Left-foot braking

RedMisted

RedMisted

New member
How much of an advantage can this be in the types of cars we race? (I know much depends on track size and configuration.)

I might want to give LF braking a whirl next year... Problem is, it might take ME for a whirl off a racetrack. After decades of right-foot conditioning, I might be wasting my energy...
 
one day i just made myself start using my left foot to brake in the truck during daily commute. it maybe took a month to get the feel for it. how much it helps is more track dependent than anything. at Road Atlanta there isn't a braking zone that isn't accompanied by a downshift, so the only LFB i did was just to pump them up before T10 and T1. at Heartland Park however it could be useful in multiple places.
 
I've been left foot braking an automatic since the day after I finished driver's ed... I'm totally ambidextrous when it comes to my feet while driving and don't even think about it. That said, a bunch of practiice on the street will help a lot, all that really changes at the track will be the pressure applied... Honestly have never left foot braked on the track, except like Ed is refering to... Mmmm...
 
I had a ruptured Achilles on my right leg and spent 5 months driving an automatic with my left foot. This year is the first time I tried using my left foot. It was at Thunder in NJ in the octopus. A very, VERY tight corner. It absolutely helped the car rotate.

There are several tracks in the area that require only a quick stab on the brakes that I hope to try left footing next season.
 
Any time I don't downshift, which with the new final drive is fairly often. In fact, at Rollercoaster at VIR I downshift conventionally, turn left off the straight on power, then LFB before the flick right.

K
 
LFB when autocrossing, LFB when racing, LFB when driving on the street. My wife still marvels at the practice. Front wheel drive, rear wheel, no matter.

Russ
 
I do it like Kirk. If there is no downshift, I can get on the brakes quicker, and back on the gas quicker using both feet.

And of course like everyone else, to correct after effing up a corner and understeering the fwd econobox...

I found it less hard than I expected.
 
So it seems from the feedback here that LF braking can be learned, that any old dog can learn this new trick.

I remember watching a F1 race on TV a few years ago. They were racing at Suzuka, Japan. An announcer remarked that Michael Schumacher was 0.5 seconds/lap quicker than team-mate Rubens Barrichello because Schuey uses the left foot to brake while Rubens does not. If this can be the difference at a track like Mid Ohio (where there are multiple corners to try LF braking), driving our cars, then that advantage is worth its weight in gold.
 
I LFB in everythign I drive, for pratice. Do it aroudn on the street for a while to prevent it giving you a whirl. I use it one some corners that I don't have to downshift. space is camped for my size in my car so I have to setup for it. (13" shoe in an old japanese car.)

Just like when driving the carts, you keep keep your foot into it and use the brake to slow you down. this alsoo helps rotation. The one place that I know that it works for me is the 5-6 at roebling. I plan on working on it some more. it can only help right?
 
Knestis said:
Any time I don't downshift, which with the new final drive is fairly often. In fact, at Rollercoaster at VIR I downshift conventionally, turn left off the straight on power, then LFB before the flick right.

K
Click to expand...

Not to change the subject, but before you enter Rollercoaster, are you downshifting 5th to 3rd? I was doing that a few weeks ago at the Goblins Go event, and I broke my input shaft because the car was being over-revved. I tried 5th to 4th, but couldn't get a good jump out of the right-hand flick. Maybe I should try 5-4-3, that would be quite a bit of pedal dancing on such a short stretch of track. But VIR being VIR, not much is supposed to be easy, and that's what I love about this track...
 
quadzjr said:
I LFB in everythign I drive, for pratice. Do it aroudn on the street for a while to prevent it giving you a whirl. I use it one some corners that I don't have to downshift. space is camped for my size in my car so I have to setup for it. (13" shoe in an old japanese car.)

Just like when driving the carts, you keep keep your foot into it and use the brake to slow you down. this alsoo helps rotation. The one place that I know that it works for me is the 5-6 at roebling. I plan on working on it some more. it can only help right?
Click to expand...

As others have said, anytime I'm not downshifting, its LFB.
My opinion only, its a needed skill.
 
Even with the talented pro drivers, you'll hear guys that swear by it and others that are not in favor of it. I play around with it a little bit but rarely do it in a race.
 
For some reason I don't fully grasp, I automatically start to LFB in the wet. It's a reflex....probably something from the "lizard brain"...my feet just move over a bit and the left foot gets more to do. Doesn't matter whether it's fwd or rwd, front engine or rear engine. Very weird.

Probably due to a supressed childhood trauma.
 
I've been telling myself for a while I need to practice LF braking, but with the little bit of track time I've gotten this year (no practice days) I haven't had the time to dedicate to it. I feel pretty certain that it could save some time in corners where there is no downshifting (e.g. T3 at Summit, T10 at VIR), but also believe the difference would be measured in hundreths of a second.

Kirk - at VIR are you talking about LF braking at the end of the straight going into Roller Coaster (top of the hill), or the section leaving Roller Coaster going through Hog Pen?
 
I found left foot braking to be helpful in on turns that do not require downshifting. You can LF brake lightly (or more) while staying on the gas to avoid upsetting the balance of the car. This can be a very big thing if you driive a car that tends to spin if you lift in a turn. LF braking is especially helpful in carousel or sweeper type turns because you can reach and exceed the adhesion limit then drag the brake a bit, without lifting, to restore traction. It can help rotate the car by bringing the rear around in a controlled manner and can be effective at controlling understeer, all while staying on the gas. You can also stop a lateral slide by lightly dragging the brake to slightly slow the car while still on the gas.
 
Some people have issues when they first try it, if they have driven manual transmissions for a long time, where their left foot decides to do the clutch thing, except on the brake pedal. Much hilarity ensues. Practice on the street with no traffic around. ;)
 
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