- McLaren’s third pedal enabled braking on a single rear wheel for corner rotation.
- This innovation significantly improved lap times, contributing to their 1998 championship win.
- Although banned by F1, this concept evolved into today’s torque-vectoring technologies.
The late 1990s marked a period of significant innovation in Formula 1. As electronic technologies advanced, teams sought to exploit various loopholes in the regulations, leading to one of the sport’s most intriguing yet short-lived innovations: McLaren’s “extra pedal.”
This pedal was straightforward: alongside the standard brake and accelerator, it allowed drivers to brake one rear wheel independently. This feature gave drivers like Mika Hakkinen enhanced rotation while entering corners.
In essence, it was a braking mechanism. However, it functioned as a rudimentary form of torque vectoring—long before it became common terminology in the automotive world.
What Was the Function of This Extra Pedal?
Between 1997 and 1998, McLaren’s system permitted drivers to brake either the left or right rear wheel. This could help pivot the car during corners, reducing understeer and enabling better control over torque during acceleration. Although this setup was designed to minimize oversteer, it allowed drivers to manually correct any understeer issues.
During initial tests, the system demonstrated remarkable efficacy, cutting lap times by half a second, contributing significantly to McLaren’s 1998 championship success. Notably, the setup was driven by skill rather than automated systems, ensuring that only drivers controlled the braking using their feet.
Why Did Formula 1 Disallow This Innovation?
A photographer captured an image of a McLaren with one brake rotor glowing—a sign of its unique braking strategy. Journalists sought to unveil this phenomenon, eventually revealing the details of Hakkinen’s cockpit to the public. While other teams initially struggled to grasp the mechanics behind McLaren’s system, they protested, claiming it violated fundamental regulations. Ultimately, F1 categorized it as a variant of four-wheel steering, leading to its ban before it could be fully explored.
The Legacy of the Extra Pedal
Although F1 quickly prohibited this technology, the principle behind it persisted. McLaren showcased the advantages of wheel-specific braking control, which intrigued other forms of motorsport and a limited number of road vehicles. Over the years, the concept resurfaced in modern stability and traction control systems that automatically manage braking to enhance cornering and handling.
This evolved further into active torque-vectoring differentials that distribute torque across wheels more effectively. Yet, the foundational idea of managing individual wheel forces remains rooted in McLaren’s original innovation.
The Broader Impact Beyond Motorsport
McLaren’s “fiddle-brake” serves as a quintessential example of how Formula 1 often experiments with new ideas. Though the specific implementation was deemed too disruptive for F1 regulations, it led to advancements that improved safety and performance widely. Today, drivers benefit from technologies that quietly enhance their experience without them even realizing it.
