Podium Driver Data Analysis

Getting Started

You can use Podium.live to find areas on the track and analyze your driving techniques to improve on in order to reduce your lap times and become a better driver.

Installing the app

Windows / OSX

Get the latest version of the Podium app from the downloads page

Android / iOS

Setup and Configure Podium

After logging in, you’ll be welcomed by the home page interface.

The main sections include:

• My Following: View the list of users whom you follow.
• My Events: See the events you’ve created.
• My Tracks: Browse tracks you’ve participated.
• My Devices: Manage and view the devices you’ve registered.

In the Events tab, you’ll find:

• Live Stream Events: Ongoing sessions from other users.
• Recent Events: A history of completed events.
• Upcoming Events: A schedule of events that are planned.

In the Tracks tab, you can:

• Search for all tracks available in Podium.
• Explore events that have taken place at each track.

When you select a device, either your own or another user’s device, the data appears in the Dashboard. Here you can:

• Select up to three laps of your choice for comparison.
• Stream and analyze the data in real time using customizable dashboards.

This is where you can dive into detailed performance insights and make the most out of your racing data. Start by picking a few of your fastest laps, usually 3 laps that are close in time, since we want to check your consistency. If you have data from a pro driver or coach, choose your two fastest laps and their fastest lap. This will clearly show you where you can improve.

Make sure you click on your fastest lap first, because the first lap you select becomes the reference lap in the Time Gap Graph. In the app, you have the option to either import a preset dashboard or fully customize your own. To do this, click on the settings icon in the top-right corner.

From here, you can add gauges or presetted dashboard based on your needs. For example:

By clicking Add you can import whole dashboards.

Or click on Add gauge

• To create a Speed Chart, add a Line Chart gauge and set it to the Speed channel.
• The Time Gap Graph is also available in the gauges section and can be added in the same way.

This flexibility allows you to build a dashboard that highlights the data most important to your analysis. For clearer analysis, make sure your graphs are set to display data by Distance instead of Time. You can switch this easily by double-clicking the time icon shown on the chart. In addition to speed and time gap, you can also add other useful graphs such as RPM, Gear, Pitch, and Yaw, depending on the level of detail and type of insights you want to focus on.

Speed Trace Graph - Find the inconsistencies

When looking at the Speed graph, check for spots where the speed lines from different laps don’t match up. These are usually turns or braking zones. If the lines are not on top of each other, it means your speed was different in those sections from lap to lap These differences show the areas where you are losing the most time. Focus on those sections first. Then, figure out why you were slower there and how you can drive more consistently and faster in those parts of the track.

Time Gap Graph

The Time Gap graph shows exactly how much time you gain or lose in each part of the track.

• When the line drops sharply, it means you are losing time in that section.
• When the line rises sharply, it means you are gaining time back.

The biggest dips show where you are losing the most time, these are the areas you should work on first (the “low-hanging fruit”). If you select your fastest lap first, it becomes the reference lap. That means the graph is showing how the other laps compare to it.

To measure how much time you lost:

1. Place the cursor where the time gap line starts to dip or rise. Note the Time Gap value there.
2. Move the cursor to where the line levels off again. Note the new Time Gap value.
3. The difference between those two values is the amount of time you lost (or gained) in that section.

Focus on the sections with the largest time losses first, since improving those will give you the biggest gains.

The Why - Analyzing the Data

Once you know where you are losing time, the next step is to figure out why. Go back to the speed trace and check the section with the biggest loss. Look carefully at where the difference starts, is it in the braking zone, mid-corner, or corner exit?

• Braking zone
  • Did you brake too early, too light, or too hard?
  • Was your braking pressure inconsistent?
  • Did you take too long to go from throttle to full brakes?
  • Did heel-toe affect your braking pressure? (Check the Accel graph too.)

• Mid-corner
  • Did you slow down too much?
  • Or not enough, causing you to “overcook” the turn?
  • Did you release the brakes at the right time?
  • Was your turn-in point correct, and did you reach the apex?
  • How smooth was your throttle transition? (Check the Accel graph too.)

