Using the clutch paddles at the start of a race

[stu112]

My friend who has only just started watching F1 asked me why there are 2 clutch paddles on the steering wheel and how are they used. I think i know, but i canted to check on here if i am correct

For this example i'll name the clutch paddles 'Clutch 1' and Clutch 2'. This is how i explained it to my friend......

Both clutch paddles do exactly the same thing but they use 2 at the start to help with quick launches. Clutch 1 is pulled fully in 100%, while Clutch 2 is set to a position that has been pre-determined to give the optimum amount of slip (i said to my friend its a bit like the biting point in a road car).

Anyway, when you pull up at your grid box, you cover the brake, pull in you clutch's and select 1st gear and raise the revs. When the lights go out for the race to start, the driver 'dumps' Clutch 1 (this is to aid the super fast launch while reducing the likely hood of stalling, which would be grater if you used just one clutch) and you are now running on Clutch 2 which is at the point of optimum slip and launches the car off the line. Then once you started moving you feed the rest of Clutch 2 out, like the way you do when moving off in a road car. Then thats you off and moving speeding up towards 2nd gear

Is this the way the clutches are used at the starts? I know i''ve missed out a couple of things fro the start process, but this is because the topic is more about how to use the clutch(s). I also know that there is only one actual clutch......its just its got 2 paddles that operate it

[Richard]

Nearly right. The two clutch paddles have to have the same mapping, and to be fully closed/open at each end of travel.

Having two paddles means the driver can use one to find the biting point and hold it there before the start. The second paddle is held fully open, this overrides the first paddle.

The lights go out, the second paddle is released, but the first paddle is still being held at the biting point, so the clutch closes as far as the biting point, then the driver gradually lets that out to avoid too much wheelspin. The advantage is that the diver can select the biting point before the lights go out.

edit...

This was discussed last year, have a look at this thread ... viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8910

[stu112]

Nearly right. The two clutch paddles have to have the same mapping, and to be fully closed/open at each end of travel.

Having two paddles means the driver can use one to find the biting point and hold it there before the start. The second paddle is held fully open, this overrides the first paddle.

The lights go out, the second paddle is released, but the first paddle is still being held at the biting point, so the clutch closes as far as the biting point, then the driver gradually lets that out to avoid too much wheelspin. The advantage is that the diver can select the biting point before the lights go out.

edit...

This was discussed last year, have a look at this thread ... viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8910

Ok thanks. Maybe i didnt articulate my description as well as i though because i meant exactly what you said lol - you drop the first paddle and the 2nd is already at the optimum slip/biting point, then you feed that one out. Maybe it was me naming the paddles C1 and C2....that was just to distinguish them from each other, like i said i knew there was only one clutch and 2 p[addles that did the same thing. Anyway, i meant it the way you described, just not the best at putting it into words . Thanks for the pointer to the other thread

[Richard]

I picked up on your comment about the second one being being "set". The driver has to manually hold it at the biting point, they are not allowed to have any notch or indicator for that. The key point is that both paddles have to be identical.

[stu112]

I picked up on your comment about the second one being being "set". The driver has to manually hold it at the biting point, they are not allowed to have any notch or indicator for that. The key point is that both paddles have to be identical.

Lol, again thats just me not articulating myself properly. By 'set', i just meant that the driver holds the clutch paddle at a set point, before letting it out fully, rather than there being a mechanism to hold it in the optimum position. Anyway, we've been on the same page from the beginning, it just seems i didn't word it correctly. Thanks for the reply......obviously in future i need to word things in a more exact manner.

[lolzi]

On a different (buy maybe related?) note, what is the "bite-point check" button in F1 cars for?

[domdogger]

This is may answer your question.

Or it may not.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Rsz4yW53aM

[hardingfv32]

1) And how precise do you think the driver can be with "setting" the one paddle. It would seem an approximation at best. Could there be something physical like a tab or adjacent rest point for the driver to gage where the paddle is?

2) A "bite-point check" simply calibrates the zero point on the paddle movement so the clutch always engages at the same paddle position. There are a lot of clutch discs, so maybe there is some variability with wear.

Brian

[Richard]

The rules are explicit that guide marks are not allowed

[hardingfv32]

The back of the latest Ferrari steering wheel has three flat surfaces/pads per side (roughly on the same plain) on the backside. One is the clutch and one is the gear selector. The third, located between the clutch and gear selector does not look like it moves. I wondered why it was there until I saw this discussion. I would call it a "dead pedal" pad to help the fingers grip the steering wheel while not activating anything. I'm sure no one would use it for a "guide mark".

You could easily have a training program on board the car for the driver to practice his "setting" skills when he is ideal in the garage or even prep-grid.

Brian

[raymondu999]

Given that the gearshifts is a digital (yes or no) input, versus the more analog nature of the clutch paddles, I reckon those could be positioned so that their natural, non-pressed position would be at the perfect bitepoint of the clutches, and serving as a guide for the clutch holding place.

Given that each circuit would call for different setups, and probably different launch getups as well, I wonder if they do use the above and change the position of the shift paddles to suit the launch characteristics of each circuit. It shouldn't be too difficult, I don't think, for them to make moving shift paddles too. I mean, my car has a movable steering column where I can kind of use a small joystick and move it until it's in a position where it's comfortable for me to drive. Could they do the same? Would that be allowed?