12 replies to this topic

[mcerqueira]

I read somewhere that in some tracks, F1 cars are using two brake pedals, each one with different brake balance. This way the driver uses the brake pedal more suited to each particular area of the track.

Is this true or a total nonsense?

[WDC]

Originally posted by mcerqueira
I read somewhere that in some tracks, F1 cars are using two brake pedals, each one with different brake balance. This way the driver uses the brake pedal more suited to each particular area of the track.

Is this true or a total nonsense?

I think mclaren had something like that in 97 and 98

[Pioneer]

They had a 3rd pedal in 98.
It was quickly banned.

[AndreasNystrom]

the 3rd brakepedal in the mclaren, had something with the diff todo, hadnt it?, it braked the inner wheels (the one next to the inside), so the car turned better?..

Dont remember.. maybe i should have kept my mouth closed then

[Viktor]

I think the 3rd break pedal on the McLaren in late 97 early 98 was used to only break the rear wheels to prevent them from spinning when the car accelerated out of a corner, lika a manual TC.

/Viktor

[mcerqueira]

Well, there goes all those feet acrobatics then...

With the clutch pedal long gone they just have to accelerate and brake. Pretty boring... Although in a in car footage of Pedro de la Rosa's feet they are kinda twisted.... what was he up to?

[Ben]

The McLaren 3rd brake pedal acted on the inside rear wheel. The wheel it operated on was obviously switched depending on the direction of the corner. I believe this was done manually but a steering wheel operated switching mechanism was planned but the system was banned.

Graham White (Snr and Jnr) developed a similar system on their old Pilbeam hillclimb car, it was apparently benificial but not carried over to the White's current Gould-Ralt (2001 title winner).

Ben

[Wolf]

Dennis David has posted the pic of the system over on TNF... Is this it?





More info on 1908 Mercedes twin brake pedals here...;)

[DOHC]

The Lotus 76 had two brake pedals (four pedals in total) in 1974. The gearbox was semi-automatic, and the clutch could be operated either manually via the gear shift lever or via the pedal, IIRC. The reason for the second brake pedal was to allow left braking to lose less time in driving.

[Ben]

Sorry to be a pedant but I think the Lotus solution was a single Y-shaped pedal. So it had a single mount to the floor and a conventional twin master cylinder with balance bar arrangement. It simply had two foot plates, one either side of the steering column that passed low through the footwell.

Ben

[DOHC]

Ben, thanks, I should have been more careful with the details, but honestly, I had forgotten those details!

[DEVO]

Yes... the McLaren had 2 brake pedals (fiddle brake as it was called)... they were spaced close together to allow the driver to hit the brakes which applied pressure to all wheels... then by sliding the foot over the driver could operate just the rear brakes... with a push of the button on the steering wheel, the driver could select which side to apply the brakes to.

[mcerqueira]

It was a complex operation!! Nowdays all they have to do is step on it!

Just wait till they "legalize" ABS! No more particular skills required so Formula 1 Stardoom hera I come