Finding Your Sweet Spot – On the Track and in Life

In motorsport, the quest for performance is relentless. As a race tyre engineer working with professional drivers, and more recently as a driver myself - I know firsthand that success hinges on finding that elusive sweet spot where the tyres perform at their peak. It sounds simple, but in reality, it’s anything but.

Hitting that performance window involves navigating countless variables. Big data has supercharged our ability to gather information, but with that comes complexity. More data points mean more options, more combinations, and more compromises. Despite all the technology, the driver remains the single most critical sensor in the car. Their feel, feedback, and ability to adapt - especially under pressure -ultimately determine how well everything comes together.

Take the recent Japanese Grand Prix. Max Verstappen delivered a masterclass in extracting maximum performance. It was a reminder that, even with all the data and engineering support, it’s still the human element that elevates performance to the extraordinary.

When a race car is in that sweet spot, everything flows. Confidence grows, enjoyment soars, and performance follows. But it’s not just about the car, it’s about the driver learning through experience, making constant micro-adjustments, and tuning in to how every change affects the whole system.

So, what about your life? Is it in a sweet spot?

In my coaching work with senior leaders, a recurring question often surfaces: “When is good, good enough?” It’s a powerful reflection point. In the pursuit of high performance, it’s easy to lose sight of the toll that intensity takes - on yourself, your relationships, your team. Sometimes, relentless striving for more blinds us to what’s already working well.

Just like in racing, finding your sweet spot in life requires awareness, adjustment, and honesty. And, often, the most valuable performance gains come not from pushing harder—but from tuning in more precisely.