebrities do, not my fault you suckers ate it up...

Remember, the easiest explanation is usually the correct one

Most F1 champs are/were. Cases in point: Schumi & Vettel.

This is completely irrelevant. Although I've never seen Vettel purposely try to push his teammate into a pit wall at 180mph 👍

Also, I don't hear Vettel blabbering on about driving his car unconsciously, while his true mind is in another dimension. Just a pretty fast guy paired with the fastest car in the grid (for now)

 

[Wankelhead]

Lets look at it simply. You are repeating a process. Stands to reason the further you repeat the process the more proficient at it you become. Once you stop the 'learning' phase, your mind switches to an 'autopilot' phase and you start thinking about other things.

"I was already on pole and I was going faster and faster. One lap after the other, quicker and quicker and quicker. I was at one stage just on pole, then by half a second and then one second and I just kept going. Suddenly I was nearly two seconds faster than anybody else, including my team mate with the same car. And suddenly I realized that I was no longer driving the car consciously."

"I was driving it by a kind of instinct, only I was in a different dimension. It was like I was in a tunnel. Not only the tunnel under the hotel but the whole circuit was a tunnel.."

In conjunction with the point I made earlier, not only does setting faster and faster lap times seem a possibility, it seems inevitable.

"I was just going and going, more and more and more and more. I was way over the limit but still able to find even more. Then suddenly something just kicked me."


You kinda said the same thing that Senna said, just not as "beautiful" or profound.
Compare what he said to the stories in this thread. It's simply what is felt.

When you do things without thinking about them, you remove doubt, fear, pressure. Things that would get in a way of peak performance.

And that's what people call "getting in the zone", but it's not as easy to achieve as you make it seem by saying it just takes repetition. If it was so, then all the drivers out there would be able to pull crazy fast lap times easily, and make no mistakes after practicing for a while.

 

[Tarkata]

Lets look at it simply. You are repeating a process. Stands to reason the further you repeat the process the more proficient at it you become. Once you stop the 'learning' phase, your mind switches to an 'autopilot' phase and you start thinking about other things. In conjunction with the point I made earlier, not only does setting faster and faster lap times seem a possibility, it seems inevitable.

I kind of have to agree with this, but there might be another justification. The racing line. In some corners it is better to enter slow and exit faster (has all of you know). Sometimes we do mistakes while trying to be faster, and one of those mistakes might be entering the corners to quickly. Maybe while driving with our subconscious working rather then our conscious, we enter the corners slower and safer ,because we are in a "relaxed state", and then exit faster. While doing this we might be doing the perfect driving line.

 

[fbccars924]

I notice that no one has mentioned another phenomenon that this "unconcious" state also can do. I had done a few laps in my FGT Formula 500 tuned car at Spa and realized I was driving better on this track than I ever have on any other track even in the same car when I realized I only remember 3 out of the 10 laps I had done, the first lap and the las two. After lap one I had apparently fallen into this state. Whether or not the learnings had stuck I haven't tested yet as I haven't been back on GT5 since those laps last night. I guess I'll have to see tonight.

 

[seanneedscar]

You kinda said the same thing that Senna said, just not as "beautiful" or profound.
Compare what he said to the stories in this thread. It's simply what is felt.

I don't think I did.

I gave a rational, plausible explanation.

He literally said he was in a different dimension and he was no longer driving the car consciously. That is impossible. Its a sensational thing to say, but I do not believe it to be scientifically accurate, hence my first post. "Dont get swooned"

👍

 

[Wankelhead]

And he most probably didn't magically transport to a diferent dimension, but maybe he said that because it is what it felt like to him, as some things are hard to describe at times. Either that or or lack of better words. Though, of course, he could also have said it like that just for the news pappers. Who knows.

And I already showed you that you did basicaly say the same thing, but, and I'll emphasize, not as "beautiful".

Heck, that's what poets do. They tend to beautify whatever they're writting about.


By the way, way to ignore the rest of the post. I would like your oppinion on that too and not just the Senna part.
I guess you really dislike the guy, eh?

 

[seanneedscar]

Though, of course, he could also have said it like that just for the news pappers.

This is the most plausible explanation, in my opinion, and what I was insinuating.

And I already showed you that you did basicaly say the same thing,

No I didn't, I made that quite clear.

but, and I'll emphasize, not as "beautiful".

That is your opinion. Perhaps me and other people consider concise, scientific explanations more beautiful than super-natural ones.

Heck, that's what poets do. They tend to beautify whatever they're writting about.

I dont disagree with this. He was making himself seem super-natural, or as I so eloquently put, "talking out of his arse" and since I'm not a die hard fan of him, I wasnt swooned by it. Thats all

By the way, way to ignore the rest of the post. I would like your oppinion on that too and not just the Senna part.

And that's what people call "getting in the zone", but it's not as easy to achieve as you make it seem by saying it just takes repetition. If it was so, then all the drivers out there would be able to pull crazy fast lap times easily, and make no mistakes after practicing for a while.

Because there is really nothing I can say to this .. other than I never said it was an easy state of mind to get into. I said doing the same thing over and over will increase your proficiency.

But keep in mind i'm referencing Kids playing video games sitting on a sofa in their house. Which bears absolutely nothing in relation to going around turns at 200mph knowing you can die at any moment