Development of Seamless Shift

for Formula One Car

Takashi YOSHIOKA* Takeshi UCHIYAMA*

Katsumi KUBO* Ryo MATSUI*

ABSTRACT

Honda focused on gearbox development during its third Formula One era. The reduction of shift time is an effective
means of maximally increasing race competitiveness within the constant-mesh 7-speed gearbox regulations. In the
standard shift process, the current gear was disengaged, the system went into a neutral state, and the following gear
was engaged. Honda’s seamless shift realized up-shift with a torque loss time of zero, by engaging the following
gear and then disengaging the current gear. Normally, this process would lead to damage due to double engagement,
but in the developed system double engagement was prevented and transmission of deceleration torque was enabled
by adding one-way clutches with a locking function to the conventional shift mechanism. The selective use of these
one-way clutches, positioned between the gear hubs and the mainshaft, and the use of cooperative control with the
engine, enabled the realization of seamless shift across the entire shift range. As a result, lap time was reduced by
0.4 sec per lap, and the system was used in races from 2005 as the first shift mechanism of its type in the Formula
One world.
This paper will also discuss the removal of the shift forks and shift rings as well as the fitting of the gear selection
mechanism inside the mainshaft in order to reduce the total length and weight of the mechanism while maintaining
its seamless shift performance.

1. Introduction conventional shift mechanisms, it was necessary to

reduce engine torque to close to zero during up-shift, and
The shift mechanisms used in Formula One vehicles the time of deceleration produced by the air resistance
are constant-mesh parallel twin shaft types, in which gear of the vehicle had a significant effect on performance.
stages are changed using dog clutches of the type However, further reductions in shift time could not be
frequently employed in motorcycles. In the project expected using this type of mechanism. The ultimate
discussed in this paper, a shift mechanism was modified goal for attempts to reduce shift time is the realization
at the initial stage of gearbox development in order to of shift with no torque loss. It was assumed that
boost the competitiveness of Formula One vehicles. The achieving this within the regulations would involve a
development aim established to realize this goal was to variety of issues, but it was also considered to represent
reconcile rapid shift (reduced shift time) with secure shift an excellent opportunity to increase Honda’s
(durability and reliability). In order to realize rapid shift, competitiveness against other teams, and a development
acute chamfer angles were employed in the dog clutches, project was therefore commenced.
barrel inertia was reduced, and the speed of operation
of the shift system was increased. The increase in shift 2. Development Aims
speed generated a number of issues, including
operational irregularities originating in shift fork Shifts using one-way clutches, as are often employed
overshoot and inclination of the shift rings. In order to in automatic transmissions in mass-production vehicles
prevent these issues, the forms of the barrel cams and for shift from 1st to 2nd gears, enable at least one shift
the shift forks were optimized to stabilize shift operation. with no torque loss. The development aim established for
This helped to realize an equivalent level of the project was to realize seamless shifts by developing
competitiveness with the vehicles of other teams, but a shift mechanism in which this function could be
innovative technologies are essential to achieving victory applied to all the gear stages in a Formula One vehicle
in the fast-evolving world of Formula One racing. In gearbox.

* Automobile R&D Center

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 Honda R&D Technical Review 2009 F1 Special (The Third Era Activities)

