F1 gearbox explained

Formula One cars use semi-automatic sequential gearboxes with six or seven forward gears and one reverse gear. The driver signals gear changes using paddles mounted on the back of the steering wheel and electro-hydraulics perform the actual change as well as throttle control. Clutch control is also performed electro-hydraulically except from and to a standstill when the driver must operate the clutch using a lever mounted on the back of the steering wheel.

Duration : 0:4:50


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17 Responses to F1 gearbox explained

  1. tohtorigyro says:

    @corotor12345 …
    @corotor12345 nnnope, driver aid’s were banned for 2008 season and onwards. that included launch controll. as well as anti lock brakes, traction controll…. basicly any electronic system that could assist the driver. i think even the brake balance knob on the steering wheel was banned because most teams now have a lever behind the steering wheel, from which they adjust the brake bias.

  2. joetommany says:

    @DeepSpaceAlien …
    @DeepSpaceAlien Yeah its the same on my Deere, shifts quicker than any human could manually and rpm matching on the move makes it silky smooth :)

  3. DeepSpaceAlien says:

    Similar to the …
    Similar to the gears on my New Holland tractor :p
    I also only use the clutch to start and to stop , gear changing happens without .
    Just pressing buttons and the electronics control the hydraulics in the gearbox to change gear. This changes in a fraction of a second. 3 groups of 6 gears to play with :D Just floor the throttle and press the button for gear up as soon as the rpm gets high enough :p
    Larger wheels make it run a lil faster too :p
    app: 36mph@2300 rpm
    Even change when plowing :p

  4. retsnom92 says:

    not talking about …
    not talking about multiclutch, Dual clutch transmissions are managed electronically and are sequential. You can call a dog clutch transmission multiclutch because instead of syncromesh you have dog clutches. Dog clutches are made of metal like gears and have no (brake pad) like material on them. Motorcycles have 1 main clutch, and instead of sincromesh they use dog clutches.

  5. nickcars100 says:

    @retsnom92 they use …
    @retsnom92 they use a multiclutch…just like a motorcycle

  6. nickcars100 says:

    @corotor12345 … …
    @corotor12345 …you still use the clutch to move off from pits or standing start…..they use launch control to start a race

  7. gipfeli says:

    does that mean …
    does that mean their clutch is not an on/off switch? the clutch must be working in an analogue fashion then…

  8. gipfeli says:

    because some pits …
    because some pits are either on the left or the right…

  9. corotor12345 says:

    not at all.. F1′s …
    not at all.. F1′s have launch control, zero clutch negotiation at the start.

  10. retsnom92 says:

    Just to point out …
    Just to point out that these transmissions are not DCT (dual clutch transmission) Its a sequential gearbox with dog gears. (look at you microwave glass plate)

    Instead of having a ratchet turning the gear selector you have a computer that senses when you hit the paddles to shift. The clutch is used to get the car started from a stand still, and for stopping so you don’t stall. Its basically a motorcycle transmission with out the kick lever.

  11. PulletSurprise says:

    Left paddle …
    Left paddle downshift + right clutch paddle.

    Right paddle upshift + left clutch paddle.

    It’d be pretty hard to engage the paddles on one side of the wheel precisely.

  12. papilo2 says:

    so let me get this …
    so let me get this str8 . they use the clutch only when they start or when they come to a complete stop to avoid stalling ie (pitting) ??

  13. chosthitter123 says:

    thanks now i …
    thanks now i understan it a bit

  14. p0404110200 says:

    It helps on the …
    It helps on the starts. You hold down 1 clutch all the way down and the other 1 you hold around 40%ish. Then when the lights go green you let go of the clutch you were holding all the way down and balance the power with the other clutch

  15. staroffuture22 says:

    Two paddles because …
    Two paddles because one for upshift & one for downshift, ………………read it somewhere, not sure though.

  16. muddwell says:

    convenience for the …
    convenience for the driver

  17. chosthitter123 says:

    why 2 clutch paddles
    why 2 clutch paddles