mark kibort

Highly over rated. (For most of us) I think it all started from cars that had carburetors had a lot of lag from off throttle to full throttle. while I also understand the slightly different weight transfer for full throttle with braking applied, I suspect that might be able to be tuned into the suspension for the most part, as I suspect most of the benefit is effectivly reducing rear brake bias in high speed sweaping or kink turns where you need more or as much braking as just a throttle lift, or a quick brake stab, might require.

However, I did use my left foot to push the dead pedal NOS button I set up my race car with many years ago.

mark kibort

This isnt going to turn into the "why soccer players make better auto racers" comparison, will it?



Mk

924RACR

Fixed that for ya...

Bryan Watts

More Kibort driving expertise...

That's generally what "accomplished" drivers who can't left foot brake say about the technique.

Veloce Raptor

+1...........









Professional Racing and Driving Coach

Bryan Watts

Highly overrated seems like a silly phrase to call something that is the defacto standard for most of the open wheel and prototype drivers around the the world. For drivers that jump from karts into "real" race cars that don't require use of the clutch pedal to change gears, they may never actually learn to right-foot brake a race car. It's impossible to look at data and to not see places where left-foot braking wouldn't be a benefit, even if it's just to speed up the transition from brakes to throttle.

M758

Personally I don't believe you need LFB braking at a club level to be fast. You can run strong in any class at a club level just braking with the right.

Does that make it highly overrated? Maybe the impact is overstated at the club level, but I consider it a another tool you can use when raceing/track driving. I believe that proper use can get you time, but those time gains could be small. You as a driver need to evaluate that and determine how best you can use that added skill.

Right now I can't LFB on the track. As I have said I still don't have the senstivity for to make me any faster. However in my limite LFB on the street I can see how it might make me faster if I can used it in the right spots. I have two spots on my local track were I believe it will help once I master the technique.


So Mark to imply LFB is a waste or pointless is to close your possbilities down. Sure their could be some pros that don't LFB. Well so what.

Larry Herman

I remember this being discussed many times in the past. There are some places where LFB can be beneficial, but maybe not at the expense of more accurate RFB everywhere else. If you can LFB as well as you can RFB, then go for it. If not, then I don't really know how much it is costing you. A perfect example was the data showing where Michael Schumacher who LFBs was a few ticks quicker than Rubens Barrichello who does not. My feeling about the whole topic is that I would love to be as "slow" as Rubens.

BrandonH

There must be forty left foot braking threads in the archives, but I just searched my own comments to find this much viewed but always dazzling video of Walter Rohl, also reposting my comments from an 07 thread...

Somewhere in the literature (maybe Going Faster? or Ross Bentley?) Mario Andretti is asked for one or two of the "secrets" he's evolved over the course of his experience. He politely responds that any real "secrets" he has accumulated are for the benefit of his sons (Marco not born yet!) but then adds cryptically: "However, a lot of people think brakes are for stopping the car..." Come to think of it this must've been in one of the Speed Secret Books, since Bentley places huge emphasis on left-foot braking...

I think what Mario was suggesting, and what Ross Bentley certainly believes, is that driving ultimately involves an ongoing ballet performance using all three pedals, a performance you can't master until you are fluent with both left foot braking and heel/toe. Using the brakes is another tool for shifting the car's weight around to the tire that needs it, when it needs it.

One of the greatest illustrations: Walter Rohl in Group B, see the dance here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HjXXUyQhPE

(among the many dazzling lessons, watch how he uses the dead pedal; like a percussionist timing his entrance!)

M758

I don't agree with that entirely. I agree the one use of brakes is to slow the car and another is for shifting weight around. I have learned that turn in can be greatly affect by brakes as much as the steering.

However I don't feel it REQUIRES LFB. LFB is only a tool that is used in some places in some cars to get the weight to transfer. Just like a driver who seeming saws at the steering wheel the critcal part is not the way the driver gives the inputs or even the specific inputs, but how those inputs impact the car. There are two ways to get weigth transfer to the nose. You can lift or tap the brakes. Which one you do is not as important as understanding how much weight transferis needed to get the job done.

In a 3 pedal turbo rally car LFB is must due to alot of factors. In a normally aspirated 3 pedal sports car it is different. Just because a rally driver LFB all over does not mean a sport car racer should do the same. It all comes down to how you need to manage the weight transfer in the car and finding the optimum way to do that given your conditions. LFB is valueable too as the more tools you have the more options you have.

Professor Helmüt Tester

In the rain, I just automatically go to LFB. No conscious decision...my feet just seem to find their way to the right a bit. Weird. But I manage corner entry and weight transfer better that way (apparently). And I do very well in rain races (really).

It's a tool in the toolkit.

BrandonH

Yep, fair enough. It's one of many tools in the armamenterium of the complete driver. If you switch to a formula car or sports racer, you won't ever use the clutch so you've got a free foot and LFB makes the transition from accel to brake that much more smooth and quick. I'm positive that one reason Rohl is LFB in video is to sustain boost while still slowing the car.

M758

it is fundamentaly different to LFB in a 2 pedal car compared to 3 pedal car.

The difference is if don't need the clutch for downshifting the then left foot has nothing to do. So using the left to brake is not bad thing to do.


in 3 pedal car where you need cutch each gear change LFB is much harder. You simply can't use it effectively when braking hard in gears. Take Walther Rohl dancing to come close. So most of use who do say they LFB so only when not changing gear. So that already limits it effectiveness as a tool. How many places on track do you need to slow, but not change gear? Also how many places on track you need to slow while stating on the gas? Sure you can tansition from brake to gas faster, but if you are on the limit you already may not be able to go power on in the first place.

Where I am going is that I don't think LFB is required to win races at a club level or event a lower pro ranks. For LFB to be a help however you need to know not just how to do it, but when to use it.

mark kibort

You dont read to well, do ya!

I said, "for most of us". Even Pobst has commented on the differences in talking to him,and I think he had an article on that subject. Again, you come down pretty condecending. Brian, we have seen your videos. You need some work! . I think Ill have to take that offer to bring my old bucket out to Salt Lake to have a face off with you .

VR, stick to 4x4s in the wet parking lots. Time for you and I to meet out at the High Plains raceway. Here goes your mouth again. Its all you got, isnt it!

trackjunky

Interesting. I had the same comment when I read the title to this post.

The only time I truly used left foot braking is when I raced Karts. Hint: you can only brake with your left foot.

By it's very nature, left foot braking means that you need to use your right foot for something, so the left is going to need to get the job done. Since you can't accelerate and decelerate simultaneously you can't really be "braking" with your left foot. I see it more as managing grip or "balancing" the car.

Semantics maybe.