If you’ve spent any time in track day forums, you’ve probably noticed the same question coming up over and over: “Is my lap time any good?”
It’s a fair question without an easy answer. Lap times depend on so many variables—the car, the track configuration, tire compound, weather, driver experience—that comparing yourself to others has traditionally been almost impossible. The guy claiming a 1:45 at your local track might be running slicks on a fully built race car, or he might be exaggerating.
A platform called LapMeta has been trying to solve this problem by creating a database where every lap time submission requires video proof and detailed metadata about the car and setup.
The Basic Idea
LapMeta works like a searchable database of verified lap times. When someone uploads a lap, they have to include a video (usually hosted on YouTube) along with information about the track, their car, modification level, and tires. The system currently has around 20,000 laps across 500 tracks.
The video requirement is the key differentiator. It’s hard to claim you ran a 1:32 when the footage shows a 1:48. This creates a level of trust that forum posts and social media claims don’t have.
Finding Realistic Benchmarks
The practical use case is benchmarking. Say you’re running a stock Miata on 200-treadwear tires at a specific track. You can filter the car performance rankings to see what other drivers with similar setups are running. If most people in that category are posting times between 1:55 and 2:02, and you’re at 2:00, you have a realistic sense of where you stand.
This also helps answer the eternal “is it me or the car?” question. If you’re consistently in the bottom quartile compared to similar setups, the limiting factor probably isn’t your equipment. If you’re near the top, upgrades might actually yield results.
Tire Data
One of the more useful sections is the tire rankings, which aggregates performance data across different tire models and treadwear ratings. The system attempts to isolate the tire’s contribution to lap time by controlling for car modifications and other variables. It’s not perfect science, but it’s more data than most people have when deciding between a set of RE-71RS and PS4S for their next track day.
Learning From Video
Beyond the times themselves, having video attached to every lap creates a learning resource. When you find someone running faster in a similar car, you can watch their footage and study their lines, braking points, and throttle application. The driver profiles show which cars and tracks each person has logged, so you can find experienced drivers on your specific platform.
Finding Events
The platform also maintains a track day calendar that pulls from various organizers. It’s not comprehensive, but it’s useful for discovering events you might not have known about, especially if you’re willing to travel to a new track.
The Limitations
Like any crowdsourced database, LapMeta is only as good as its submissions. Coverage varies by region—some tracks have hundreds of laps uploaded, others have almost none. The accuracy of the metadata (especially modification level, which can be subjective) depends on users being honest and precise.
It’s also worth noting that lap times are just one measure of track day success. Consistency, car control, and racecraft don’t show up in a database. A driver posting slightly slower times with less variance might actually be further along in their development than someone chasing a single fast lap.
Worth a Look
For drivers who want context for their lap times—or who want to research realistic expectations before buying a new car or set of tires—it’s a useful resource. The database is free to browse, and contributing your own laps helps build out the dataset for everyone.
More information at lapmeta.com.
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