Different cars require different methods of shifting gears - at least in real life. While that is not necessary in sim racing, most of our community does prefer the authentic way.
Technology in race cars has come a long way. For the longest time, drivers had to work with manual H-shifters, but today, they are hardly found in modern track-bound machinery anymore. Instead, shifter paddles mounted to the steering wheel have become the norm - and that is reflected in sim racing, too.
When looking for new steering wheels, you would have a difficult time finding one without paddles even if you tried. And since the clutch in modern race cars is usually hardly a factor anymore, the need for a third pedal on the modern sim racer's rig is not exactly urgent anymore.
However, sim racing is an outstanding interactive museum for motorsport history, and as a result, there are plenty of cars to be driven that did not feature paddle shifters yet. The shifting methods can be broken down into three categories: paddle shifters, manual sequential, and manual.
Most of our community would race this Ford GT40 with an H-shifter, like the real car featured.
Manual geraboxes (or transmissions) usually require a clutch pedal and an H-shifter to operate correctly, and learning to heel and toe on the downshifts with this setup is probably one of the hardest skills to learn in sim racing. Manual sequential sits in between this and the paddles - some cars that feature it still require some throttle and clutch on downshifts, but not on upshifts, and drivers simply pull a lever back to engage the next gear. Pushing the lever forward goes down a gear.
There is way more to this topic, of course, but let's finally dive into the question we asked a few days ago: What is your stance on shifting methods?
The poll we ran on this topic showed a quite significant bias toward the authentic shifting method: Almost 55% of you answered that you use what the car you are driving actually has. To get as close to the feel of driving the actual real-life counterpart of the car on your screen or in your VR headset as possible, this is the way to go - and most of you want to keep it realistic in this regard.
However, in a competitive environment, every second counts. Paddle shifters have been introduced in real race cars for a reason - they take up less space in the cockpit, but they also make shifting a lot more convenient and gear shifts much quicker over the years. As a result, it is not really suprising to see the "always paddle shift" approach taking second place in our poll at just over 30%.
The other three options, namely "I always use sequential", "I always use H-shifter" and "Something else" were not very popular in the poll, meanwhile.
GT cars used to be prime examples for manual sequential gearboxes, but modern GT3 vehicles all use paddle shifters.
Our community name different reasons for their preferences. Those who run what the actual car has do so mostly for the immersion and fun factor of it, such as @Michael Krone. They mention that using manual sequential in a car that had it may be a bit slower than paddles, “but I’m here to have fun and more importantly, have an authentic-feeling simulation.”
Similarly, @J. J. McClure is all about trying to get as close to the real thing as possible, even down to further details. “Seat position as precise as possible, gear lever side, pedals hanging or lying down, sequential or [manual] shift, distance from steering wheel to gear lever.” Now that is dedication!
On the other hand, especially in competitive environments, it is all about being as fast as possible, which usually means paddle shifters. @JU-Racing uses this approach, but only sometimes – in offline races, they use an H-shifter, “because it just feels best in the vintage cars I mostly drive.”
For others, like @andrewaugust93, the decision to stick with paddle shifters is more about convenience: "Been in this hobby for a loooong time. Just tired of setting things up. Nowadays it's just brake and gas and [paddle] shifts to keep things simple." If you want to quickly get on track, ensuring the right shifter setup can be a hassle depending on your setup.
Modern WRC cars, alongside Australian Supercars, are the most prominent example of race cars that use manual sequential in 2024. Image: EA Sports
Meanwhile, @Johnny Speed aims for a somewhat realistic car behavior while still using paddle shifters and the automatic clutch: They edit the files of the car they are driving so it feels like there would be a throttle lift and slightly longer gear change "to 'simulate' using a manual gearbox with clutch. I am 100% offline with AI."
And then there is @Wipeout999 who does not really fit any category - except the DIY one, that is. They used to run paddle shifters, then built their own sequential shifter and are now hoping to one day build an H-shifter from a real gearbox: "I like tinkering so I don't care much if it's attractive or not. It gives me satisfaction and as long as it's functional I buy only wheels and pedals." We certainly cannot wait to see that build once it is realized eventually!
Also, keep your eyes peeled - @Pete Conway suggested a guide on how to get started with using an H-shifter in sim racing, including hardware - we will create something for this soon, so stay tuned!
Did you expect so many sim racers to stick to the accurate shifting methods of the cars they drive? Let us know in the comments below!
