Can an app make you a faster driver? (feat. a GT3 RS)

The latest GT3 RS does it nearly a whole minute faster. Impressive, but pure fantasy for anyone other than factory Porsche racing drivers. Or is it? In theory the Track Precision App fitted to the GT3 RS (and other Porsches) is exactly the kind of tool pro drivers use to shave seconds off their laps. Ford, McLaren and AMG are among others offering similar systems. But can an average owner really enjoy the same benefits, or is it just another gimmick?

The ‘Accelerated GT3 RS’ programme at the Porsche Experience Center in Los Angeles is my chance to find out through a mixture of classroom theory and flat-out action on the track. Porsche has equivalent facilities with similar packages in various locations, including Silverstone, but PECLA has the weather and its dedicated test track even includes an exact replica of the Nürburgring’s legendary Karussell corner for an unexpected taste of Germany in the middle of LA’s urban sprawl. With the required 90-minute introduction to basic circuit skills (a standalone experience package) under my belt I’m ready for my first taste of data-driven tuition.

For starters senior instructor Armen shows me the huge amounts of information the car transmits to the phone app. This includes how much throttle or brake you’re using, the amount of steering angle, whether the car is under- or oversteering and interventions from stability control and other systems. In the telemetry mode this is presented as a baffling array of squiggly lines on a graph.

But overlayed on the lap video it makes more sense. There are animated representations of the rev counter, steering wheel and pedals, which makes it much easier to understand the graphs. Braking for corners is one example – the line tracing pedal pressure should rise steeply before gradually tailing off as the speed reduces. If it goes the other way you’re increasing braking force as you slow, meaning you’ll overload the tyres and increase understeer, all of which Armen can ‘read’ from the data and address with his instruction on and off the track.

Lines on a graph are the last thing on my mind as I attempt to put the GT3 RS’s power down. With 520PS (513bhp) from its 4.0-litre engine, sticky rubber and a screaming 9,000rpm redline it’s a lot of car for the compact track, the sensory overload of containing its performance between narrow concrete walls a real challenge. But back in the classroom Armen calmly analyses the data and quickly identifies areas for improvement. He can pick apart corners where I’m braking too early and coasting before getting back on the throttle, scrolling back through the video to pinpoint exactly where I got on the brake and able to pick out a later visual reference point for me to try in the next session.

It still requires a big brave pill to stay off the brakes when a corner is approaching. But I’m trusting the data to keep the accelerator pinned where previously I’d have been braking. And back on the app the benefits are clear – I’m slicing tenths out of every corner and the gap between coming off the brakes and onto the power has narrowed to nearly nothing. My consistency is also improving, the traces for the last session showing that I’m applying my lessons to each and every lap. There’s no hiding from mistakes though, a small error on one corner costing a couple of tenths that multiplies to nearly a whole second by the end of a lap. At least I can see where it went wrong and understand how to stop it happening next time.

Using a phone app to improve your skills might not sound as sexy as pounding around a circuit for lap after lap. But as cars have become more tech-driven drivers need to be the same. There’s no substitute for wheel time. But it’s also clear data really can help you get the most of that when the moment comes.