Skaife Analyses GRM Commodore

In the latest installment of car testing and track analysis for Channel Seven's V8 Supercar coverage, Mark Skaife takes a run in Lee Holdsworth's #33 GRM Fujitsu Racing Commodore at the Hidden Valley circut near Darwin. After a lap, Skaife brings the car in to make a roll centre change, and discusses the differences the change makes to the car. Holdsworth has a golden look on his face in the pitlane discussion at the end, as Skaife rags out the deficiencies of the car to he and engineer Richard Hollway.

[@dannymay3433]

I'm a Ford guy but I could watch Mark Skaife drive and listen to him talk cars all day. I just love any nice car and good driver, he's one of the absolute best.

[@DMT267]

I could listen and watch Mark Skaife all day every day. Awesome guy.

[@kartracer57]

Probably the most amazing part is how he picks up so much in just one or two laps and can remember it all

[@brettlusby8094]

I'm just a bloke who slides around the local dirt track in a paddock basher, but picked up a heap of helpful info just by realising a corner is broken into 4 segments and how raising and lowering roll centers affects handling. This bloke should write a book.

[@timventers742]

I think Lee at this point realises how much he has to learn to get to skaifes standard.Articulates and is very frank about the cars handling.Good vid.

[@dandoo111]

Richard Hollway is the Engineer he is speaking with here, he used to be nicknamed Krusty when he was at HRT during their golden years. He and Skaife have a lot of history, no wonder they clicked again.

[@clarissafarmer3547]

He names about 50 things wrong with the car and says “they’re just the main things” What a legend

[@barryphillips7327]

I would have liked to seen the car after the adjustments and let Lee Holdsworth the cars normal driver take it out to see what he thought of it, Lee looked a bit bamboozled listening to MS! I am a Ford guy but respect for the likes of MS he has a lot of knowledge, Larry Perkins is another brilliant engineer/driver!!!!

[@paulcombes3782]

Amazing how Mark articulates the intricate nature of getting this race-car faster .

[@alexh1218]

articulates the problems simply and to the point, one of the greats

[@MAte925]

Legend!

[@adamthompson6669]

Skaifey was a hard worker and very good too. Fgggking quick and wish he was still racing.

[@dandoo111]

Could've watched an hour of this. Great vid.

[@jasonkhoury4328]

Totally agree!! I enjoy watching this more than some of today's racing

[@razbaybee8336]

Fox sports need to do something like this next year. Chuck Lowndes in a car (not a triple 8 car) and bring in the cameras to a debrief

[@jasoncrawford5350]

Emenike That would be great, but I don’t see it happening unfortunately. Not whilst he is still affiliated with T8. Teams are very protective of their IP, even paranoid about it at times ( which you can understand) and they will not not to give a member of another team access to that sort of information. To give an example of how protective they are Tickford held an open day earlier in the year for the fans, and you were able to walk into the workshop and look at the cars. Now it was for the fans yet there was tarp covering the front suspension etc. How likely do you think it is the fans are going to take much notice of that stuff much less what it is lol, and report it to another team. But it was more to protect photos ending up on social media that other teams might see, which is full on to say the least lol. But that is the extent they go to and so a member of another team in any capacity is not going to get access to their cars and data

[@clarissafarmer3547]

Although, Lowndes is known for trying to drive around bad handling cars rather than knowing how to fix them

[@mozzaplaysgames7897]

Glad we got to see something like this at Sanddown this year with Lowndes in the BJR car!

[@jasonkhoury4328]

@ 5:54 I love how he pumps the brake pedal at the end of the straight to prime & maximize brake pressure. Brilliant driving

[@T1000AX]

when a 6 time bathurst winner wants to give you hints and tips you take them lol

[@Ward1706]

T1000AX And 5 time ATCC/VASC Champion.

[@bus5683]

And a flog

[@discbrakefan]

@@bus5683 A bogan has entered the chat

[@bus5683]

@@discbrakefan Dear Mr brand I do hope this response finds you in good health. Your reply of ‘ a Bogan has entered the chat’ referring to myself has had me pondering for some great lengths of time. I politely ask you reconsider you original assumption. I in fact am quite knowledgeable and intelligent. I have a very serious interest in arts and culture and regularly visit various museums. I also attended the University of Sydney for 4 years. I do comply that you are entitled to a opinion but one such as your’s can be quite misleading and hurtful. I politely ask you to reconsider your original opinion. Thank you for your time David and have a good day

[@discbrakefan]

@@bus5683 Which museum stairs did you fall down and hit your head, causing you to regress to childish insults of retired race drivers?

[@hotlavaaaa]

That's pretty amazing that he can absorb and then relay everything the car was doing on a corner by corner basis.

