Okay, let’s talk about today’s session focusing on Turn 9 at Circuit of the Americas. Man, that corner can be tricky.
Getting Started
Rolled out onto the track this morning feeling pretty good. The plan was simple: dedicate real time to figuring out Turn 9. It’s one of those corners where you know getting it right sets you up well for the next sequence, but it’s easy to mess up.
My first few passes through there felt… well, clumsy. I found myself braking a bit too early, maybe being a bit too cautious. You come downhill into it after Turn 8, and it feels faster than it looks sometimes. I wasn’t really carrying the speed I wanted through the apex.
Breaking it Down
After those initial laps, I pulled back in for a breather. I started thinking about the approach. Where exactly was I looking? When was I hitting the brakes? How smooth was my turn-in?
I decided to really focus on a later turn-in point than I was using. It felt counter-intuitive at first because you’re tempted to turn early to ‘make’ the corner. But I remembered watching faster folks; they seemed to stay wider for longer before diving towards that apex.
Making Adjustments
So, back out I went. This time, I deliberately kept the car wider on entry. I picked a new, later braking marker and forced myself to stick to it. The first couple of tries using this new approach were a bit messy. I overshot the apex once, had to correct mid-corner which scrubbed off speed. Another time I braked a little too hard, too late, making the turn-in abrupt.
It took several attempts. I really focused on:
- Braking firmly but smoothly, aiming for that later marker.
- Looking far ahead towards the apex kerbing.
- Turning in decisively but not aggressively, letting the car rotate.
- Getting back to throttle gently just after the apex to maintain momentum for the run towards Turn 10 and 11.
It’s a balancing act, for sure. Too early on the power and you push wide on exit. Too late, and you lose time.
Finding the Groove
Slowly, it started to click. I began hitting the apex more consistently. That feeling when you nail the braking, turn-in, and apex just right? Fantastic. You carry so much more speed through the corner, and it feels effortless, even though you know you’re pushing harder than before.
The key seemed to be patience on entry, waiting for that later turn-in point, and then being smooth with the steering and throttle application. It’s not just about Turn 9 itself, but how it flows into the following esses.
Finished the session feeling much happier with that section of the track. Still room for improvement, always is, but definitely made progress today. It was just a matter of breaking it down, trying different things, and finding what worked through repetition.
