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A G-G diagram plots lateral vs longitudinal acceleration, showing the performance envelope of a car. The outer boundary represents the maximum grip available - it’s one of the most insightful ways to compare car performance and driver technique. G-G diagram showing acceleration envelope

What is a G-G diagram?

The G-G diagram shows:
  • X-axis: Lateral acceleration (cornering forces)
  • Y-axis: Longitudinal acceleration (braking/accelerating forces)
  • Each point represents a moment in time during the lap
  • The outer boundary shows the car’s performance limit

Load session and get telemetry

We’ll compare multiple drivers at Monaco Qualifying.

Compute accelerations

Calculate g-forces from telemetry data using smooth derivatives to reduce noise.
The smooth_derivative() function uses a low-noise differentiator algorithm that reduces noise in the acceleration calculations. This is important because raw numerical derivatives amplify noise in the telemetry data, which would create unrealistic spikes in the G-G diagram.

Create G-G diagram

Plot acceleration data with performance envelope using convex hull.
The performance envelope is computed using scipy.spatial.ConvexHull, which finds the smallest convex polygon that contains all acceleration points. This accurately represents the car’s performance limits across all directions of acceleration.

Reading the diagram

Key insights from a G-G diagram:
  • Top of envelope (positive Y): Maximum acceleration
  • Bottom of envelope (negative Y): Maximum braking
  • Left/right edges (X): Maximum cornering forces
  • Corners of envelope: Combined braking/acceleration + cornering
  • Wider envelope: More grip available
  • Rounder envelope: Better balanced car

Comparing drivers

Look for:
  • Envelope size: Larger = more grip being used
  • Envelope shape: Asymmetry shows car balance issues
  • Point density: Where drivers spend most time
  • Peak values: Maximum g-forces achieved

Track characteristics

Different tracks produce different shapes:
  • Monaco: Smaller envelope, lower speeds, less extreme forces
  • Monza: Larger longitudinal values (high-speed braking)
  • Silverstone: Large lateral values (high-speed corners)
The G-G diagram is a powerful tool for understanding car performance limits and how drivers extract maximum grip from the car.
Last modified on March 6, 2026