Left or Right hand drive?

[FRENCHIE44T]

This might seem a nonsensicle question to some, bit is there any advantage of driving a LEFT HAND DRIVE car in a race championship against a RIGHT HAND DRIVE car of the same model? Thank you in advance for your answers.

[tristancliffe]

You might find that at some circuits you have better weight distribution, or better visibility of a critical kerb or something. But then at some circuits the other car will have the advantage. You might over a season that one or the other gains a net benefit.

Other than that, I can't think of a difference.

[GORDON STREETER]

I agree to a point about weight distribution as most clockwise circuits normally have more right hand bends. Some saloon racecars were only made in LHD for various reasons like the Beemers because of the complex exhaust manifold.
The other thing is actually getting used to driving a LHD race car on the limit changing gear with your right hand.
I probably drive a left hooker about 3 or 4 months of the year abroad and have a LHD car in the UK so its sort of second nature. I used to drive an M3 for a sponsor to give hot laps to his clients at Trackdays and it didn't really make any difference to my lap times compared to similar powered RHD cars.

[esper]

lhd is the daily game her , but on a racetrack RHD at clockwise tracks is the best. You have better sight on the cornering and you heavy body is on the right side of the car!

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by esper

and your heavy body is on the right side of the car!

Speak for yourself

[R59]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Speak for yourself

I expected Al to make that comment - though his tubs are all LHD!

It comes down to personal preference in my opinion. Look at LMP1 cars. Most are RHD, but some are LHD now. In the old days of Gp.C, IIRC, most if not all were RHD. And that must be to do with better sight of the kerbs on clockwise circuits.

I have one RHD and one LHD, and my next project will be LHD, though that's because many of the parts I'll be using are designed for LHD, and it'll be easier to make it that way.

[Al Weyman]

LHD definite disadvantage at all UK tracks except Rockingham especially when you weigh 19 odd stone!

[Notso Swift]

Most FWD (exceptions abound like Honda's and Older Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 1-3) have the block on the RHS, so even for a circuit right biased the driver only balances out the thing anyway RWD is less clear, especially Al with his V8.

[Al Weyman]

Yeah see me smoking out the Mallory hairpin and you will see what I mean :-). Also the torque of the engine in a rear wheel drive car will plant the offside wheel more so if you are sitting on the opposite side as in a LHD car that will also work against you.

[tristancliffe]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

The other thing is actually getting used to driving a LHD race car on the limit changing gear with your right hand.

To be honest, if you've got the mental capacity to go racing then this shouldn't be a problem. Racing is so different to road driving that your body automatically adjusts - try left foot braking on the road and you'll headbutt the dashboard, but get in a gokart and you just do it automatically...

And if you do struggle with the gear changing, then maybe motorsport isn't for you

[VIVA GT]

Being a registered coward, I feel I must also point out that, as the majority of circuits are clockwise, therefore the majority of corners are right-handers. This would mean that in a LHD car you're on the outside of most corners, and thereby nearer to the barriers should you become a little over-ambitious!

[Al Weyman]

Yes thats a fact as well, in fact that was the only place I felt comfortable at Rockingham nice and high close to the wall but on the correct side.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by tristancliffe

To be honest, if you've got the mental capacity to go racing then this shouldn't be a problem. Racing is so different to road driving that your body automatically adjusts - try left foot braking on the road and you'll headbutt the dashboard, but get in a gokart and you just do it automatically...

And if you do struggle with the gear changing, then maybe motorsport isn't for you

I hope that wasn't a dig at me, as I said I drive left hookers as much as RH and I have left foot braked for well over 30 years even on the road

[tristancliffe]

Nope, not a dig, particularly not at you. Just a comment to anyone who thinks that they can't buy a LHD car because the gears will be too difficult. Compared to everything else about race driving - concentration, heel and toeing successfully and consistently, pushing, looking after tyres, 8th guessing what the car ahead of the car ahead will do.... changing gear with the other hand will be instantly second nature.

The left foot braking thing was just an example. I've taught my foot to be gentle, but the first time I tried it, barely days after I passed my test quite a few years ago (but not as many years ago as some on this forum ) I had to polish forehead marks out of my steering wheel.

[FRENCHIE44T]

Sorry I have not been back till now, but I went to Abu Dhabi to marshal at the GP. Many thanks for all your replies it is most helpful for someone who does not know about this sort of thing and nice that people take the time to answer a dumb question like mine. Thanks again.

[FIRE]

The first year the Chevrolet Lacetti S2000 car was RHD. After that season they switched to LHD. Don't know the reason (Performance? Easier to sell cars in Europe?).

[Rubinho]

I wrote this reply on another forum recently to somebody who asked a similar question:

Originally Posted by rubinho on some other forum

Historically, it is right-hand drive cars that have an edge in Motorsport. Most permanent race circuits are lapped clockwise meaning the majority of the corners are to the right. Being on the right-hand side of the car gives you better visibility of the apex of a right hand bend. There are a number of race cars, built in countries which drive on the left which are right-hand drive. This is especially true in endurance racing and more often prototypes where there is no road-car basis where clearly the layout of the underlying road-car will influence the design more than the optimal driver positioning.

Some examples:

Courage/Pescarolo/Oreca (all variants LMP1 & LMP2) - France
WR - France
Acura - USA (although designed in UK)
Porsche RS Spyder - Germany
Cadillac Northstar - USA (based on Riley and Scott also USA other variants similar)
Ferrari 333SP - Italy
Peugeot 908 - France

The list goes on.

In short, given a free choice unimpeded by the design of a base road car or marketing reasons, you would build an RHD race car.

[Al Weyman]

I find it strange that even in countries like the US and in Europe they generally have clockwise circuits, why is that and dont you think every circuit should have a crossover like Suzuka?

[bdwoody]

mmm i am thinking of converting my car to rhd but the jury is still out on the benefits as yet ..

[Al Weyman]

I would, I know of two racers who would build yanks if it wasnt for the LHD thing mind you one of them has lost his right arm so it would be a bit awkward changing gear!

[GORDON STREETER]

I always wondered why when we used to go clockwise in the Hot Rods the Superstocks went anti ?

[Al Weyman]

And why cant they design circuits so they can vary it clockwise or anticlockwise. Add a whole new dimension doing Brands Indy Anti Clockwise!

[GORDON STREETER]

I've seen racing at Brands the other way around. I think it was the Hutchinson 100 bike races in the 60s or 70s. It made Paddock bend "interesting", also it was an anti clockwise circuit until 1954.

[Al Weyman]

Nice steep climb up the hill, I would prefer that.

[aland]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

I always wondered why when we used to go clockwise in the Hot Rods the Superstocks went anti ?

good point gordon, i can see why the hotrods, saloon stox and prostox go clockwise as the driver is on the opposite side of the car to the wall yet the F2 and F1 stock cars go anti, guessing it might to do with the exhaust or summat as the driver sits basically in the middle. of course when the scottish legends race on the knockhill tri-oval it si one heat clockwise, heat 2 anti and they flip a coin for the final