This amateur racing driver has 21 recorded laps across 7 vehicles on LapMeta, averaging 3 laps per car. This balanced ratio suggests methodical track day participation where each platform receives meaningful attention while maintaining diversity enabling comparative understanding. Over three laps per vehicle allows progression beyond initial familiarization—first lap establishes basic characteristics, middle laps build confidence approaching limits, final laps reveal nuanced behaviors.
The 7-vehicle portfolio with over three laps per car enables meaningful comparative assessment revealing genuine performance characteristics while maintaining manageable variety for comprehensive automotive education. With 21 laps across 7 vehicles averaging 3 laps each, this driver demonstrates balanced approach combining selective platform development with portfolio diversity supporting comprehensive comparative vehicle dynamics understanding through systematic evaluation.
4-17-2025
2024 Emira i4 with 1,300 miles.
OEM Sport Suspension w/factory Michelin Cup 2 (240 tw) LTS tires.
First track day in the Emira and a lot of learnings:
- Easy car to place on the track and enough power to scare you just a little bit.
- Needed to adapt to a rear weight biased car - impacts ability to turn-in and reduces some tools to correct for understeer.
- Cannot induce rear wheel spin under throttle, unless the car is unsettled - understeer is easily induced if throttle is applied too quickly through a corner.
- Cup2 tires live up to the expectation of being quite good, but at a certain temperature and pressure, they get sloppy, fast.
- Lift-off oversteer is a good tool to use to change the direction of the car in a turn; threshold braking is less effective if the front tires are already at their limits of traction.
- Need to have fast hands if the rear decides to step out, it does it really quickly and with a lot more mass.
- Shifting manually with the paddles is infuriatingly slow and inconsistent - another owner has tracked his i4 a few times with the same complaints.
- Leaving it in full automatic results in a much better experience; it gets the shifts right 99% of the time on a clean push-lap; the other i4 owner agrees after I told him to try full auto.
- Track Mode with ESC Track still enabled is invisible till you mess up badly; but you still have to go through all the motions to catch the slide because it intervenes late.
- EBC Blue NDX pads worked, but felt inconsistent in their levels of friction throughout a session; not necessarily brake fade. They will also smear and cause vibrations that you will want to smooth out during the session before pitting. I also noticed small bits of pad missing at the edges when inspecting through the rim at the end of the day; there was also a clear reduction in pad thickness (maybe 1/5th).
- Matched my PB in my G87 M2 - surprised me.
- No oil temperature gauge, no oil pressure gauge, and no tire temperature display (TPMS sensors do have that data) - are disappointing; Coolant temps hovered around 200F (normal/no concerns).
- Extremely good feedback in the steering (still hydraulic, albeit electrically assisted on the i4), but it made it hard to have a more relaxed grip on the wheel as it would kick back on raised kerbs.
Much more to learn and I'd like to run a different set of pads and tires for a better experience.
Modifications:
EBC Blue NDX Brake Pads
Castrol SFR Brake Fluid
Rough alignment specs:
Front: -1.5 degrees camber w/0 toe
Rear: -1.8 degrees of camber w/minimal toe-in