Queued Gearshifts

Question:

Does the MBE have an option for queued gearshifts?

Answer:

We did consider adding an option for queued gearshifts but have not found it necessary, most drivers who have used our system including those converting from other makes of gearshift systems find ours usually faster on the shifts (mostly due to the integration of engine and gearbox software) and not thought it necessary once tested. My own personal thoughts on queued downshifts is that when you approach a corner, if you don’t know what gear you want you would just keep tapping the paddle hoping you would get enough downshift. If you do know which gear you want, you again have to think how many times you have to hit the paddle, if you then approach the corner and something has changed you may have to hit the paddle for more gear changes. All of the these options require additional thought by the driver and these thought trains will be different based on the discipline you are competing in, simple pull and hold means it will only change down safely and if you let go of the paddle, it will stop changing down. If you simply want one gear change, you tap and release the paddle. I have found that if we attempted to queue the gears, if it wasn’t safe to downshift when the paddle was hit and a change occurred later, this was very distracting for the driver and he didn’t know what point the change would occur. This was particularly uncomfortable if an unexpected gear change happened when the driver was making an unexpected change in direction avoiding another car or obstacle.