While we cannot guarantee how much time you will save per lap, we can absolutely promise that by understanding how to use a brake sensor within your data, most people will gain back over a second per lap.
If you're Lando or Max and you're reading this, it might be more like a few tenths; but I imagine you know this already!
Why Should You Use Brake Pressure Sensor When Racing?
Braking is one of the most important aspects of driving a race car because it directly impacts both lap times and overall control of the vehicle. Here's why braking holds such significance in racing:
- Corner Entry and Exit Speed: Braking determines how quickly you can slow the car down before entering a corner, which directly affects your cornering speed and exit. The faster you can break, the later you can break, which allows you to carry more speed into the corner. This leads to a higher average speed over the entire lap. Poor braking or not braking efficiently can cost you valuable time at every turn.
- Maximising Deceleration without Losing Control: Braking forces are responsible for reducing the car's speed, but they also shift weight from the rear to the front of the car. Proper brake modulation ensures you decelerate as much as possible without overwhelming the tyres or losing grip. If you brake too hard or abruptly, you risk locking up the wheels or losing control, which can make you slower or even lead to a crash. Efficient braking allows for maximum deceleration while maintaining control of the car.
- Braking Zone Optimisation: The key to fast lap times is understanding how to utilise the braking zone effectively. The longer you can brake at peak efficiency (without sliding or losing grip), the more time you’ll save. The ability to brake later in a corner while maintaining control is a huge advantage. In competitive racing, marginal improvements in braking efficiency can translate into several tenths or even seconds per lap, which can make the difference between winning and losing.
- Weight Transfer and Car Balance: As you brake, the car’s weight shifts forward, which can affect how the car behaves in a corner. If you're braking too aggressively or unevenly, it can cause instability, such as understeering (when the front tyres lose grip) or oversteering (when the rear tyres lose grip). Good braking allows you to manage the car's balance, ensuring that the car remains predictable and stable through corners. This means better grip and more precise control when transitioning from braking to accelerating.
- Tyre Management: Braking is one of the primary factors that affects tyre wear during a race. Consistent braking helps distribute wear more evenly across the tyres, while poor braking habits can cause excessive heat buildup and uneven tyre wear. This can lead to reduced grip, faster tyre degradation, and a decrease in overall performance. By braking correctly and efficiently, you help preserve tyre life, maintaining grip longer into the race.
- Accelerating Early out of Corners: The faster you brake, the earlier you can release the brakes and start accelerating out of the corner. This not only helps with corner exit speed but also contributes to a better drive down the straights. Good braking allows you to reduce lap times not only by cutting through corners faster but also by allowing you to open the throttle sooner.
- Risk of Overshooting Corners: Braking well is key to avoiding overshooting corners (also known as "outbraking"). If you fail to brake hard enough, you’ll enter the corner too fast and run wide, costing you time and potentially positions in a race. Overbraking, on the other hand, leads to loss of control, either through locked-up wheels or a missed apex. Finding the perfect balance in braking gives you the ability to make precise corner entries and exits.
- Confidence and Focus: Knowing you can rely on your braking skills gives you confidence to push harder and take risks in races. Consistent and efficient braking lets you focus on the rest of the track, like throttle application and steering, without worrying about losing control or missing braking points. This mental confidence is crucial in keeping your focus high throughout the entire race.
Braking is the key to controlling speed and optimising cornering. The later you can brake without losing control, and the smoother and more consistent you can be in your braking technique, the faster you will be. It’s all about maximising the available grip and managing weight transfer to keep the car stable and ready to accelerate out of corners. Because of these factors, braking is often considered as crucial as acceleration in achieving fast lap times.
How Can Brake Pressure Sensors Help Me Save A Second Off My Lap Time In Racing?
A brake pressure sensor can be a game changer for improving lap times in racing by giving you more precise control and insights into your braking performance. Here's how:
- Optimising Brake Usage: A brake pressure sensor allows you to monitor how hard you're applying the brakes at each corner. By knowing exactly how much pressure you’re applying, you can adjust your braking strategy to maximise braking performance without overshooting the threshold (locking up or running too deep into a corner).
