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Left foot braking.

3K views 15 replies 11 participants last post by  cornbeef 
#1 ·
There is a technique that I have read about, but do not know how prevalent this is in practice by professional race car drivers or enthusiasts. The issue is left foot braking and the ability to decrease dead time interval between braking and accelerating, thus better lap times. Of course in cars without need to use clutch, e.g.. sequential transmission, automatic.

I am in no ways coordinated enough or young enough to even start to try this technique in my DD, that does not have a clutch. Okay, I tried it but it felt weird and I was way overbraking initially.

I wondered if any on these forums have heard about this method or even do this.

I remember an episode on Top Gear where Hammond drove a F1 car and telemetry readout showed the time between accelerator and brake application being a half second or so (IIRC). He was told the ideal interval would be low tenths of a second, again IIRC.

Just something interesting to think about.

Just found this URL: Why You Should Brake With Your Left Foot.
 
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#3 ·
You'll see it more in cars like F1 where the footwells are super cramped where it may not even be possible to left foot brake or in turbo race cars so the driver can get on the throttle before he is done braking. Thanks to the joys of turbo lag (especially with diesels like the Audi R18), the driver has to get on gas before he actually wants torque, so sometimes this carries over into the braking zone.
 
#4 ·
The technique is not only to reduce the time between lifting off the gas and applying the brake. I have been in some cars with very good drivers that could go through a corner with the throttle flat to the floor only with a brush of left foot braking on turn in (yes, a little braking while hard on the gas). It sets the front wheels just enough to bite and the car follows. Supposedly, this is a common technique in 911's that need some coaxing at corner entry.

I am experimenting with this technique, but struggle with my big feet and marginal coordination. If my left foot placement is not perfect, I push down on my right foot too.
 
#6 ·
I've heard that, too. I've also been told by a reliable source that the Elige chassis does not respond well to trail-braking (something in the geometry), so I am really curious to see how it handles it in that situation.
 
#5 ·
I do it as often as possible, have left foot braked exclusively since day one at 16 years old for automatics.

With a manual it can only be done in a turn that does not require a a gear change, almost always a downshift. The idea is that you are on more throttle and as you ease off the brakes the acceleration comes in quicker. You're simply maintaining more RPM. And in our lower powered cars it's even better an idea. maintaining that momentum when HP would be nice.

Now of course this is harder on your ride as you are using brake and throttle simultaneously.

Even if not on both at the same time, it's an instantaneous transition not moving that one foot from one pedal to another.
 
#7 ·
In automatics I exclusively brake with my left foot. With a manual, I left foot brake on corners that I don't have to downshift (heel-toe). I learned later in life and it certainly wasn't natural at first. I was taught to start out left foot accelerating. I used this on boring car trips to maintain speed. Once that became natural, braking became more natural. A few years later and I don't even think about it anymore.

As others have said, you can also use left foot braking to scrub speed and/or transfer weight in turns (trail braking).

If you don't already heel-toe, I'd certainly learn that first though.
 
#8 ·
I left foot brake in Auto-Xing and Circle Track racing. With road racing it is more difficult unless you have a transmission that does not require a clutching. The concept is to get the car to squat instead of nose diving. As you roll out of the throttle, you pick up the brake thus creating equal braking forces on the front and rear. If you lift on the throttle, you create a pitching moment forward and rear braking.

I have found that the Exige does not like to trail brake because of the brake bias, not the chassis. Mine has the larger OEM AP rotors and calipers on the front. Before I started changing the brake system, if you tried to trail brake it would actually induce a push in the car. I am still chasing a better brake bias setup, I am close, then I believe depending on how much camber and toe you have in the rear will depend on how effective it is.

Later,
Eldon
 
#9 ·
Ruebens Barrichello was probably the last guy in F1 to use right foot braking. Nowadays, nearly all top-tier drivers use left foot for braking, including NASCAR.

If you started off with Karting, it's easier since you can only brake with your left foot. And if you've started Karting recentl, you'll be pleasantly surprised that the brakes in those karts don't have to be used as an On/Off switch, and you can actually modulate it. :crazyeyes

It takes a lot of practice to develop that level of sensitivity in the left foot, though. But I think, if anything, it's easier to do it in the Eliges because how heavy, direct, and short in travel the brake pedal is. Most other 'generic' cars feel like the brakes work as if it's on potentiometers(long travel with wet noodle feel), but the Elige brakes feel like proper 'load' based. Your choice of tires and pads will affect the feel, though.

