Downshifting in Mid-Corner (ft. Max Verstappen)

Max Verstappen, the greatest racing driver of all time across all categories, sometimes complains about his car’s downshifting efficacy. During various Formula 1 races, he comically exclaims to his race engineer, “My downshifts feel like they are from Monaco 1972.”

As an avid viewer of F1, I could realize that he is the only driver from Red Bull Racing (or any other team for that matter) who complains about it. 

Why don't other drivers, including any of his teammates, mention it? And more importantly, if this is a technical issue, why aren't the engineers from Milton Keynes addressing it?

The pursuit of the answer to those questions led me to a fundamental truth about greatness.

The ideal weight balance through a corner

During the course of driving a car, any car, not racing machines around a track, the weight of the vehicle shifts. For instance, when accelerating from rest, the weight shifts rearward due to inertia. Similarly, when the car decelerates to a halt, it moves forward.

This shifting of weights is more apparent when you are taking a corner at high speeds. When approaching a corner, a car decelerates, then it coasts through mid-corner, and finally, it accelerates away.

To optimize the pace through the turn, the weight balance of the vehicle, an F1 racing car in particular, should follow the pattern below:

• Entering the corner: The car decelerates heavily here, which shifts the weight forward. This demands a front brake bias, which is also helpful in preventing rear locking. It also introduces understeer, which is more predictable and desirable than oversteer because the driver starts to turn the car.

• Mid corner: Here, the driver is just “passing through.” They hold the steering angle while going through the curvature. Ideally, the weight balance should be neutral, as close to the center of gravity of the machine when stationary. I’ve discussed more about this in the following section.

• Exiting the corner: The driver returns the steering to point the car in a straight direction and applies the throttle. The weight should shift rearward to put more pressure on the rear tires for more traction.

Interestingly, the weight shifts at a corner’s entry and exit occur naturally due to inertia. The only thing the driver needs to do is not miss their braking point and start applying the right throttle pressure at the right time.

Furthermore, you are mostly limited by the capabilities of the car underneath you to optimize braking and acceleration. If the brakes are powerful and properly cooled, you can brake late and gain an advantage. Similarly, if your tires have more mechanical grip, you can accelerate away from a corner quickly.

The mid-corner is the only part where the driver can make a difference.

The magic happens in mid-corner

The middle of a corner is the longest section of a corner. It is the part where the driver rarely applies pressure on the brake or throttle pedal. Additionally, the steering angle remains constant until the curvature is passed.

It is critical for drivers to maintain the maximum possible speed through this section to optimize their lap times because the other aspects, such as entry and exit, are largely dependent on the car, as discussed earlier.

And to maintain the maximum possible speed, it’s pivotal to obtain the ideal weight distribution — the center of gravity should be as close to the center of mass.

So, the drivers have a key task — shift the load from the front of the car (which happens at the entry) to the middle of the car.

This is where downshifts come in.

Downshifts transfer the center of gravity toward the car’s geometrical center from the front.

Why?

As the driver releases the brakes and completes the downshift, the deceleration rate decreases, allowing some of that weight to shift back toward the middle of the car.

This redistribution of load — from heavily front-biased under braking to more balanced across all four tires — is crucial for mid-corner stability. 

With the car’s center of gravity effectively supported near the middle, the tires share the lateral load more evenly, maximizing grip and allowing the driver to carry greater speed through the corner. 

Smoothly executed downshifts help manage this transition seamlessly, keeping the car composed and predictable. This is very visible in F1, where things are often at the limit, unlike regular on-road driving conditions.

Max Verstappen, who always strives to extract every bit of performance out of his machinery, aims to optimize his downshifts to go through corners the fastest.

Conclusion: Peak performance is in the fine print

If you want to become the best at anything, you can’t leave any controllable parameter on the table. You must analyze or overanalyze everything to ensure you are checking the right boxes at all times. 

That happens with relentless practice and unbroken focus. 

There’s a lot we can learn from Max’s radio calls pertaining to his downshifts. A driver who, without question, is the best, still wants to push the limits of what’s possible. Never resting. Always fine-tuning to find an extra bit of performance. 

Because no matter how good you are, there’s always room for improvement.

Until next time,

Tara