Originally Posted by
John Wilke
Interesting Senna footage. No denying that he was fast, but I had no idea how rough he was. I've never seen anyone _pump_ the accelerator like that. With the data logging that today's F1 cars have, he would never get away with it. Jackie Stewart would have a fit. He says that you don't get on the accelerator until you can commit right to the floor without lifting again.
One thing about the heel toe - you've got to be short. There is just no room for my long legs in any road car for me to do that. Perhaps in a gutted out race car, but nothing with an interior.
I think of Senna a lot like I think of Mario Andretti (my personal hero): He just had it "in him" to figure out how to make things go fast. If he were in today's cars he likely would have driven different.
My experience with heel and toe driving is that it's 75% in having the right shaped foot, a proper racing shoe, and making sure that shoe is a little snug. Having said that, I've tried it and can't do it for the life of me. I think (pure conjecture) that it's also easier for people who learn to drive in karting... where leaving your left foot stuck to a pedal just feels natural. I'm probably totally wrong on that, though.