How to use paddle shifting - 1st time driver

Expect to be jerky initially - somewhere on Youtube there's a video from a dealer in Florida how to drive F1 - also many similar threads already in the 430/360 section

If you are unsure put the car into auto and let it do the work initially

Let us know how you get on

 

It's a piece of cake - don't use auto. Start off shifting at 4K RPM and work your way up. For now, don't shift on turns - just shift in a straight line. Do not let off throttle when shipping - stay on the gas.

 

You will find if you slightly lift off the gas as you shift you will be able to shift very smoothly. If you do that, you should be able to get super smooth shifts. If you are doing full throttle acceleration runs--then you don't want to lift of the gas. But for normal driving--a slight lift (not all the way) works like a charm...

For that reason these cars are much smoother in manual mode then automatic mode. Main reason being that in auto mode you can't anticipate very well when the car is going to shift.

 

When you come up to a stop and car is in neutral and rolling slowly.... and traffic moves again Don't panic when trying to get back into gear..... car must be fully stopped before you press brake to get transmission to engage gear. Slow rolling and trying to get in gear will only piss you off if you've never done it before. Trial and error works just don't panic.... full stop with foot on brake, then select up shift paddle gear. Also don't floor it. Lol.

 

(Disclaimer: perspective from a Getrag twin clutch)
Up-shifts are much like a manual, except instead of working a clutch and shifter, you hit the paddle.

But remember that down-shifts are just as immediate.

If you'd gotten in the habit of approaching a stop by pushing in the clutch, down-shifting to first, and then letting out the clutch late, remember that a paddle shifter doesn't do delayed shifts.
Hit the down-shift and it'll down-shift immediately. Be careful not to over-rev by down-shifting too early.

 

Callie, read PJ's above post several times, slowly and carefully. Approaching a stop go to neutral by pulling both paddles; then keep foot on brake when selecting first gear to move off.

 

I have had close relatives and friends who never drove F1 (but drive stick cars) drive my 360. I just tell them to drive it like they're driving a manual car, except that they don't have to release the gas pedal esp when upshifting. I think they get the hang of it in a short period of time.

 

Some misconceptions on rolling to a stop in neutral, which I do all the time with 3 pedals and F1. In F1 if rolling in neutral, selecting either the upshift or downshift paddle will get you the same gear. That gear will be the highest gear in which the engine will run smoothly and way too high for comfortable acceleration. So a useful technique is to use the downshift paddle to get her in gear, and then hit the downshift paddle again quickly to get a useful gear.

 

What Taz says when coming to a stop. Both paddles in. If moving select dowwnshift and go or downshift twice. IF YOU ARE at a COMPLETE STOP. YOU must put your foot on the brake to engage a gear. Otherwise you will sit there looking stupid sitting in place revving the engine. When completely stopped transmission will not engage unless your foot is on the brake.Also watch out trying to creep forward up something like say rugs or pads under the tires. At a certain rpm you get engagement. First time parking in my garage I briefly burned rubber trying to nudge it on some pads but fortunately got on the brake quick enough before driving through the back wall and over my wife. I think its funny now but my wife not so much. GTS Bruce

 

Nearly all is us neutral when stopped owners were initially caught out when stopped with foot off the brake. She will not go into gear that way. Embarrassing.

Incidentally, as part of F1 101, whenever you are stopped in an F1 Ferrari, in neutral or in gear, the clutch is always open. That means you are not saving the throw-out bearing like you do with a 3 pedal.

 

You don't need to put it in neutral when coming to a stop. If you don't shift down the gearbox will automatically select 1st. If you want to shift down faster (to hear the engine just for fun say) you can do that.

Sometimes if it is a long light or if you want to coast to a stop you can place the gearbox in neutral by pulling both paddles. Only point is if you do this, when you put the car back in tears you either:
If the car is moving sufficiently fast all you have to do is pull on of the paddles back.
Or
If the car is creeping very slow you need to come to a stop (or at least have your foot pressing the break hard enough) to put the car back in gear by pulling the right paddle.


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I agree. I almost never put mine in N at a stop light unless it's a long one. If I do, I do at once I come to a stop. Just a matter of driving style.. I believe some will comment about pressure plate wear..

 

And I always put mine in neutral coming to a stop, just like I do for 3 pedals. All those automatic or manual downshifts are just a waste of T/O bearing and clutch cycles to me.

But that is the trick: drive F1 just like you do a 3 pedal. If you are a neutral coaster with 3 pedals, do that. If you downshift to 1st at stops with 3 pedals, do that. I would not let her auto downshift coming to a stop, though, because the engine is very close to lugging when that happens.

One point bears repeating that some seem to have missed. When coasting in neutral, either the upshift or downshift paddle will get her back into the same gear. Too high a gear, but we know how to fix that.

 

Perhaps. I just don't like the feel of being in gear and then dropping into N prior to coming to a stop - I don't do that in my DD's that are automatics (not that I could ) In my 98 355, if I don't downshift to a stop, the car automatically select 1st upon stop. Example, if I'm in 3rd, coming to a stop, I don't need to manually, sequentially shift down to first - just apply the brake and when stopped, the system will select 1st automatically.

 

Nobody does that with automatics. F1 has virtually nothing in common with an automatic transmission except an Auto setting that lets the TCU decide when to actuate the clutch and shift solenoids rather than using the paddles.

 

Of course not, Terry - it was a joke.

You are talking the pre-DCT F1's with this statement. The DCT's are pretty amazing in auto shifts great but I won't drive it in auto.

 

Dave- Affirmative, but DCTs are not F1 systems, any more than automatics with paddles are.

You had me worried on downshifting your auto DDs.

 

Just one comment regarding being stopped in 1st gear. After about 5 mins stationary you will hear the warning buzzer as the car will time-out and shift to neutral

 

If you have your foot off the brake, she will go to neutral in a matter of seconds, with foot on the brake, it will be in minutes and the time varies with Ferrari model.

Incidentally, you get the same warning buzzer if you leave her in neutral after shutting her down and opening the door. Ferrari thinks she should be left in gear at shut down, and I agree. Of course, that means you need to select neutral before starting. The system will normally do that for you if you try to start with her in gear, but if the battery is low, F1 Ferraris have been known to lurch forward when started in gear.

 

Dave,

I would have agreed with this until recently but there is a difference (talking 360 with a new CS TCU).

The clutch is further open in N than when in gear and when you select a gear the clutch closes slightly. Mine can drag at that point.

Eg...

N
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1st
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My advice is select N at a stop light.





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A 355 won't select N for you. I only leave mine in N in my garage. On the road I leave it in 1st.

 

Thanks, Mike. I'll play with my SD2 on my 355 when I get a chance.

 

Mike- Sounds like your PIS is set too low.

Dave- F355s have several differences from the later F1 systems. Have not studied them in detail to see what they are. The ones I know about are the F1 pump does not run when the door is opened, and the analog throttle cannot match revs completely in Sport because of lack of throttle authority. Not auto-selecting neutral must be another one.