Results 1 to 10 of 13
Thread: Fully automatic gearboxes
-
2nd September 2011, 11:00 #1
- Join Date
- Apr 2004
- Location
- Dublin, Ireland
- Posts
- 13,487
- Like
- 1
- Liked 14 Times in 13 Posts
Fully automatic gearboxes
I've just read on some other forums (old posts) that F1 ran fully automatic gearboxes one year. What year was that and was it successful? It was either a complete failure or a huge success if it lasted for one year surely :
Also, did F1 cars ever use a sequential gear shifter (i.e. sequential system but with a gear-stick, not a flappy-paddle). Looking at videos from 1991, McLaren used a H-box. In 1992, they caught up with Williams and implemented a semi-auto transmission which was used in conjunction with a flappy paddle. Did any teams ever use the sequential stick method or was it by-passed?Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam
-
2nd September 2011, 11:14 #2
- Join Date
- Apr 2000
- Location
- Chester-le-Street, United Kingdom
- Posts
- 38,577
- Like
- 78
- Liked 125 Times in 92 Posts
It wasn't a fully automatic as you would understand it in a road car. The cars simply changed gear themselves both according to engine revs and position on the circuit.
The FIA then changed the rules to say that gear changes must be actuated by the driver.Please 'like' our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/motorsportforums
-
2nd September 2011, 11:23 #3
- Join Date
- Aug 2004
- Location
- Kent, near Brands Hatch
- Posts
- 6,539
- Like
- 0
- Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
I think it was '93. I know that Michael Andretti in the McLaren used to start a race in full auto mode according to Autosport/Motorsport articles at the time. Also, teams would have a button on the wheel that would auto change down for specific corners.
'93 was the last year of full auto, active ride, launch/traction control and ABS (except it didn't apply to Benetton of course!!!)Opinions are like ar5eholes, everyone has one.
-
2nd September 2011, 11:40 #4
- Join Date
- Jun 2003
- Posts
- 3,778
- Like
- 3
- Liked 50 Times in 33 Posts
I remember footage of JV driving in a BAR about 2000? 2001? where he was driving with an automatic gearbox. I don't think it was for just one season though.
-
2nd September 2011, 12:01 #5
- Join Date
- Feb 2003
- Posts
- 3,076
- Like
- 0
- Liked 17 Times in 15 Posts
I think in about 2002-03 they had fully auto boxes too. I remember Williams had a "preprogram" system on their downchanges, so when still going flat out to a corner the driver could select the amount of downchanges they wanted for the corner and then when they braked and the revs dropped enough, the box would automatically downchange for them. A good example of this would be the onboard lap of Montoya at Monza 2002 when he did the quali lap, you can see on the onboard between the 2nd chicane and Lesmo 1 he's pulling the downchange paddle but it only downchanges in the braking zone.
CMR4L titles: 2, RBR MF Cup titles: 2
:champion:
-
2nd September 2011, 12:40 #6
- Join Date
- Feb 2003
- Posts
- 3,076
- Like
- 0
- Liked 17 Times in 15 Posts
As for sequential boxes, hmm, yeah I think that technology was kinda skipped by F1, I don't really remember any F1 cars having it, they all went from H-pattern to semi-auto. I think in his podcast with MotorSport Magazine Patrick Head says that their semi-auto system was a semi-auto sequential system like a motorcycle gearbox, whereas the Ferrari was a semi-auto of the H-pattern and therefore why they had less reliability issues with it in the beginning than Williams did in '91.
CMR4L titles: 2, RBR MF Cup titles: 2
:champion:
-
3rd September 2011, 11:00 #7
- Join Date
- Apr 2004
- Location
- Dublin, Ireland
- Posts
- 13,487
- Like
- 1
- Liked 14 Times in 13 Posts
Thanks all for your input. That's a good insight.
Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam
-
4th September 2011, 12:36 #8
- Join Date
- Mar 2001
- Location
- Sep 1666
- Posts
- 10,462
- Like
- 15
- Liked 201 Times in 155 Posts
Originally Posted by 52Paddy
The Ferrari 640 (1989) was a seven speed sequential semi-automatic flappy-paddle box.
Onboard 1989 F1 With the 2 ferrari driver - YouTubeThe Old Republic was a stupidly run organisation which deserved to be taken over. All Hail Palpatine!
-
5th September 2011, 22:41 #9
- Join Date
- Apr 2004
- Location
- Dublin, Ireland
- Posts
- 13,487
- Like
- 1
- Liked 14 Times in 13 Posts
Originally Posted by RolloTír gan teanga, tír gan anam
-
6th September 2011, 12:28 #10
- Join Date
- Feb 2003
- Posts
- 3,076
- Like
- 0
- Liked 17 Times in 15 Posts
I heard something the other day where Barrichello said he'd never driven a stick-shift car before, and he drove the Jordan in '93, so they may have had something in '92, but stick shift was more common in Indycars at that time, mainly cos their rules banned semi-auto gearboxes.
CMR4L titles: 2, RBR MF Cup titles: 2
:champion:
1 Neuville 2 Evans 3 Ogier 4 Tanak 5 Fourmaux 6 Katsuta 7 Mikkelsen 8 Rossel TWRC
WRC Pickems 2024 - R4 RALLY CROATIA