With that said, I still need A LOT of practice, but so far I've been lacking the balls to practice it at my favorite canyon roads. :facepalm
 
#14 ·
It takes a lot of practice to develop that level of sensitivity in the left foot, though. But I think, if anything, it's easier to do it in the Eliges because how heavy, direct, and short in travel the brake pedal is. Most other 'generic' cars feel like the brakes work as if it's on potentiometers(long travel with wet noodle feel), but the Elige brakes feel like proper 'load' based. Your choice of tires and pads will affect the feel, though.

With that said, I still need A LOT of practice, but so far I've been lacking the balls to practice it at my favorite canyon roads. :facepalm
i find it much easier to learn in the race car with no power brakes and basically zero pedal travel. because you only have to modulate pressure - where in a street car you have to modulate pressure and travel. which is a harder way to learn. its actually not that hard in the formula cars to start left foot braking... (or any car where its straight hydraulics with no boost and little travel.
 
#10 ·
Cool. A a lot of you folks know about this and all. I appreciate those with the expertise chiming in. Interesting reads.

On somewhat related, I notice Senna going around a track ? trying to get every ounce of performance out of a corner? by positioning the car by throttle blipping/feathering or keeping corner speed as high as possible by this throttle method? Anyone do this or is this even practical in our Eligeses?
 
#13 ·
Cool. A a lot of you folks know about this and all. I appreciate those with the expertise chiming in. Interesting reads.

On somewhat related, I notice Senna going around a track ? trying to get every ounce of performance out of a corner? by positioning the car by throttle blipping/feathering or keeping corner speed as high as possible by this throttle method? Anyone do this or is this even practical in our Eligeses? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8By2AEsGAhU
yes, thats basic driving. using the inputs to balance the grip.

there are lot of fundamentals you can learn from that. he is full throttle really early, apex or better. (all the blipping with max momentum is to just keep the car balanced to get it to WOT ASAP) also notice how "early" he brakes, he is on the throttle during turn in... no coasting into the corner, no over braking... or changing the contact balance by jumping from no to full throttle. thats how you keep it balanced - just always be on the throttle :)

also he is using the cars balance to get a little turn in understeer slip angle with a little more than max entry speed. into balanced into apex to a bit of throttle oversteer on track out. thats what you want to do. a little slip in, clean apex, a little slip out.

...but of course, its senna?! great driver - even if we was a d!ck racer.
 
#11 ·
Left foot braking is very common in performance driving with front wheel drive. It allows you to play with both the brake and throttle modulate the cars traction balance. You can go between under steer and over steer at will. Do it wrong and all that happens is you go slow and burn up the brakes.
 
#12 ·
all my formula cars i left foot brake, and all the time because they have dog gear boxes and just rev match to shift w/o clutch...

in my street cars with clutch i will sometimes left foot brake when i just want to feather the brake and change the balance of the car a little. in other words, braking with no gear change. others i of course right foot, heal and toe etc...

i first learned to left foot brake in the 90's with my M100 élan, the turbo lag was so bad the only way to get thing going was to breath off the throttle 50% under braking and or floor it while still braking... otherwise it was 1-2 seconds before it would go again.
 
#15 · (Edited)
fitfan, your comments regarding Senna's lap video, and high performance driving in general, is very insightful to me. Very nice reading.

Re: Senna. I truly hated Senna, the racer, in his day, but now, as I am older perhaps, I perceive in him more clearly now, innate pure dedication, talent, ability, and genius, and that tempers how I see "win at all costs" attitude as being part of that and possibly rightly so. Would not Senna welcome such an attitude from any fellow competitor? It is complex, I would admit to anyone. Would stopping a Monaco GP early due to the weather be winning at all costs?

I did hate Senna. Now I think I admire him for his accomplishments and dedication.
 
#16 ·
It's funny when I drive something without powered brakes, like a go Kart, golf cart etc I have no problem left foot braking and actually do it naturally. (ok so you have to on a go kart but still) I never even realized I did it until recently when someone on an off road cart with me mentioned it......

I've tried it in a car and I have to concentrate hard to do it and not drive my head thru the windshield when I even brake lightly:shrug:
 
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