Supersede Control – A Mind at Speed
The Mental Framework for High-Performance Driving and Racecraft
by Pierre Martins
“Supersede Control” is not a driving guide.
It is a system.
A structured approach to understanding vehicle behaviour – and controlling it with precision.
This book is decades too late! For me.
Where was Pierre Martins and Supersede Control when I first pulled on a helmet and buckled myself into my Triumph Spitfire, imagining I was Jim Clark but driving more like Jimmy the Chimpanzee?
Pierre Martins is a South African who has been involved in motorsport for more than 30 years. He has raced motorcycles, Superkarts and cars, recording countless wins and podium finishes. He works as a test driver, performance evaluator, coach and instructor.
And he is a thinker. He has thought long and hard about the dynamics in play when racing a vehicle. This book is the result of all that thought and his years of experience.
At the beginning of his book, Martins lays out the elements of what he calls The Supersede Control Model. He states that Supersede Control is a framework for governing performance under pressure. His six interdependent layers are:
Perceptual Authority – See early
Environment Modelling – Read the conditions
Load Governance – Balance the platform
Input Velocity Management – Control the rate at which inputs are applied
Physiological Regulation – Stabilising the nervous system under pressure
Slip Authority – Operating on the edge of grip without escalation
Each of these layers is explained, described, and dissected in the following ten chapters. But, by interweaving real racing stories and relating his and others’ experiences, Martins makes the theoretical real, and the book enjoyable.
If you have ever driven in competition, or plan to, this book will make you think. You won’t read it once, then put it down; you will refer to it for years to come as you use it to improve your competition driving. I have been lucky enough to share track time with professional racing drivers who have shown me how to tackle a particular track in a particular car. They have shown me where to brake, where to turn, and where to accelerate. They showed me how. This book made me think about, then understand, why a car does what it does.
One of the stories Martins uses is a fascinating observation made by his ballet-dancer wife. When he was discussing movement—anticipation, balance and sequencing while driving—she immediately saw and explained the similarity to her dancing. It’s an interesting and useful comparison that helps the reader understand a racing vehicle’s slip envelope.
This book is not text-heavy. Sentences are widely spaced as Martins emphasises key points. There are clear paragraph headings and concise summaries at the end of each section. The text is complemented by black-and-white photos and diagrams.
Supersede Control should probably be in your racing bag (it’s a compact 6 x 9″) with your overalls, gloves and helmet, and used just as often. More books are planned.
The book can be purchased by visiting: www.supersedecontrol.com
It is printed on demand by INGRAMSPARK in the country of order. Cost: US$26.95, and it ships in five to seven days.
Copyright 2026 Peter Hill (speedreaders.info)
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