[ortho281]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

if you trailbrake you cant get your braking done before the shift? I developed some trail braking on my own as i advanced even though i didnt know what it was called. seems logical for me when learning to intermingle throttle and steering inputs on exit, unwinding the wheel and applying throttle. seems much less natural for me to release the brake slowly as im turning in, because like most of us i was taught to get all my braking done in a straight line. it however isnt the fastest or best was to maximize your lap times or traction available.

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

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I agree, it is also how I see it. I will carry some braking past turn-in in most corners, which is by definition trail braking.

In my opinion, the downshifting should occur as late as possible in the braking zone, ideally before the turn-in, but still within the braking zone. With some very fast cars or in very specific turns, sometimes a downshift needs to happen past turn-in (just watch some F1 vids), but it is rather rare.

As Car54, I see a lot of students that try to hurry the downshift as soon as they hit the brake pedal. By being patient and doing it later in the braking zone, the speed is slower, so you need much less of a rev increase to match the revs. Less of a blip required, less chances to money shift, less chances to upset the chassis and if the chassis gets unbalanced it is at a lower speed.

Originally Posted by Purple Derple

More importantly than allowing for later braking and use of all traction IMO, trail braking is how you rotate the car and set the car's attitude for the turn and the ability to do that well will allow for earlier throttle and more exit speed. This is something people often don't understand about trail braking. It has so many advantages but to me this is the big one.

+1 Well said!