Technology in race cars has come a long way. For the longest time, drivers had to work with manual H-shifters, but today, they are hardly found in modern track-bound machinery anymore. Instead, shifter paddles mounted to the steering wheel have become the norm - and that is reflected in sim racing, too.
When looking for new steering wheels, you would have a difficult time finding one without paddles even if you tried. And since the clutch in modern race cars is usually hardly a factor anymore, the need for a third pedal on the modern sim racer's rig is not exactly urgent anymore.
However, sim racing is an outstanding interactive museum for motorsport history, and as a result, there are plenty of cars to be driven that did not feature paddle shifters yet. The shifting methods can be broken down into three categories: paddle shifters, manual sequential, and manual.
Most of our community would race this Ford GT40 with an H-shifter, like the real car featured.
Manual geraboxes (or transmissions) usually require a clutch pedal and an H-shifter to operate correctly, and learning to heel and toe on the downshifts with this setup is probably one of the hardest skills to learn in sim racing. Manual sequential sits in between this and the paddles - some cars that feature it still require some throttle and clutch on downshifts, but not on upshifts, and drivers simply pull a lever back to engage the next gear. Pushing the lever forward goes down a gear.
There is way more to this topic, of course, but let's finally dive into the question we asked a few days ago: What is your stance on shifting methods?
Poll Results: What shifting method do you use?
| Answer | Votes | % |
| I use whatever the car has in real life | 986 | 54.6 |
| I always use paddle shift | 556 | 30.8 |
| I always use H-shifter | 139 | 7.7 |
| I always use sequential | 77 | 4.3 |
| Something else | 49 | 2.7 |
The poll we ran on this topic showed a quite significant bias toward the authentic shifting method: Almost 55% of you answered that you use what the car you are driving actually has. To get as close to the feel of driving the actual real-life counterpart of the car on your screen or in your VR headset as possible, this is the way to go - and most of you want to keep it realistic in this regard.
However, in a competitive environment, every second counts. Paddle shifters have been introduced in real race cars for a reason - they take up less space in the cockpit, but they also make shifting a lot more convenient and gear shifts much quicker over the years. As a result, it is not really suprising to see the "always paddle shift" approach taking second place in our poll at just over 30%.
The other three options, namely "I always use sequential", "I always use H-shifter" and "Something else" were not very popular in the poll, meanwhile.
GT cars used to be prime examples for manual sequential gearboxes, but modern GT3 vehicles all use paddle shifters.
Our community name different reasons for their preferences. Those who run what the actual car has do so mostly for the immersion and fun factor of it, such as @Michael Krone. They mention that using manual sequential in a car that had it may be a bit slower than paddles, “but I’m here to have fun and more importantly, have an authentic-feeling simulation.”
Similarly, @J. J. McClure is all about trying to get as close to the real thing as possible, even down to further details. “Seat position as precise as possible, gear lever side, pedals hanging or lying down, sequential or [manual] shift, distance from steering wheel to gear lever.” Now that is dedication!
On the other hand, especially in competitive environments, it is all about being as fast as possible, which usually means paddle shifters. @JU-Racing uses this approach, but only sometimes – in offline races, they use an H-shifter, “because it just feels best in the vintage cars I mostly drive.”
For others, like @andrewaugust93, the decision to stick with paddle shifters is more about convenience: "Been in this hobby for a loooong time. Just tired of setting things up. Nowadays it's just brake and gas and [paddle] shifts to keep things simple." If you want to quickly get on track, ensuring the right shifter setup can be a hassle depending on your setup.
Modern WRC cars, alongside Australian Supercars, are the most prominent example of race cars that use manual sequential in 2024. Image: EA Sports
Meanwhile, @Johnny Speed aims for a somewhat realistic car behavior while still using paddle shifters and the automatic clutch: They edit the files of the car they are driving so it feels like there would be a throttle lift and slightly longer gear change "to 'simulate' using a manual gearbox with clutch. I am 100% offline with AI."
And then there is @Wipeout999 who does not really fit any category - except the DIY one, that is. They used to run paddle shifters, then built their own sequential shifter and are now hoping to one day build an H-shifter from a real gearbox: "I like tinkering so I don't care much if it's attractive or not. It gives me satisfaction and as long as it's functional I buy only wheels and pedals." We certainly cannot wait to see that build once it is realized eventually!
Also, keep your eyes peeled - @Pete Conway suggested a guide on how to get started with using an H-shifter in sim racing, including hardware - we will create something for this soon, so stay tuned!
Did you expect so many sim racers to stick to the accurate shifting methods of the cars they drive? Let us know in the comments below!
