To Paddle Shift or Not To Paddle Shift, that is the question….

I guess it comes down to what you feel more comfortable with. Im my karts, there are heal rests for both the gas and brake pedals for bracing.When Im in my car or truck, I can just use my heal on the floor board for bracing . It works quite well for me. I got well tired of just using my right foot for everything and have been left foot braking for 21 years so far.

G

 

Dude, driving a 700 hp car on the street is a lot difference than driving a kart on the track.

 

Yes, the kart is way more difficult and takes a lot more skill and endurance . You can only go so fast in a corner no matter what your driving. 500 , 700, 1000 HP, it makes no difference to me. I ride motorcycles that are way way faster, they accelerate and brake with way more G force than a 700 HP Ferrari.

My V4S spools up to 165 - 175 so fast and then slows down pretty quick with triple disc brakes. The kart pulls 2 Gs in the corners, which is pretty good. I would have a much easier time driving a car on the track or road than a shifter kart, but thats me. There is a reason that shifters are the closest you can get to being in an F1 car. An F1 car does have some power assist steering, karts do not.

Thx Big G

 

You don't get it. Modern Ferraris come alive at 145. Left foot or right foot braking doesn't matter. You are going way too fast on public roads.

 

It matters in the canyon and mountain roads, who cares about straight line speed in any car for that matter. When I left foot brake, I am much smoother than when I use my right foot .

G

 

Do you late apex on those canyon roads? Are you ready for somebody coming the other way who crosses the centerline?

 

Always, Ive been driving in the canyons and mountains for over 30 years. F1 drivers brake with their left foot. Its smoother whether your on a track or on the road with an auto or semi automatic gearbox . For me its just easier no matter where or how I am driving.
In my Ferrari I brake with my right foot because I use my left foot for the clutch.

I have not taught myself to heal & toe at this point in time. I just find that for me, I am a better driver when I use both feet in a 2 pedal car. Maybe for someone else that might not be the case. I just assumed that it would be the same for anyone . I know most folks do not drive with both feet unless in a 3 peddle car.

Thx G

 

I think you're missing the point. F1 drivers are not driving on canyon roads.

 

I know, but the theory is just the same. Left foot braking in a 2 peddle car is better , and smoother if you can get yourself trained to do so. Karting came quicker to me because I was already used to left foot braking, its as natural as using my right foot for all the years that I drove like that prior. My dexterity is full on and second to none, with both feet and hands.

Big G

 

Gino, you really need to step out of your 328 and see what Ferrari has become and done… these newer Ferraris are on a different planet than they were. Not just speed. The cornering is insane etc etc


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Thats all good, we are just talking about left foot braking. I get it that the new Ferraris spool up really fast and handle very incredibly well. Im just saying that the advantage of a paddle shifted Ferrari, or any other car, is that one can left foot brake and be smoother and faster on a canyon / mountain road, or a race track. This was my main point. Maybe someday I will get the chance to drive lets say a 458 or 488.


I will always feel that driving a shifter kart with a 175 or 250 cc motor on a race track is the ultimate driving experience. My friend has a 600 HP Twin Turbo Porsche . Ive been in it. Its a fantastic car, but its not hard to drive fast . Its not at all demanding like driving a shifter kart .


Big G

 

its pretty simple.
are you a man, or a woman.

 

Left foot braking only works in a DCT if the computers allow it. Last I heard, the Porsche DCT is not programmed for left foot or trail braking.

 

If its a daily driver im fine with paddles and will keep in auto most of the time

If its for fun Id greatly prefer a stick.

 

Im confused, how does any computer know which foot one uses to brake ? With all that being said, its a good reason to go to the local Porsche dealer and ask. Whether or not they know is a different story. Im thinking you may mean using the gas and brake at the same time ?

Im not sure that would ever be necessary on the road. On a motorcycle trail braking means being on the brakes all the way into the apex with the fronts. I do this at times, but when I may need to scrub off speed mid corner I always use the rear brakes on a motorcycle.

Big G

 

I dont want the computer to do anything for me other than ABS and the fuel injection, or to shift for me when Im not driving in the canyons quickly , simply like driving any car with an automatic gearbox, computerized or not.

G

 

i see a clutch replacement coming in your near future.

 

I am confused about why auto would be appreciably quicker around a track.

I get that it can time the upshifts perfectly, though it's not that hard shift near redline, and I'd be surprised if upshifting a couple hundred revs early translates to much sacrifice in power and torque. Can that be worth more than a couple thousandths?

And I don't understand at all why automated downshifts would save time. The most important thing when downshifting is ensuring the car is in the right gear when you're ready to get back on the throttle. And that's not hard to do in these cars - the braking zones are plenty long enough at these downforce levels. (The only time I personally struggled to get through the gears fast enough was in the early sequential boxes in the Swift 008.)

The only other consideration I can think of is balance under braking. Which frankly I'd think would be much easier if you know exactly when the gear change is coming. (Unless, perhaps a fly-by-wire system like in the 296 makes adjustments for you, though in that case, you'd think it could adapt for you even if you're selecting the gears yourself.)

Anyway, I would be curious why you think auto is faster on track @scottevestceo? What am I overlooking?

 

I'm honestly not clear what this would entail. The techniques I can imagine would be quite unsmooth.

I also don't really get the appeal of using the throttle to try to "trick" the ECU into selecting the gear you want. Seems like a lot of trouble vs using the gas pedal to control the throttle and the paddles to select the gears, as God and the engineers intended.

That said, if you find it fun, don't let us discourage you!

Though I did have this same thought...

 

I'm guessing @Texas Forever is referring to using throttle and brake at the same time. Which can be a benefit of left foot braking (fairly advanced and mechanically unsympathetic technique, though).

But that isn't the only (or even primary) advantage of left foot braking. The bigger deal, I think, comes from the ability to transition instantaneously from throttle to brake and vice versa. That saves some time by itself (zero coasting) and can be helpful with balance when transitioning to the throttle mid-corner after trail braking. I'm guessing this is what @ginoBBi512 is referring to?

 

Absolutely yes on my point , and yes I was thinking Texas was referring to using both throttle and brake at the same time. I could see how the computer might disallow that . I should have clarified it like you explained on the left foot braking, Thank you !

Big G

 

F1 is different from a DCT because a F1 is a "normal transmission" that uses a computer to shift, i.e., a F1 has a transmission, clutch, and so on. A DCT basically has two parallel systems that allow a computer to shift up or down in less than a blink of the eye.

The wear issue on a F1 system comes from its racing heritage. F1 race systems shift incredibility fast with almost no clutch slippage. In a race car, you can floor the throttle and upshift the car without lifting. Bam, bam, bam, bam. But when you put a F1 system into a street car, you have to slow it down to make it work smoother. Going like a bat outta hell stoplight to stoplight is a recipe for disaster.The result is more slippage, which causes wear. The auto mode in a F1 is a slow short shifter. In fact, you can make it shift in auto by using your right foot. After feeding in the gas, pause and lift slightly, and the car will slowly (but smoothly) upshift in the auto mode.

The key to clutch wear is speed of engagement. Next time you drive a manual, note the engagement zone with your left leg. You may have a foot of travel, but the clutch engagement zone is only a half of an inch. Again, the less slippage, the less wear. Many F1 drivers say they get less clutch wear by using the paddles instead of the auto mode. Maybe that is true. Bottom line, though, is a F1 system is tough on clutches. When I drive one, I use the paddles and do a lot of short shifting. YMMV.

 

what TF said....and no, your clutch will not be covered by the warranty since it is a wear item