3. Methods of Achieving Development Aim to the clutch, the lay shaft gear, the mainshaft gear, the
shift ring, the gear hub, the strut, and the mainshaft, and
3.1. Alteration of Dog Clutch Engagement Timing is output to the tires. In a conventional shift, the gear
In a conventional shift mechanism, when torque is hubs and the mainshaft are connected by splines, but the
acting on the dog clutches, friction on the dog clutch seamless shift mechanism employs struts that function
coupling sections prevents shift (engagement and as one-way clutches between the gear hubs and the
disengagement of the dog clutches). Because of this, mainshaft.
during shift the engine torque was reduced, and the dog Figure 4 shows a state of double engagement, when
clutch of the current gear stage was disengaged. When the next gear stage has commenced transmitting torque
this operation was completed, the dog clutch of the next and the dog clutch of the current gear stage is still
gear stage was then engaged simultaneously with the engaged, during up-shift using the seamless shift
recovery of engine torque. However, the engagement of mechanism.
the dog clutch of the next gear stage while the current When the dog clutch of the next gear engages and
gear stage was still transmitting torque, and the the gear commences transmitting torque, the rotation of
disengagement of the dog clutch of the current gear stage the next gear stage becomes faster than that of the
after the next gear stage commences transmitting torque current gear stage, and the strut of the current gear stage
(when the current gear stage has ceased transmitting is taken into the mainshaft pocket inside the gear hub
torque) would enable shift with no drop in engine torque. where it functions as the idling side of a one-way clutch,
Figure 1 shows the difference in dog clutch engagement enabling double engagement to be prevented. Because
timings for shifts from 5th to 6th gears in the conventional
and seamless shift mechanisms as an example. As the Mainshaft gear
figure shows, in conventional shift there is a neutral state Shift ring
between the stages, while in the seamless shift, the dog Gear hub
clutches for both 5th and 6th gears are engaged. Strut
Mainshaft
3.2. Prevention of Double Engagement during Up-shift
Release bearing
As Fig. 1 shows, if this shift timing is applied using
the conventional shift mechanism, there will be a period Ball
Push rod
during which the current gear stage and the next gear
stage will be engaged simultaneously, i.e., double
engagement. It is widely known that double engagement
may cause issues that make the vehicle inoperable. A
mechanism enabling double engagement to be prevented
was therefore developed for the new system. Figure 2
shows the configuration of the parts of the seamless shift Fig. 2 Parts configuration of seamless shift mechanism
mechanism. Figures 3 and 4 show the movement and
function of each of the parts during up-shift.
Figure 3 shows the parts during acceleration, as seen Mainshaft gear
from the front. The direction of rotation is Shift ring
counterclockwise. Torque from the engine is transmitted
Gear hub
Conventional shift
Strut
Drive by 5th Neutral state Drive by 6th
Mainshaft

Fig. 3 Up-shift state

5th gear 6th shift ring

5th shift ring 6th gear

Gear hub
Seamless shift
Drive by 5th Double engagement Drive by 6th Strut

Mainshaft

Ball
Release
bearing

Fig. 1 Dog engagement timing Fig. 4 Ratcheting state

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 Development of Seamless Shift for Formula One Car

the current gear stage is no longer transmitting torque, Figure 7 shows the shift barrel profile during
the shift ring can be released from the dog clutch without downshift. The diagonally-shaded area in the figure
causing engine torque to drop, enabling the realization shows the system in a neutral state. This neutral state
of seamless shift. enables downshift with the release bearings locked.
The strut of the next gear stage engages automatically This shift barrel profile also features free areas, in
with the gear hub due to centrifugal force, and functions which the shift forks move freely. These are shown as
as the engaging side of a one-way clutch. the vertically-shaded areas in the figures. Unwanted
movement of the shift forks has been prevented by
3.3. Engine Brake positioning détente springs between the selector rails and
This simple one-way clutch mechanism using the the shift forks. The engagement and disengagement of
struts enables torque transmission during acceleration, the dog clutches on the up-shift and downshift sides at
but it is unable to transmit torque during braking. In different timings has enabled the reconciliation of the
order to resolve this issue, a ball is inserted beneath the desired up-shift performance with downshift in the same
strut in order to lock it, enabling deceleration torque to time period as a conventional shift.
be transmitted. Figure 5 shows the system during
application of the engine brake. The path of deceleration 4. Effects
torque is opposite to the torque path during acceleration.
The input from the tires is transmitted to the driveshaft, The time-chart of engine speed, engine torque, and
the differential gear, the bevel gear, the mainshaft, the wheel speed during up-shift were compared in order to
ball, the strut, the gear hub, the shift ring, and the verify the effects of the seamless shift mechanism
mainshaft gear, and is finally input to the engine. The developed in this research. Figures 8 and 9 show data
release bearing is locked or released by a pushrod. for conventional shift and seamless shift respectively.
The seamless shift realizes up-shift while maintaining
3.4. Downshift engine torque, enabling shift to be completed with no
The new system features the following major loss of drive power. In a bench test simulating the
differences from a conventional shift mechanism to Silverstone Circuit, figures of 4 km/h when converted for
enable the realization of seamless shift: speed and 7.6 m when converted for distance at the end
(1) A shift barrel profile enabling a double engagement of the home straight were obtained. The new mechanism
timing to be obtained was employed in races from the 1st race of 2005.
(2) A mechanism enabling double engagement to be
prevented
To enable downshift using mechanisms that focus on
up-shift, when the release bearing has been released and
the system has downshifted from the current gear to the
next gear, the release bearing is locked again. In order Shift barrel profile
to release the release bearing, it is necessary to reduce 100
0
Shift fork stroke [%]

torque. This method increases the length of time that

Shift fork stroke [%]

