Crash and Burn

While I enjoyed this documentary as well as Senna's documentary, they each missed something I am intensely curious about: what were they doing that enabled them to drive so much faster than the others? Both documentaries just called it "talent". Talent isn't magic pixie dust, they were doing something different, what was it?

Were they more precise in picking the line and when to brake? Were they better able to drive at the limit of the car without going over? Were they fearless and took more risks? Were they more aggressive and able to intimidate other drivers into letting them take the faster line?

Early in his career, the move said Tommy always drove flat out, and crashed a lot. This sounds like it could be how he acquired his skills, but there wasn't any followup on it.