Mark...
Good question....but one without a simple answer.
Truly, you need to become proficient using both downshifting techniques to
be an all-around good race car driver. We sim drivers have the benefit of
being able to race many different types of race cars, often from several
"periods" in racing. The equipment differs, the transmission differs as
cars become more modern in design and the technique(s) for driving them
(fast) therefore must change.
There is no "one right way" to downshift. That fact becomes apparent when
one considers the fastest race cars in the world (F1 cars) must be shifted
down completely through the gears (blazingly fast I admit)....from 7th to
1st......for a 1st-gear turn! If sequential downshifting was inherently
slow....F1 race cars wouldn't have sequential shifters (electronic or not).
A lot depends on the type of race car you are running, and the "situation"
you are running in during a race.
However, if one general rule could be made I think it would be this: "Use
the brakes to slow the car as often and as much as possible. Brake pads are
much less expensive than engines and gearboxes to replace!" This is a fact
often heard by me in my rookie racing season from my crew chief screaming it
at me in my left ear (radio ear) during practice sessions at PIR.
Here's some car types (sims) and some situations I can share with you were I
use both techniques. You will have to adapt what I do, to your driving
style and your level of experience.
1. In GPL, I almost never "gear select"....I almost always sequentially
downshift because it seems to settle the car (particularly under threshold
braking) and I can use the "throttle-on" cheat in GPL to my advantage.
2. In F1-2001, there's no choice and you better be proficient at getting
down through the gears or you will be killed by the online drivers who are.
I use a "drumbeat" cadence to shift down through the gears.....knowing where
to stop the cadence puts me in the right gear every time. Its something
like: Dat....Da, Da, Dat....Dat -- Dat (that's down from 7th to 1st...with
a brief pause before entering 1st gear). If I'm in 7th gear and need to go
to 3rd gear for a turn.......I do a "Dat, Da, Da, Dat"....and stop - that
automatically puts me in 3rd gear (each "dat" is a gear change down)....its
a cadence thing...and it works for me. I have no idea what the real F1
drivers do....but I will bet you they have some kind of a "cadence" thing
they do to gear select for turn entry....you almost never hear or see them
miss a gear going down.
3. In NASCAR racing (N4 or N2K2) I use both techniques.....often in the
same race. If I'm running solo laps....not racing anyone directly and
wanting to click off fast....but easy-on-the-car-and-tires type laps, I tend
to sequentially downshift. I find my lap times are consistent...and it
helps me build a smooth rhythm in the car that allows me to click off lap
after lap of fairly fast times....consistent and easy on the equipment. If
I'm racing someone for position....I tend to gear-select downshift....for
some reason I am able to concentrate more on my competitors car and
position...and can get off the corners quicker using this technique. This
may be something I've developed that works only for me.....but I kind of
doubt it.
At WG, since you specifically mention it.....I do not use 2nd gear entering
the IL. I found that being under throttle at the entry to the IL was a
disadvantage. I slow down...enter and motor through the entry to the IL in
3rd....then grab 2nd just before I'm ready to get back on the throttle hard
to exit out of the IL. I found this allowed me to enter...and exit the IL
with much more consistency and speed. You might give it a try and see if it
feels good to you. I lowered my lap times almost a full second doing this
technique. I learned it from George Sandman.
Also at WG, I use both first gear and second gear in T1. I purposely set my
gearing to allow that "option".....and almost never "gear select" downshift
into T1. If I'm trying to outbrake someone into T1....on the inside, then I
want the quick jump grabbing 1st gear gives me going through the turn (now
with a much smaller radius since I'm the inside car)....and I can usually
beat my competition off the corner with this technique (Remember, all I have
to do to make this pass work is to come out of T1 on the inside of my
competition's car.....even just a nose inside works....if I can match his
speed down to T2...I'm in position to own that turn and the pass is
complete). If running solo into the turn, I use 2nd gear....not so much
because of the smoothness and rhythm....its because it keeps me from hopping
my rear tires if I'm a bit to "hot" into the turn....try to grab 1st gear
when you are a bit too hot into T1 at WG and you'll snap spin your car every
time from wheel hop (remember when Dale Jarrett did that at last year's WG
race???)! 2nd gear...gives me a little more margin of error in this regard.
I don't know if this all directly answers your question....but I hope it
provides some insight into the issues.
Regards,
Tom
