Further backing up Mike's explanation. The key is not to be smooth, but to be smooth about the corrections you have to make. Sudden jerks or inputs upset the car's balance which causes a loss of grip. Driving on the limits of grip is the goal, but driving on the limit and going past and correcting is not. Corrections scrub speed, bottom line.

 

Sigh, you mis-read me again. =(

In every one of my post in this thread, I consistently say that what Celima is
doing DOES make him FAST. His steering inputs are there to smooth out the
car's line and drive AT the limits of adhesion, going over and under and over
and under the limits. Looking from inside, he may seem unsmooth to you, but his
car is in fact smooth if you were watching from outside.

DE's have a way to brainwash the majority of the people. They say smooth is
good. But, really, that's just to make sure everyone goes home in one piece.
Watch ANY racing video, and you'll notice the steering inputs are not smooth
and are abrupt, but they are there to make the car go in the right direction
and stay at the limits of adhesion to get the most out of the tires, travel through
the turns at max velocity, and be able to put down power out of the turns as soon
as possible. Schumi is the only person who can drive fast and yet look very
smooth from inside the cockpit.

Bottom line, Celima is a diam good driver. There's a video of him smoking a
cigarette WHILE driving.

 

Which is the one habit he seems to have that really bugs me. He takes his hands off the wheel a lot. Especially to hover over the gear lever. I don't care how skilled he is, that could come back to haunt him big time.

 

Yup yup yup!!!
The only time the right hand comes off the steering wheel should be when you go
for the shifter. Or else, the rest of the time, it should be on the steering wheel.
I noticed that one too. Everytime his right hand hovers over the shifter, I have the
urge to hold the steering wheel for him. He also doesn't put on his gloves until
he's accelerating in the hot pit lane... haha!

 

"If it feels like you're on rails, you're not going fast enough."

"Smooth is fast."

The secret to being a great driver is balancing the inherent contradiction between those two truths.