[@patrickparisienne1917]

All the hood ones do it…

[@bradford_shaun_murray]

Seems like he's able to visualise each corner easily in his memory (from all the races he's done there) and then have references for how a good car feels through each corner vs the car in this video.

[@paulcombes3782]

Thank you for this video . i could watch Mark 'pilot' a V8 Supercar all day long . Legend !

[@matk4731]

Mark is Very very good at his craft. The kind of driver every engineer dreams of working with.

[@clarissafarmer3547]

Skaife “they’re just the main things”. Lee “what the fuck is going on?”

[@Bilko367]

That sticky taped Valvoline on his suit is pretty funny

[@alexyoung478]

Complete Professional Mr Skaife

[@19escort73]

Yeah Mark Skaife and Marcos Ambrose were renowned as 2 of the most articulate blokes that had the best feel for the car in the V8 Supercar paddock when it came to car set up and driving techniques, hence the fact they're 2 of the sports most successful drivers.

[@Ward1706]

Which still baffles me as to why Ambrose left to go to NASCAR and when he came back he wasn't quick. At all.

[@jakesaddo]

NASCARs are very different to drive than an Australian Supercar, and teaches drivers a lot of bad habits which can't easily be rectified. I'm sure though that if Ambrose had of just stuck with it he would've gotten a lot better (and although he probably wouldn't of won races he would've been in the top ten)

[@MAte925]

Race drivers have the best recall on car handling , power , gearing ect.!💯

[@dpisaacs]

All very professional the way they work at it, really emphasises the small changes that make a big difference and can see why they chase set-ups sometimes when it's not working for them.... then I notice a piece of masking tape on Marks suit with Valvoline written in Black marker, a last minute gotta chuck a logo on there, graphic guys on lunch so get the mask & spray boys' they'll know what to do

[@allyc85]

Very interesting video and great how he can drive and talk so much in a lap

[@kylewaddington1983]

good lap Mark very experienced racing car driver

[@DriftLifeAus]

I love the tape over Mobil 1 on his race suit that had "Valvoline" for the purpose of the video. Just don't look at the Mobil 1 on his arm. 😄. Interesting watch, thanks!

[@MAte925]

Legend!

[@martinmcfly4658]

Note this Valvoline sticker covering his Mobil sponsor

[@tez1seven]

Bloke knew the protocol. When Mark provides feedback on your car, pad and pen is automatic

[@tysonjames2723]

We just witnessed Experence

[@HSVLVR]

I'd say that was Valvoline not wanting rivals Mobil 1 on the suit

[@stevegraham3817]

Bring back the days when every car under steered on the way in, over steered on the way out, and the trick was to throw the car into a 4 wheel drift as early as possible and balancing that through the whole corner.

[@neilbentham5804]

Interesting to see that lee didn’t ask a question. Don’t be intimidated just Learn from the master.

[@MrRAZZLEDAZZLE888]

6:49 - 6:53 lees thinking "what is this clown on about"

[@rossdark713]

If the rules allowed Skaifey would make a great test driver to help teams work out were they are lacking. Just like when he drove the Lansvalle Smash Repairs VP Commodore all those years ago.

[@colemanjohn22hotmail]

you don't win 5 titles for not complaining about a car dude..

[@adammaxwell5851]

“The Technician”.

[@ashleyerickson1948]

Smart driver,

[@jakesaddo]

That's why he was the best in the whole sport

[@61SGman]

Haha there more or less like can we have Mark come drive our cars more often??

[@knight2425]

Lee looks lost while Mark is having a debrief, sort of like he’s realising there is more to being a racing driver than just driving the car

[@seinfeld11123]

in other words its too soft. 15% stiffer in front roll bars and take a little rear wing out for high speed balance (less high speed underster)

[@borismcfinnigan3430]

You either have fck all idea what you are talking about, or you completely misheard what was actually going on with the car LOL

[@Ward1706]

Just goes to show you don’t win 5 championships and 90 races (including 6 Bathursts) by just hoping in the car and driving it.

[@catsanddogsarekillin]

Complains and complains and say to Holdsworth its good and Lee is like Fu.

[@bradhackett9103]

understeer is quicker than oversteer! No matter how crap and un-cool it is!

[@mikey380sx]

Until it washes off corner exit speed

[@ray.shoesmith]

Yeah and if you overcook a turn with understeer you're in the litter at best, you've already cooked the only chance you had. With oversteer at least you have options if the rear end starts to break away depending on driver ability

[@TwistLosi]

Yeah nah. A understeering car you can't really fix while driving, oversteer you can control for optimal slip angle in a turn.

[@Bilko367]

I don't think you have the knowledge to argue against a 6 times Bathurst winner.

[@slickstrings]

Ive always been of the opinion / under the impression that understeer is slower but safer.