MTosi

I'm going to vote for negative.....

explanation post #7...

Circuit Motorsports

meh...

mklaskin

How so?

Circuit Motorsports

I think they are a non-issue.

race911

I take it you're talking pro level? My God, does ANYONE need to deal with a Hewland, say in a Formula Ford, unless you're vintage racing it? I can deal with anything from a 910 (talk about sloppy shifting) to my sequential box. But if you're talking longevity and reliability, bring on all the tech that's somewhat affordable.

Circuit Motorsports

Hey, I like my Hewland..... Simpler than a box a rocks.

MTosi

Its a huge element of driver skill, contrary to what most people want to acknowlege or believe and in my opinion it has been lost (it is possible to get into formula one and not know how to heel toe). The only reason it has been phased out is because sequentials are quicker, but so is eliminating the driver all together and putting in a computer, thats not the point. Engineers always like to take out the human element out, and that was one of the main purposes of sequential gearboxes, one less thing for the driver to screw up. Ferrari offered Gilles Villeneuve a semi auto (early sequential gearbox) and he refused to use it because he thought it would take away from the driver skill required to drive the cars. I've always felt one of my competitive advantages in driving is that I'm pretty good at h/t and double clutching, its second nature to me, and I feel that driving cars with sequentials takes that advantage away from me and allows a lesser skilled or talented driver to get away with not having that skill or not be as talented with it. If your a truly good driver in a prof. series you would invite and welcome standards because it puts more control in the drivers hands and allows truly talented drivers to excel even more.

I think the common misconception is that shifting isn't a big deal, and that it realy doesn't take that much skill to do. There is a big difference between going into a corner LFB with paddle shifts, than going in with a full manual......lfbing with paddle shift, release pressure on gas squeeze pressure on brakes and pull the little paddle a few times.......Full standard, dancing the car in the corner with one hand, while the other hand is working the shifter, right foot working the brake and matching while the left foot is working the clutch, it's almost a ballet in the car which all had to be perfectley cordinated. It also hurts a driver who is easy on the car, sequentials reward grenade drivers who are harsh on the car since it will obviously last longer. (of course at an amatuer level this is good, since they cut down on maintnance costs etc.) It takes alot of how easy a driver is on a car out of the equation as well, one of the reason's people like Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, Fangio, and Ickx were so good is because they were fast.....but also very easy on the car, so it lasted and alot of that was their shifting.
A little Clark in car-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJDkZYhJR1E

Deal with it?????? Why deal with tiresome things like steering, or braking?????? Shifting is something the driver has to "deal with" its still a relevent skill, 90% of cars sold in europe are still standards, so its not like standards are outdated and a relic of the past. I happen to think shifting a standard is fun and enjoyable, and I actually hate short shifters. I find shifting is a rhythm and a longer throw is nice, especially when you double clutch. I can't say I've driven a 910 but it might be enlightening to know that I do actually like 901 and 915 gearboxes....

A.Wayne

Seq positive , paddle shift has been negative , standard Manual Seq is the only thing that should be allowed ...........

Bryan Watts

It sounds like your beef is with computer controls of transmissions and not with sequential transmissions.

Whether sequential or H-pattern, drivers don't need to heal/toe and double-clutch most race gearboxes. Both style gearboxes can be computer shifted or both can be "manually" shifted. Both can have computer controls of throttle cut for upshifts or throttle blips for downshifts. Neither really require that the clutch pedal be used to make an up or downshift.

MTosi

I'd say thats mostly right....I just like H patterns.....lol