- Consistency: One of the most critical factors in racing is consistency. With a brake pressure sensor, you can ensure that your braking force is repeatable, lap after lap, which is crucial for maintaining a fast pace. Inconsistent braking can lead to slower lap times, so being able to match the pressure you apply to the exact ideal level can shave off valuable time.
- Fine-Tuning Brake Bias: In some racing setups, you can adjust the brake bias (front to rear brake force distribution). Having brake pressure data from all corners allows you to fine-tune the balance to optimise braking efficiency. If you're overloading one end of the car (e.g., too much front brake pressure), you can adjust accordingly, which leads to better handling and braking performance.
- Feedback for Improvement: Over time, you can analyse data from the sensor to understand your braking behaviour. Maybe you're braking too early or too late, or maybe you’re not reaching peak braking pressure at certain parts of the track. This data gives you specific points to focus on in your driving technique, helping you improve your braking performance and overall lap times.
- Managing Brake Temperature and Wear: Brake pressure sensors can also help track how much you're using the brakes during a race, which can indirectly inform you about brake wear or potential overheating. By managing your brake usage more efficiently, you can avoid fading or failure, allowing for more consistent lap times throughout the race.
By using the brake pressure sensor to adjust your braking techniques, monitor your consistency and optimise the setup, you can ensure you're braking as effectively and efficiently as possible, shaving seconds off your lap times.
Understanding The Brake Trace
The brake trace (or braking graph) is a visual representation of how you apply brake pressure throughout a braking event during a lap. To achieve the best braking practice, the ideal brake trace typically has these characteristics:
Sharp Initial Application (Peak Pressure)
- What it looks like: At the beginning of the braking zone, the graph shows a sharp upward spike as you quickly apply maximum brake pressure.
- Why it’s ideal: You want to reach peak brake pressure as quickly as possible without locking the wheels, which maximises deceleration while maintaining control.
Consistent Peak Pressure (Flat Top)
- What it looks like: After the initial spike, the brake pressure should hold at or near peak pressure for a period (depending on the corner's requirements).
- Why it’s ideal: You want to reach peak brake pressure as quickly as possible without locking the wheels, which maximises deceleration while maintaining control.
No Early Release or Snail-Like Decay
- What it looks like: There should be no sudden or premature release of brake pressure; ideally, the graph should show a smooth, controlled drop in brake pressure as you reach the apex of the corner.
- Why it’s ideal: If you release the brake too early, you’re not using the full braking potential of the car, which reduces lap time. A jagged or inconsistent release can destabilise the car and make corner entry harder.
Minimal Oscillations
- What it looks like: Ideally, the brake pressure curve should be smooth without significant fluctuations. If the trace has spikes or drops mid-braking, it indicates inconsistent application of brake pressure.
- Why it’s ideal: Oscillations suggest you're not applying brake pressure smoothly, which can lead to unpredictable car behaviour or excessive tyre wear.
Example Of The Ideal Brake Trace
- Sharp initial rise: From 0 to peak pressure (typically at 100-200ms after entering the braking zone).
- Sustained high pressure: Flat or slightly sloped plateau for the majority of the braking zone.
- Smooth tapering off: Gradually reducing the pressure over the final 50-100 meters (depending on corner specifics).
What Bad Practices Look Like
- Late application: If you see a delayed rise to peak pressure (you start braking too late), it means you’re losing valuable time during the braking zone.
- Too early or too quick of a release: If the brake pressure drops too quickly, it indicates you’re not maximising braking efficiency.
- Jagged oscillations: This can be a sign of improper modulation of the brake pedal or aggressive driving inputs that destabilise the car.
By analysing the brake trace and aligning it with these best practices, you can ensure you're braking as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Shop AiM brake pressure sensors online today to see the difference for yourself!