Supercars Paddle Towards The Future

Gear Change Changes


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The stick shift could be on borrowed time with the Supercars Commission tossing up a gear shift for the future.

Right now drivers use a sequential stick mechanism that took over from the old H-pattern gear shift in 2008.

Paddle shifts have long been popular overseas in categories like Formula 1 and are seen as a safer option when new mandatory leg protection rules come in later this year.

One such system's already been developed by Triple Eight Racing.

Manager Mark Dutton says with a little more refinement, a version of the system could be ready for racing for this year's endurance events starting with Sandown in September.

“It needs to happen sooner rather than later because it addresses so many issues,” Dutton told Supercars.com.

“We’re introducing leg protection because of the gear shifter and these new nets aren’t ideal because the gear shifter means you can’t have it at the proper height."

“When you look at the market relevance too, everyone knows about paddle-shift. There are so many reasons that it needs to happen.”

Such a move would include an auto-blip for downshifts, doing away with the 'heel-and-toe' technique currently used by right-foot brakers.

But not everyone's ready to give up their stick shifts.

Nissan team co-owner and Commission member Todd Kelly is cautious about the paddles.

“I like technology in a lot of areas on the cars, but it makes me feel like you’re sitting there driving a simulator,” Kelly said.

“That process of heel-and-toe, getting the timing of the change right… if you take all that stuff away you’re a step closer to sitting on the PlayStation."

“I’m keen to leave the gearstick as it is now if we can.”

Money too is another issue, with a switch to the paddle-shift likely to require "fly-by-wire" throttle control, forcing teams to redesign their inlet manifolds to accommodate it.

But that's something already factored into the control units for the 2018 Next Generation cars.

Whether supporters - and drivers - like it or not, it makes the paddle-shift a case of not if, but when.

27 April 2017




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