Do people still shortshift in F1?

[gold333]

I would have thought with the seamless gearshifts and engine maps that there would be no need. Anyone know?

[Nando]

It´s not so much about seamless gearboxes or engine maps specifically but more a combination of those and engine power with the addition of downforce.

Shortshifting makes the car calm. In some cases it´s beneficial to short-shift.

[wesley123]

it's mostly done in the rain. I believe they sometimes still do it in dry, but not very frequently

[Cam]

Yes. re: 2011 Brazil Gp.

Vettel appeared comfortable in the lead until his engineer Guillaume Rocquelin issued the first of several warnings to his driver that he had a "serious gearbox problem" and that he needed to "short-shift" to ensure he finished the race.

Source

Edit: there's also further information here: http://www.f1technical.net/forum/viewto ... 345638&f=4

[JimClarkFan]

Yes I have seen Vettel short shifting in a few corners to get better traction.

[raymondu999]

Not to get better traction per se, but rather, to allow them to go harder on the throttle without worries of wheelspin, leaving their minds with more spare capacity to do other things that could potentially gain them more time. Having said that - shortshifting would reduce your engine speed (rpm) and reduce exhaust downforce.

[Absolutelee]

I'm pretty sure I've heard Brundle say that one thing the driver can do when they get the 'save fuel' call from their engineer is to short shift.

[Websta]

I saw Massa shortshifting on the exit of the final corner in Australia a few times yesterday

[Cam]

Here's a great example of Hamilton in China 2012. First corner change from 1-2 is a great example (0:25) and he continues short-shifting throughout the track - with these other very clear examples (1:20 & 1:41). You can see it on the rev graph and you can hear it quite clearly. I would suggest these examples would be traction related.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD_Qfv-vxtM[/youtube]

[bhall]

Short-shifting can also help save the tires.

[red300zx99]

It wouldn't surprise me if the teams change the mapping of the rev lights when the fuel settings are altered.

[gold333]

Here's a great example of Hamilton in China 2012. First corner change from 1-2 is a great example (0:25) and he continues short-shifting throughout the track - with these other very clear examples (1:20 & 1:41). You can see it on the rev graph and you can hear it quite clearly. I would suggest these examples would be traction related.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD_Qfv-vxtM[/youtube]

Thats a very interesting video.

In the old days drivers would near enough just floor the throttle after a traction short shift. You can see Lewis shortshifting and still not being on full throttle through the subsequent gear shifts. He really is a first rate traction driver, though I still don't understand why he does it.

[Tommy Cookers]

presumably short-shifting and mapping are somewhat related
to some extent, they are different ways of getting the same benefit

so the driver can use either, according to the circumstances ?

or is (some) mapping designed to work with s-s ?

[GrizzleBoy]

Alonso on his Silverstone pole lap last year short shifted noticeably.

[EddieIrvine99]

Hamilton probably does it because he is forced in the entry of the corner to go to 1st gear for bigger engine breaking, but accelerating on first gear is not very good unless you are making a start, the car is unstable reving high on first gear so he goes early to 2nd gear in order to have a better and smoother acceleration