Senna’s unique throttle technique (Honda demo)

Senna’s unique throttle technique (Honda demo)

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rallycross

Original Poster:

12,747 posts

236 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
I always thought his unusual on off the throttle technique was specific to the turbo era F1 cars.

But here he is doing it (and it being analysed) in a lovely old clip of him testing an early race prepared vtec Works Civic.

So was he using this method in all his cars?

Very unusual method.

Watch learn and enjoy!

https://youtu.be/vKLywfzi0xU


Kraken

1,710 posts

199 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
With an FWD car lifting off the throttle in a corner will generally cause oversteer so can be a good technique to counteract the natural understeer. Most FWD racers I know use throttle lift like this and also trail brake far further into a corner than you would in RWD.


anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
rallycross said:
I always thought his unusual on off the throttle technique was specific to the turbo era F1 cars.

But here he is doing it (and it being analysed) in a lovely old clip of him testing an early race prepared vtec Works Civic.

So was he using this method in all his cars?

Very unusual method.

Watch learn and enjoy!

https://youtu.be/vKLywfzi0xU
That was a clip I haven't seen before. Thank you for pointing it out.

This is Jonathan Palmer talking about the same subject.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nEHnuoQ6wY

thebraketester

14,193 posts

137 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
So is what Jackie stewart said wrong?

rallycross

Original Poster:

12,747 posts

236 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
Kraken said:
With an FWD car lifting off the throttle in a corner will generally cause oversteer so can be a good technique to counteract the natural understeer. Most FWD racers I know use throttle lift like this and also trail brake far further into a corner than you would in RWD.
Yes agreed, I race FWD cars and that's what we do to get a faster corner exit, but Senna's technique of repeated stabs of the throttle is quite different, and very unusual. I knew he did this but never expected to see him doing the same thing in a FWD.

coldel

7,733 posts

145 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
I vaguely remember some analysis of him in an F1 car doing something similar. They counted the number of throttle inputs Senna made vs other F1 drivers on the same lap and he was doing something like x3 more in the corners to create faster cornering speeds.

RB Will

9,662 posts

239 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
Similar analysis here with Schumacher

[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk2p2nRK-p4[url]

chunder27

2,309 posts

207 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
I think the technique was used primarily to help with turbo lag as he only ever really drive turbo cars initially in his career and knowing him, he would have come up with this technique while testing to try and eliminate the lag issue which no doubt worked, although not hugely effectively, but it was a start.

What was weird was how he carried it on in the N/A era, as it was not of huge benefit there in the same way to the layman.

It must have been or he would not have carried on, and if you listen to a few other drivers, namely Berger and Mansell, they also did a similar thing, though not as much as Senna, but they also had the jab, jab. jab at the pedal at times.

Kraken

1,710 posts

199 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
https://alandovecoaching.wordpress.com/2018/01/30/...

I can imagine if you tried it in most modern race cars the computers would have a meltdown.

LaurasOtherHalf

21,429 posts

195 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
Kraken said:
https://alandovecoaching.wordpress.com/2018/01/30/...

I can imagine if you tried it in most modern race cars the computers would have a meltdown.
Well done for posting that, I’ve tried and couldn’t get it to work.

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
Kraken said:
https://alandovecoaching.wordpress.com/2018/01/30/...

I can imagine if you tried it in most modern race cars the computers would have a meltdown.
Very interesting.

Thank you for posting.

I doubt it but does any of the current F1 drivers stab the throttle?

swisstoni

16,855 posts

278 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
There’s a YouTube of him doing this in an NSX (in his loafers) so it seems that it was his technique regardless of what wheels were driven or what the power delivery was like.

Is a total non-racing driver, it sounds to me like he is feeling for the earliest point he can nail the throttle and these stabs give him feedback about when the grip is there.
(Obviously, aware this could be pure cobblers).

Sa Calobra

37,011 posts

210 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
Kraken said:
With an FWD car lifting off the throttle in a corner will generally cause oversteer so can be a good technique to counteract the natural understeer. Most FWD racers I know use throttle lift like this and also trail brake far further into a corner than you would in RWD.
I know it's leagues apart but I've always trailed my brake in FWD or AWD going into a corner.

On my driving course for the Police I was told off for this. I couldn't stop it though laugh

thebraketester

14,193 posts

137 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
swisstoni said:
There’s a YouTube of him doing this in an NSX (in his loafers) so it seems that it was his technique regardless of what wheels were driven or what the power delivery was like.

Is a total non-racing driver, it sounds to me like he is feeling for the earliest point he can nail the throttle and these stabs give him feedback about when the grip is there.
(Obviously, aware this could be pure cobblers).
That NSX video is brilliant.

LaurasOtherHalf

21,429 posts

195 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
swisstoni said:
Is a total non-racing driver, it sounds to me like he is feeling for the earliest point he can nail the throttle and these stabs give him feedback about when the grip is there.
(Obviously, aware this could be pure cobblers).
No I don't think so but then as I couldn't get it to work I could be wrong! I figured it was more about getting the front end to tuck and the rear to rotate.

garylythgoe

805 posts

221 months

Friday 3rd May 2019
quotequote all
What an excellent thread. Not seen the video in the first post before, so props for that.

Kraken

1,710 posts

199 months

Friday 3rd May 2019
quotequote all
Looking at the NSX video it would seem he's doing it as a way of keeping the revs in the powerband without having the same effect on the car as maintaining the constant throttle at those revs would.

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 3rd May 2019
quotequote all
Senna and others at Monza.

Clearly hear his technique in action

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LId5SKxljqs

Supersam83

597 posts

144 months

Friday 3rd May 2019
quotequote all
Here's the Senna NSX Youtube video as referenced above:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8By2AEsGAhU


That driving style and in his loafers as well! biggrin

He would have made a great rally driver I'm guessing.

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 3rd May 2019
quotequote all
Supersam83 said:
Here's the Senna NSX Youtube video as referenced above:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8By2AEsGAhU


That driving style and in his loafers as well! biggrin

He would have made a great rally driver I'm guessing.
wink

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHYt270aYE8