Heel and Toe

Heel and toe is a driving technique used in manual transmission cars where the driver uses their right foot to operate both the brake and accelerator pedals at the same time while downshifting, helping to match engine speed with wheel speed for smoother gear changes.

When driving a manual car normally, you use your right foot for either the brake or the gas, and your left foot for the clutch. But during heel and toe, you're doing something special: your right foot presses the brake pedal while also blipping the throttle, and your left foot works the clutch to change gears. It sounds complicated, but race drivers use this technique to make their cars handle better when slowing down for corners.

The name "heel and toe" comes from old cars where drivers would literally use their heel on one pedal and their toe on another. In modern cars, the technique looks a bit different. Most drivers today use the ball of their right foot on the brake pedal, then roll or pivot the side of their foot onto the gas pedal to give it a quick press. Despite this change, the traditional name has stuck around.

So why would anyone want to do this? When you downshift in a manual car without matching the engine speed, the car can jerk or lurch forward. This happens because the engine is suddenly forced to spin faster to match the lower gear. In everyday driving on a straight road, this jerk is just uncomfortable. But if you're entering a turn at high speed, that sudden jolt can upset the car's balance and potentially cause you to lose traction or spin out.

The heel and toe technique solves this problem through something called rev matching. By blipping the throttle while downshifting, you raise the engine's RPM to match what it needs to be in the lower gear. This makes the gear change smooth and keeps the car stable, which is crucial when you're braking hard and turning at the same time.

Race drivers love this technique because it helps them carry more speed through corners. They can brake later, downshift smoothly, and have the engine already spinning at the perfect speed to accelerate out of the turn. The car stays balanced and predictable, which means faster lap times and better control.

Learning heel and toe takes practice because you're asking your right foot to do two things at once while your left foot and right hand are also busy. Many drivers start by practicing on straight roads before attempting it while cornering. The key is developing the muscle memory so your feet can work independently without you having to think about every movement.

In modern motorsport, some technologies have made heel and toe less necessary. Many race cars now have automatic rev-matching systems that do this work electronically. However, many professional drivers still use the technique because it gives them more precise control over their car's behavior. In production sports cars, heel and toe remains a valuable skill for enthusiasts who want to drive smoothly and quickly on track days or spirited road drives.