Question about F1 Shifters

Guys one quick question that I had come up today, While driving and shifting, and your about come up to either a stop sign or a red light. What I usually do is downshift into 2nd gear and then stop and then the car goes into 1st by itself.

Can I throw the car into neutral instead of just down shifting like in a regular manual car, or do I have to down shift. I know i can just break and the car will down shift by itself through all the gears.

I remember the dealer telling me never to downshift into 1st gear, but I dont recall throwing it into neutral when I am in lets say 3rd gear or 4th.

Thanks

 

going into nutral is no problem i do that quite a bit.

 

Ignoring the issue of safety, you can shift to neutral from any gear. I would say that it isn't a good idea to shift to neutral and brake to a stop. At the very least, if something happens this greatly limits your options. Plus, there is no real advantage to sitting in neutral over in gear with foot on the brake.

From my understanding of the system, sitting in neutral isn't any different than sitting in 1st with a foot on the brake. The system holds the clutch disengaged the whole time.

When you are in gear and take your foot off the brake the system lowers the clutch to a low clearance 'ready' position in anticipation of you accelerating. If you sit that way and don't move, it will shift to N automatically and hold the clutch disengaged.

 

The book on the 360 states to never downshift to 1st unless stationary. I think if sitting in parked traffic ie at the lights, for an extended period then selecting neutral will save clutch wear.

 

That's exactly how I had it explained to me by the head Ferrari service manager.

 

I always let the car slow down in whatever gear I am in. Then when the RPMs get low and before the car starts down shifting gear by gear, I put it in neutral to avoid all the shifting.
-Jim

 

As usual, Skidkid is right on the money on all counts. Emphasis on potential safety issues of coasting to a stop and sitting stopped in neutral --- in an emergency you can't actually drive the car until you get back in gear. After the first time it happened to me, I never coast or sit in neutral any more. The car will do what you suggest but I think it's a very bad idea.

 

I am by no means knowledgable about the F1. I would think that being in neutral would save clutch wear. What sort of situation would one need to evade in gear? The only thing I can think of is if another car is bearing down on you from behind. Then what do you do, drive out into traffic?

 

No, absolutely not. The pressure plate is withdrawn when stopped regardless.

Approaching fire truck is what happened to me. Everyone scattering to get out of the way while I fumble around getting back into gear. Lots of other possibilities as well; why risk it for no benefit?

 

Having had three F1 cars now, I never down-shift into 1st and always let the car decide when to do this.

I also don't put the car in Neutral when at a stop light... I leave it in first and keep my foot on the brake.

This has worked well for me thus far.

Frank

 

As other have noted, this is not true. No difference in clutch wear.

 

That's why I just got a stick.

 

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