Braking Analysis: What Do the Pros Do Differently?
Want to stop on a dime? Here’s what the pros do. Let’s walk through 5 steps to maximizing braking performance.
A Little Background
As a pro driving coach, I get the opportunity to sit next to hundreds of people from all kinds of backgrounds. In my time working for one of the biggest arrive and drive companies in the world, this is what I observed among professional drivers compared to even very good enthusiasts.
Pinpoint Accuracy
Pros hit their marks and it’s this expression you will often hear a great crew chief or team operator reminding his or her driver of this. “Hit your marks” is a simple set of words that means do the same thing every single lap. At a proper circuit, braking zones are marked by 50, 100 and 150-meter markers. Expect a pro to be accurate to within a meter every single lap.
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Brake Less
On data acquisition systems the first thing you notice is accuracy where as in the car the first thing you notice is they simply brake less. The limit is much higher than many people think with the main problem being the average driver doesn’t approach the limit smoothly. Once you realize this you begin to understand the brake pedal is also a tool to balance the car.
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Waste No Time
Approaching a braking zone where the car has to slow from 130mph to 80mph a pro will transition from the throttle to the brake instantaneously. This is one of the main benefits of transmissions where the clutch is not required during downshifts. Tenths of a second can also be found here where they would otherwise be left on the table.
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Rotate On The Limit (Caution!)
Many drivers will talk about threshold braking and trail braking, but the idea that a brake pedal can only be used to slow the car down in a straight line or to help you rotate around a hairpin on corner entry is understanding only a fraction of the tools at your disposal. When a car is on the limit in a corner, it may understeer and need some weight transfer to the nose. Depending on the car’s setup and corner profile, a stab of the brake pedal at the right moment can help in rotating a car that would otherwise understeer seconds off the clock.
>>Join the conversation about how to maximize your braking performance right here in LS1tech.com.
Heel Toe Downshift
Technology has become so integrated into supercars it would seem even a driver who just obtained their license can cruise down Sunset Boulevard while onlookers snap pictures for their Instagram accounts. Heel toe downshifting is quickly becoming a lost art that you need to master if you want to have total control over a machine on the track. Proper execution of this technique is difficult as your hands and legs must move together while each of them exerts a different amount of pressure on the thing they are controlling. Practice makes perfect here. No shortcuts.
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Summary
Practicing these techniques and knowing when to use them are what really separate professionals from great amateurs. Equipment varies as do car setups so mastering each of them across different platforms can become challenging despite being at a track you know. Focus on always hitting your marks and the rest will fall into place as you get more experience. Hope you enjoyed reading. Until next time…
>>Join the conversation about how to maximize your braking performance right here in LS1tech.com.
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