• Corner exit / following straight
  • Was your mid-corner speed too low?
  • When did you get back on the throttle?
  • How quickly did you reach full throttle? (Check the Accel graph.)
  • Did you hit the apex and use all the track on exit?
  • Were your gear shifts and RPM points correct? (Also check RPM, Gear, Track Map, or Accel graphs.)

By breaking it down this way, you can see exactly what caused the time loss and work on fixing it.

General Data Analysis Tips

If you are not comparing yourself to a pro driver, just focus on one lap at a time. Start with your best lap and compare it to your second-best lap. If they are similar, it means your lap was consistent. If they are very different, your best lap might have been an anomaly (a “lucky” lap).

Braking

Check the Accel graph (either AccelX or AccelY depending on how your system is set up). This graph shows acceleration and braking.

• Braking always shows as a much larger curve than acceleration.
• Normally, you’ll see about 0.2 - 0.3 g on the acceleration side, and over 1.0 g on the braking side.

Threshold Braking - Using All the Tire Grip

• Your maximum braking g-force should be close to your maximum cornering g-force (within about 0.2 g).
• If they are not close, you are not using the tires’ full grip.
  • Example: If your car corners at 1.4 g but your braking is only 1.0 g, it means you could brake harder.

Throttle to Brakes Transition

On the acceleration/braking graph, look at the areas where you brake hard for a long time. Pay attention to how you move from throttle to brakes.

• The transition should be sharp and immediate.
• If the line dips gently before dropping sharply, it means you were coasting (no throttle, no brakes) or just lightly pressing the brakes before applying them properly.
• In most cases, you should go straight from full throttle to full brakes in these heavy braking zones.

You can also see this on the speed trace:

• While accelerating, the line should rise gradually.
• When braking, it should drop suddenly and steeply.
• If instead it levels off or drops slowly before the sharp deceleration, it means you were coasting or braking too lightly before actually hitting the brakes hard.

What to Look For in the Braking Trace

* Ideal:

• • The g-force (or brake pressure) line should look like a straight diagonal drop when connecting brake application to release.
  • The transition from throttle to brake in the speed trace should resemble a sharp corner (almost 90°), not a rounded curve.
  • This shows fast, consistent, and maximum-effort braking.

* Common Issues:

• • Bowed In (Convex Curve): Braking hard at first, then easing off too soon.
    • Problem: Giving up braking performance and slowing too much before the corner.
    • Fix: Brake slightly later and aim to maintain consistent pressure.

• • Bowed Out (Concave Curve): Braking too gently at first, then pressing harder closer to turn-in.
    • Problem: Wasting track distance and reducing stability.
    • Fix: Commit to firm braking earlier and more decisively.

Actionable Adjustment

• Start braking a touch later to encourage yourself to apply maximum pressure quickly.
• Focus on consistency: come off the brakes at the same point as usual, but use the braking zone more effectively.
• Cross-check with speed trace: a straight, steep line down is the goal

Together with your speed trace analysis (where inconsistencies show up lap to lap), this braking trace evaluation helps pinpoint exactly which braking zones cost you the most time.

Heel-Toe Analysis

On the braking trace, watch for a small dip or wobble in pressure, this is usually where you blipped the throttle. On the speed trace, it shows as a sharp drop that briefly flattens before continuing down. In the RPM trace, you’ll see a quick spike from the downshift.

Consistent Braking Across Zones

On both the speed trace and accel/braking graph, the steep drops in each braking zone should look nearly parallel. If one zone’s line is less steep, it means you braked lighter there. Aim for all zones to match, same slope, same consistency, to maximize braking performance.

Brake Release & Trail Braking

Compare your brake release to a coach/pro lap. Note: if they come off brakes sooner, transition to throttle earlier, or roll to full throttle quicker. Trail braking shows as a gradual fade in braking G’s after peak, tapering to 0g, smooth release while turning.

Lateral G’s

Look at your lateral G’s on the graph. Your max G-forces should be the same in both left and right turns. If they are not equal, it means you either need to work on your technique turning in that direction (most US tracks are clockwise so we gave more practice turning right than left), or there could be a setup issue with the car.