Best Brake Technique for a GT3

[FINFAST]

Apart from my old Mitsubishi Evo I have not had any cars with ABS and when I was on track last, I found that the abs in the GT3 seemed to cut in very quickly, trailing the brakes on abs into corners was fine but it did'nt really give me the confidence that I have been previously used to - can anyone please advise on the best technique for getting the most out of the brakes? - Thank you

[boxsey]

Get this question posted in the Porsche forum and I'm sure you'll get loads of advice.

[AJI]

are they logic ABS in the GT3 ?

usually with logic ABS (ie. apply different amounts of braking force to individual wheels depending on the grip available) means you can most times trail brake all the way to the apex if you wanted.
Also depends how the car is set up suspension wise. Enough weight transfer to the front can easily see the back end coming round as with any other car.

I'm not a GT3 expert, the above comments are just generalising.

[ph123]

Use them as little as possible.
Actually the earlier 996 GT3 much to Porsche's shame, were really quite marginal on brakes once you got stuck into quick laps. So use them sparingly.

[Clubracer]

The accpeted method for braking while on a track is to get all your braking and down changes over and done with in a straight line before turning into the corner. Then gradually coming back onto the throttle through the corner. Braking whilst turning in, will in most cases only make the car more unstable and consequently slower through the corner. Braking whilst turning may 'feel' like the car is going faster beacuse it is unsettled and begins to slide, but if braking and turn is done smoothly and the car is not sliding it will actually be travelling faster. Also beacasue the car is not sliding you will able to get back on the power sooner at the exit of the corner.

After all, if the car is already turned in, going round the corner and not in the process of spinning or crashing, why do you need to be on the brakes?

I dont have any personal experience with a GT3 so you may find this is not the best technique for your car or for your driving style.

Clubracer

[lanan]

Clubracer said:

The accpeted method for braking while on a track is to get all your braking and down changes over and done with in a straight line before turning into the corner.

Clubracer

This was true in the days of Stirling Moss. But things have moved on a bit since then.!!
Braking into the corner allows you to brake later as your braking distance remains the same, thus reducing your lap time. Braking into the corner helps to keep the front "in", reducing understeer. Obviously car set up effects the driving style required to get the most out of a car. Most modern cars have inbuilt understeer to help out the numpties, so braking into a corner is required.
ABS is something I have no experience of, as mentioned, pop into the Porsche Forum for some possible pointers.
Graham

[schuey]

For mucho pace and smoothness clubracer is right! trailing the brakes on turn in is a mugs game and wont fool a stop watch!

[lanan]

True....trail braking is a technique which needs skill to exploit. Obviously you don't trail brake into a high speed corner, but you do in a low speed corner. Every driver I have ever worked with does it, they are not the mugs.

Edited by lanan on Sunday 18th March 12:23

[steve rance]

FINFAST said:

Apart from my old Mitsubishi Evo I have not had any cars with ABS and when I was on track last, I found that the abs in the GT3 seemed to cut in very quickly, trailing the brakes on abs into corners was fine but it did'nt really give me the confidence that I have been previously used to - can anyone please advise on the best technique for getting the most out of the brakes? - Thank you

Make an light initial application of the brakes for a few tenths of a second, that loads up the nose. Then firmly apply brakes. it is effectively two stages of braking. Do not bleed of of the brakes after the initial application, keep the pressure on ready for the main application. That will prevent the abs from cutting in early as the front is loaded befroe heavy braking commences. A 911 driver needs to work the nose of the car from braking zone to apex, often by using trail throttle in medium corners or trail brake in slow corners. If you don't, you will get understeer and have to wait to get on the power for the exit

Steve R