Racing question i have never heard of before, It actually exists and is banned from F1! Options

[tazz9924]

So. I own a baja bug and a popular off road upgrade for it is a cutting/ turning brake. My question is why arnt these used in road racing as an alternative for left foot braking? this would direct braking force torwards the inside wheel(s) and may allow for faster and tighter cornering.

(Edit): I found that mclaren used a system similar to this in 97-98 in F1 and is a system currently employed in modern mclaren road cars. Instead of a grab handle it was a switchable 3rd pedal to the left of the brake pedal (they dont have clutches) Conservative estimates say it was good for .3 seconds a lap! It was banned from F1 on the grounds that it was a 4 wheel steering system. More info can be found here: http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/...e-steer-mclaren

[Cracker]

To piggy back on that excellent explanation - in the most basic form, of course. You rarely see road race cars excessively "loosing lateral traction" while cornering; as in drifting. Not only is "smooth generally the fastest way around a course" SO is maintaining the cars speed through a corner. In fact, this is the skill that separates the men with big balls from those with little ones. Period. Anyone can blast down the straights...stopping properly is a different matter though!

Ironically, the old racing cliche that indirectly ties into this discussion is, "Brakes, who needs those? They only slow you down...) is at play here. While trail braking helps rotate a car more quickly into a corner; it is power down from apex-out; unlike the drifting technique used in off-road cars.

Each car that is properly set up will have a "point" in which is the sweet spot during its rotation - the term that is used in racing is "setting the rear". It is hard to describe but once you have "felt it" - you know how far you can push the car (any further and you will do a loopy-lew)!

BTW: Left foot braking is an acquired skill..I learned to LFB in my Prototype - it is as natural now as anything else I have ever done.

Tony