Downshifting while braking

[pavsko]

Hi,
I am new in sim racing and I would like to ask more experienced simmers for advice:

I am driving without driver assistants and using manual shifting, autoclutch off.
What is the exact sequence of steps while deceleration before hard corner from let's say gear 5 to gear 2?

I tnink this:

1. Starting with hard breaking, foot off the throttle
2. then slowly releasing break and simultaneously apllying clutch and downshifting from 5 to 4 and immediately from 4 to 3 and immediately from 3 to 2 without releasing foot from clutch
3. release clutch, release break, starting to aplly gently throttle while entering into the corner

Am I correct?
Thanx for every comment.

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

There are various way to brake with a car I guess, but simracing unfortunately still isn't completely real so there are some tricks

1) Brake hard before a corner with your left foot (close to lockup) and apply a little bit of throttle at the same time (10%)
2) While doing this shift down the gears and keep the revs up (engine braking)
3) Gradually release the brakes a bit but try to brake while getting into a corner
4) Never do this with a real car as it will kill you

Another one which is actually the coolest to do, especially with older cars
1) Brake hard with your right foot and toes
2) Use left foot to clutch while downshifting (switch all aids off)
3) Blip the throttle with your right heel between the shifts to keep the revs up
4) Gradually release the brakes before your turning point
5) Steer in

The second version gives me the most joy for sure :thumb:

Oh and :welcome: by the way!!

 

[pavsko]

Thx for reply very much and for invitation as well.
Your post explains much to me. I am going to learn it.

Little questions though:
2) While doing this shift down the gears and keep the revs up (engine braking)
How is it possible to do engine braking while downshifting (clutch is pressed so engine don't have any impact to wheels)?

3) Blip the throttle with your right heel between the shifts to keep the revs up
Does it mean that between shifts I should release clutch?

 

[Ivo Simons]

You have two choices.

Left foot braking. Not using the clutch.

Or heel and toe using the clutch

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

How is it possible to do engine braking while downshifting (clutch is pressed so engine don't have any impact to wheels)?

Don't use the clutch at all in the first example

Does it mean that between shifts I should release clutch?

Yes, just like in real life as you need to brake on the engine also

 

[Ondrej Kapal]

I just wanted to ask the same question some time ago. I want to start my racing without auto clutch Many, many many thanks guys

 

[James Johnson]

Hamilton has a nifty way of downshifting. He mostly syncs the downshifting into pairs of 2.

This is for paddle shifting though.

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Hmm thats interesting, maybe he overrevs one shift for more engine braking?

 

[pavsko]

Thanks guys for replies.
Ivo, super video about heel & toe technique !!

 

[Senad Subasic]

V8 supercars FTW :love:

Pavsko, why don't you join us in GTL club races here?

 

[James Johnson]

Hmm thats interesting, maybe he overrevs one shift for more engine braking?

It means that he could also brake later as he doesnt spend as long going through the gears.

 

[pavsko]

To Senad: Thx for invitation, may be later First of all I have to learn driving better off line...

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

There is no better place to learn driving than with Stu's Wicked Online Bunch of Classic Car Lovers aka GTL Racing Club :thumb:

 

[Bob Hutchins]

Pavsko, don't forget, when changing down let the clutch out between gearshifts to allow for engine braking.

 

[pavsko]

Thx, I think it is now clear to me how using cluch to alow engine breaking while downshifting.

And what about scenario if driver does not want use engine braking - is possible to skip gears e.g. from 4 to 2 directly while breaking?
(I read somowehere that race drivers use this metod too). Is this method used (especially in sim racing) or is totally uncommendable?

 

[Carlos Diaz]

I play with a pad, so in simracing I have no other choice than to brake through the gears while downshifting and always engine braking.
And in real life I also find it easier to brake through the gears (engage each gear through the downshift) again using the motor to slow me down. Reason for this is that it's harder to try to match the revs when you go down 3 or 4 gears at once in one single declutching. It's easier to keep the car in the powerband if you have the motor and tranny hooked up through the downshifts (for me at least). That way, when you are nearing the apex, you can get back on the gas knowing that you are already in the right gear for the speed since you have been incrementally choosing the lower gears.
Sometimes, if you jump 2 or 3 gears at once, you might find out when you re-engage the clutch that you either went down one gear too many or one gear not enough.
That's just my personal opinion though.

 

[Ryan Callan]

Left foot braking, not using any clutch and blipping on downshifts has always worked for me in GTL.

 

[pavsko]

OK, thx much for your comments guys.

 

[Tom Wilson]

I also use a Pad so in game my method is just brake very hard, drop 2 cogs while blipping the throttle (use a shoulder button for Clutch) and then back on the brakes and down again if need be. As much engine braking as possible as you cna normally rely on teh car to stay straight and true unless you just dump it into 2nd at 150mph......

I always aim to get my braking and downshifts sorted as early as possible, hence why I normally get overtaken into slow bends. Late braking doesn't suit gamepads as you can easily get crossed up and lock a wheel without much warning. This does however give me good drive through a bend as I have plenty time to focus on the apex.

 

[Ondrej Kapal]

are still V8 using clutch nowadays? on youtube I found videos only from year 2006