14 replies to this topic

[Puntataco]

I was just wondering, whilst watching some old tapes, about drivers commenting on driving and braking.
This brought me to one topic, maybe someone knows...
When did the left food braking started to become popular in F-1? Around 1994 or before?
Does anyone know if drivers today are in general braking with left foot or if there are still drivers braking with right foot?
best regards,

[Bloggsworth]

Barrichello still does I believe.

I'm sure I've previously contributed to a thread on this subject.

[jdtreelines]

I was just wondering, whilst watching some old tapes, about drivers commenting on driving and braking.
This brought me to one topic, maybe someone knows...
When did the left food braking started to become popular in F-1? Around 1994 or before?
Does anyone know if drivers today are in general braking with left foot or if there are still drivers braking with right foot?
best regards,

I can't comment much about F1, but left-foot braking was certainly widespread in the rally world in the 1960s. I can remember attending a Rally School (organised I think by Ford Boreham) in about 1970 where the theory and practice were explained by the team drivers. I suspect it became widespread in rallying with the use of front-wheel drive cars - so it probably goes back to the late 50s and the debut of the SAAB Monte Carlo.

In racing, it's unlikely that the practice was used pre-war because many racing and sports cars of that era placed the brake pedal on the right with the accelerator in the middle. Very nerve-wracking when driving a friend's Bugatti for the first time!!!

My copy of DSJ's The Racing Driver disappeared years ago, so I can't check it to be sure, but I'm sure I remember DSJ telling how Moss used the technique in emergencies when the Mercedes was about to understeer off the road.


[NOTE: Edited to correct "left" to "right".]

Edited by jdtreelines, 26 January 2011 - 21:02.

[Tony Matthews]

I think it percolated into F1 as more and more new drivers entered the top catagory via Karting.

[macoran]

via Karting.

I started left footing the brakes because of Karting
I found that in the days pre ABS I could continue in the pouring rain at ridiculous speeds
taking corners on the brakes while throttling the accelerator to prevent locking.
I think I actually got quite good at it.
I also love the way left footing the brakes on full bore acceleration away from the lights in the rain
gives an artificial LSD effect, allowing my Honda Accord sedan to make mincemeat of the bluff 525i Bimmer boys.

But yeah I'll admit my Accord has a 2.8 Legend block under the bonnet (hood).

[SWB]

I think left foot braking got into F1 when the drivetrain/gearchange allowed it. But in other formula I think it goes back to the dawn of time, certainly oval racing in the USA from dirt tracks to NASCAR to Indy it was always used.

[Pullman99]

Don't forget the Lotus 56B in F1 during 1971.

The two-pedal layout resulting from the use of the Pratt & Whitney gas turbine presumably followed from the car's development from the Indianapolis Type 56.

Now that would be nice to see (and hear) running again!

[Allan Lupton]

In racing, it's unlikely that the practice was used pre-war because many racing and sports cars of that era placed the brake pedal on the left with the accelerator in the middle. Very nerve-wracking when driving a friend's Bugatti for the first time!!!

My copy of DSJ's The Racing Driver disappeared years ago, so I can't check it to be sure, but I'm sure I remember DSJ telling how Moss used the technique in emergencies when the Mercedes was about to understeer off the road.

Most brake pedals were on the right (and even in the Veteran period not many were not) whether the throttle was central or further right.
Can't remember the DSJ story - he tells of SCM in a 300SL provoking understeer on entry into an S-bend by use of excess steering, the transition from artificial understeer to natural oversteer being made to coincide with the change of direction of S-bend in the road

[Tim Murray]

Here are some earlier threads which cover the subject:

Left foot braking

Did the F1 cars of 1970 have three pedals?

History of left foot braking in Formula 1

[jdtreelines]

In racing, it's unlikely that the practice was used pre-war because many racing and sports cars of that era placed the brake pedal on the left with the accelerator in the middle.

Most brake pedals were on the right (and even in the Veteran period not many were not) whether the throttle was central or further right.
Can't remember the DSJ story - he tells of SCM in a 300SL provoking understeer on entry into an S-bend by use of excess steering, the transition from artificial understeer to natural oversteer being made to coincide with the change of direction of S-bend in the road

Of course you are right. That's what I meant to say - my post doesn't make sense the way I wrote it.

I have now edited my post to what it was intended to be.

[E1pix]

I haven't read all the posts here, so apologies if I'm restating anyone else's thoughts.

Do you guys think karting had anything to do with left-foot braking, being that so many have come from it as training?

It seems logical that a whole foot has more feel than half of one.

[Bloggsworth]

I was in a Fiat/Alfa Romeo showroom yesterday (My daughter bought a Fiat 500, surprisingly nippy - much to the chagrin of the salesman, I demonstrated power understeer to my daughter while checking to see if the car suffered from torque-steer effects - no it doesn't, well not on a damp roundabout anyway), so while "they" were rabbiting I went and sat in an Alfa and found myself pushing the brake pedal with my left foot and noting that there was plenty of space in which to do so - I used to have an automatic and routinely used my left foot on the brakes - it just takes a bit of practice, but in extremis one tends to revert, i.e. finding oneself with both feet on the brake pedal!

Edited by Bloggsworth, 26 January 2011 - 21:48.

[E1pix]

I was in a Fiat/Alfa Romeo showroom yesterday (My daughter bought a Fiat 500, surprisingly nippy - much to the chagrin of the salesman, I demonstrated power understeer to my daughter while checking to see if the car suffered from torque-steer effects - no it doesn't, well not on a damp roundabout anyway), so while "they" were rabbiting I went and sat in an Alfa and found myself pushing the brake pedal with my left foot and noting that there was plenty of space in which to do so - I used to have an automatic and routinely used my left foot on the brakes - it just takes a bit of practice, but in extremis one tends to revert, i.e. finding oneself with both feet on the brake pedal!

My first car was a 1976 131S.... as a kid I recall having both feet on the pedal just once.... just didn't recognize proper technique yet.... sounds like you have it figured out better than I did then.

My passenger exclaimed, "I Hate that sound!" He was referring to the impact against a fire hydrant.

[Bloggsworth]

I forgot to mention, the Alfa was a manual transmission one. The trouble with LF braking in a manual is that you may forget to depress the clutch when you stop!

Edited by Bloggsworth, 26 January 2011 - 22:16.

[E1pix]

I forgot to mention, the Alfa was a manual transmission one. The trouble with LF braking in a manual is that you may forget to depress the clutch when you stop!

Perhaps that's why my engine stalled just before impact!