Team O’Neil Shows You How to Left-Foot Brake Like a Rally Driver
Instructor Wyatt Knox shares a detailed video showing how proper footwork saves time and increases control on low-grip surfaces.
The Art of Left-Foot Braking
Watching proper car control in action is always fun—and even better if you can actually get some real instruction out of it. In that vein, Team O'Neil Rally School instructor and special projects director Wyatt Knox shared with us a quick video showing the benefits of proper left-foot braking technique by timing two runs through Team O'Neil's sprawling New Hampshire compound—once using the rally technique, and another using standard right-foot braking.
As anyone who's spent time behind the wheel of a rally car knows, left-foot braking isn't (just) about slowing the car down; the ability to dial in stopping power while still on the throttle is also about weight-management, shifting mass forward to add traction and rotation on low-grip surfaces as necessary. And what's great about left-foot braking is that, unlike Scandinavian Flicks or J-turns, it's a skill you can start practicing during everyday driving—but if you've never tried it before, start off when there's no one close by in front or behind you. You'll be surprised how insensitive your left foot is, and you'll likely wind up slamming the car to a near-stop even if you only meant to slow down.
But, if you want to see it done at a much higher level, just check out Wyatt in action, below.
