use of clutch in sportcar racing

[howie 57]

Me and some of my computer simracing friends are having a discustion about how much the clutch is still being used in sports car racing. Is there a expert in the house who can set us straight on this subject. Some seem to think that automatic clutches are doing away with 3 pedals and heal and toeing. Others seem to think that automatic blipping of the gas is eliminateing the nessesity of clutching the shift with cars that do have a clutch.
Any race drivers out there who have tried any of the latest computer racing sims with wheel and pedal controllers, like to comment on how real that control is. Thanks

[Ahonen]

Most of the LMP class cars have paddle shifts that pretty much eliminate the need for conventional clutches and yes, throttle blippers have been around for years now. I'm not fully au fait though - perhaps someone from Rollcentre could comment if anyone's around.

In our class (N-GT) there is still a conventional clutch in most cars, but the drivers don't tend to use it on upshifts unless conditions are really wet. Certain Porsches (mainly the RSRs) and Ferraris have a spark cut for flat shifts, but we don't on the TVR. Our chaps will use the clutch on downshifts, but not all the time.

Steve @ Eclipse.