How do you brake?

[bommer]

HEJ.

HOW ARE YOUR BREAKING SETTINGS? i FAIL TO BREAKE AND/OR STEAR IN CORNERS.

THANKS

BOMMER

DENMARK

 

[Craig Hume]

I am totally useless at braking. I brake early to keep the car stable and by the time the turn starts i have finished my braking. I tap the accel to get me through the corner and steadily increase the tapping to a full on flat foot.
This is all great on the exit of the turns, but i get nailed on the entrance. I have tried changing it but it doesn't really help, cause 2 laps later i am back to my old ways

 

[Luc Mangas]

My two cents: on some 90° corners, I found that you can brake a little later than usual, and keep a bit of pressure on the brakes to make the turn, till the apex where you can accelerate again. It helps the front wheels to keep the grip while turning.
(I am driving the Seat Leon , WTCC).

 

[Ries Notenboom]

It is ok in my experience to brake into a corner, I use this alot by setting up the brake bias in such a way that the back of the car actually sets itself so it even helps with the turn in. I keep setting the brake bias to the rear untill in the hardest brakign corner the back catches up with me and then set it to the front a noch again.
Most important is that when you got a straight of any length after the corner is that you get maximum exit speed as that little vid showed you as well.
So then it is better to brake a bit earlier and make sure you got the perfect line for exiting the corner. Will save your tyres over a long race as well.

 

[Tony Franklin]

When I first drove GTR I had the ABS on, but when I switched it off I was instantly losing over 2 seconds a lap (Monza I think) it took ages to get back the time and I'm still not sure that I fully have recovered this. I tend to always use 100% brake pressure and regulate the pedal pressure. Ease down fully and then gradually release as I slow right down.

 

[Rok Prosen]

The same thing here... first I press the brake hard to the metal, then i gradually release it untill Im in the middle of the apex.

Works for me. But it depends from curve to curve. Somewhere you just cant push the brake hard because youre already in the middle of the curve when you need to brake, so fully pressed brake would lock youre tires and you would go strait out of the track...

 

[Aritan Maia]

My style is to brake a little early to star accelerating as soon as possible!!!! hehehe. I prefer to do this if there is nobody on my tail, of course.

 

[Matt Hunt]

"Brakes" where we going we don't need brakes.....But for the most part it depends on the numpty behind helping me into the cornor, In fact I'm still rage braking while my face is in the barrier lolz

 

[Joule413]

I have a wierd braking habit that stuck with me from when I raced a lot in GPL.
In order to keep the cars going straight while braking in GPL, you almost have to keep one foot on the throttle while braking, so that the car doesn't spin or lock the rear wheels.
What's funny is that if you set a FWD WTCC car up with a lot or rear brake bias, and do the same thing, I find that the front wheels will help the car steer in to the corner, while the rear wheels do most of the braking. Also, keeping some throttle on while braking helps not to lock up the front wheels (if FWD), which also helps steering. Although I'm not sure if this is the fastest way around a track, but I've done some decent laps (1.36.3xx at Anderstorp in a Seat is the best so far for me)with this technique. Only drawback is that it's hard to tell sometimes if you're using to much throttle, and I also belive that having more front brake bias makes the car brake better...though you can still do this with more front brake bias.

Does anyone else have a similar technique?

 

[rafa28]

I've read most of the replies here and have found all of them useful. But the one i usually follow is pressing the brake pedal about 3/4 at the begining of the braking and then gradually realeasing the brakes. With time, you'll find yourself braking inside the turns, as i do very often. But this is not very recommendable, not for beginners anyway. I also, very often, modulate my braking pressure depending on the situation. For instance, if i'm overtaking someone during braking, i usually let go of the pedal a bit more than usual to complete the maneuver and then get on it again with a bit more pressure than before just to slow down enough for the turn. So it's like someone here said, it pretty much depends on each one's style.

 

[Sebastien Levret]

One more question for this topic : did you use the acceleration during the brake ? Due to the fact that the acceleration is independant to the brake, do you play with it for some brake and if yes why and for what kind of turn (or braking zone) ?

 

[Karl Dubois]

Take a brake

I change the brake bias during the race (only long races).
When your car gets lighter (less fuel) you change the brake bias in very small steps to the front.
To much brake bias to the front: car will not turn in
To much brake bias to the rear: when locking up, the car spins
Also when the conditions of the track changes (rain, track grip changes), you have to adjust your brake bias.
In the old days the driver changed it mechanical, now they use a buttom on the steeeringwheel and it works with a servo.

 

[Luke Chard-Maple]

hey all!

i have noticed that for me the best technique is slow in fast out! i find this especially true in the minis. also i find that i have to be much more careful when downshifting in a rwd car! i found that video of loebs braking very intriguing. good stuff!

 

[Dave Stephenson]

One more question for this topic : did you use the acceleration during the brake ? Due to the fact that the acceleration is independant to the brake, do you play with it for some brake and if yes why and for what kind of turn (or braking zone) ?

most cars i just blip it during 4-3 and 3-2./ but it does depend on the corner and conditions

 

[Niels Draijer]

The most smoothness way of braking when you're approaching a corner:
- Press hard on the brake pedal (make sure that the time during "off the gas and on the brake" is 0,0001s...)
- Shift down and watch the engine revs to brake the car even more
- Steer in and at the same time, release the brakes easily. (So you control the balance of the car. If you stop braking immediately and steer in, you will feel that the car want's to oversteer)
That's how I brake. Braking seems so easy but it isn't.
With the transition from G25 to VPP pedals, it cost me more than a month to get used to it.

 

[Marco Lattanzi]

The smoothness way of braking when you're driving to a corner:
- Press hard on the brake pedal (make sure that the time during "off the gas and on the brake" is 0,0001s...)
- Shift down and watch the engine revs to brake the car even more
- Steer in and at the same time, release the brakes easily. (So you control the balance of the car. If you stop braking immediately and steer in, you will feel that the car want's to oversteer)
That's how I brake. Braking seems so easy but it isn't.
With the transition from G25 to VPP pedals, it cost me more than a month to get used to it.

same way to brake for me...but I have only a G25, no VPP sadly :laugh2:

 

[Bevan Johnson]

If you are locking up with a G25 it could have something to do with this:

http://forum.racedepartment.com/gtr-evolution/10826-g25-deadzone.html
(Shameless link to own post)

I found it also affected the brake pedal. Clearly not being able to progressively use the brakes won't help lockups or balance. IMO.