You downshift when the car needs to. If you don't downshift because the
car doesn't need to, that's fine. If you don't downshift because you
can't do it smoothly, that needs work.
Downshifting shouldn't normally hurt your times, because you do it while
braking. *UP*shifting is what takes the time. So a decision to downshift
is whether the time gained by accelerating in first gear will be greater
than the time lost in shifting into second again (if necessary). This
will be different for different cars and courses.
KeS
On Mon, 13 Mar 2000, Chris Tweney wrote:
> All very good answers to my question. Thanks, folks!
>
> I think I was downshifting out of instinct learned in racing
> sims -- but downshifting with a steering-wheel-mounted
> paddle is one thing, downshifting when you have to clutch
> in, brake, and blip the throttle all at once is quite another!
> I'll try shiftlessness at the next event and see where it gets
> me.
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