Previous gear
80
deceleration torque is reduced against a conventional 100

shift mechanism. A shift barrel profile enabling 60 Up-Shift

downshift without releasing the release bearing was 40
therefore proposed in order to achieve downshift in the 0
20 Next gear
same short period as a conventional shift mechanism 100
while realizing seamless up-shift. Figure 6 shows the 0
0 20 40 60 80 100 0 100
shift barrel profile during up-shift. The shift rings and Shift barrel angle [%] Shift barrel angle [%]
the dog clutches engage when the shift fork stroke
reaches 39% or more, and the diagonally-shaded area in Fig. 6 Up-shift shift barrel profile
the figure therefore represents a state of double
engagement.
Shift barrel profile
100
Next gear 0
Shift fork stroke [%]
Shift fork stroke [%]

100
80
Gear hub
Strut 60 Down-shift

40
0
Mainshaft
20
Previous gear 100
Ball
0 0 100
Release 0 20 40 60 80 100
bearing Shift barrel angle [%] Shift barrel angle [%]

Fig. 5 Overrun state Fig. 7 Down-shift shift barrel profile

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5. Evolution gearbox to be reduced. At the same time, the weight of

the gearbox itself was reduced (Figs. 10 and 11).
5.1. Further Development Aims
Honda led the world in introducing the seamless shift 5.2.2. Configuration
mechanism, but by the end of the following season, The in-shaft shift mechanism features an operating
almost all other teams were adopting systems that range in which double engagement is used, and the
offered the same benefits, and Honda’s advantage from principle of preventing torque loss is the same as that
the perspective of shift performance had weakened. The used by the seamless shift mechanism discussed above.
system had maximally increased performance in terms However, the configurations of the shift mechanisms
of preventing torque loss during acceleration, but differ significantly. This section will discuss the parts
Honda’s gearbox fell behind those used by the other forming the mechanism and the roles of those parts.
teams from the perspectives of weight and compactness. Figure 12 shows the shift mechanism, including shift
A development program was therefore conducted with gears. Each strut positioned between a shift gear and the
the aims of making the system more lightweight and mainshaft moves in a seesaw fashion by means of small
compact while maintaining the same level of shift and large balls, producing the following three essential
performance. states for shift:
(1) An in-gear state, in which a strut simultaneously engages
5.2. Mechanism and is locked in place, enabling acceleration and
5.2.1. Salient features deceleration torque to be transmitted (Fig. 13)
An in-shaft shift mechanism was developed that (2) A neutral state, in which the angle between the struts
positioned one-way clutches able to control torque and the mainshaft in the circumferential direction is
transmission and idling between all the shift gears and smaller than it is in the in-gear state and the gears and
the mainshaft, and that was fitted within the mainshaft.
Doing away with the shift forks, shift rings, gear hubs,
and other equipment, which were conventionally
positioned between the shift gears, and using only shift
gears arrayed in a line enabled the total length of the

Engine speed 1000 rpm 6th

Gear position 5th

100 Nm
Input shaft torque

5 km/h
Vehicle speed

50 ms
Fig. 10 Conventional seamless shift

Fig. 8 Data for conventional shift

1000 rpm 6th

Engine speed

Gear position 5th

100 Nm
Input shaft torque

5 km/h
Vehicle speed
50 ms

Fig. 9 Data for seamless shift Fig. 11 In-shaft seamless shift

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 Development of Seamless Shift for Formula One Car

mainshaft idle during both acceleration and deceleration Figure 16 shows the timing of in-gear states for up-
(Fig. 14) shift and downshift. “a” shows the disengagement timing
(3) A one-way state, in which only acceleration torque is of the current gear during downshift, “b” shows the
transmitted (Fig. 15) engagement timing of the next gear during up-shift and
The state of the struts is controlled by the positions downshift, and “c” shows the disengagement timing of
of two large and small balls in the radial direction. The the current gear during up-shift. Different timings are
positions of the balls are adjusted by the movement in necessary for the disengagement of the current gear
the axial direction of a slide cam that is provided with during up-shift and downshift. This is necessary for the
a cam groove in the axial direction designed specifically same reason as was the case for the seamless shift
for use with the balls. The movement of the shift discussed above, but the method of achieving it differs
bearings in the axial direction adjusts the position of the
slide cam in the axial direction by means of a spring.
The position of the shift bearings in the axial direction
is adjusted by the movement in the axial direction of a
pin integrated with the shift bearings, which follows a
barrel cam groove formed on the inside of the shift
bearings in the circumferential direction. As a result, it
is possible to selectively control the three states of the
struts by means of barrel rotation.
Fig. 13 In-gear state
5.2.3. Operation
The process of shifting from the current gear to the
next gear is as follows:
(1) When the current gear is driving, the current gear is in
an in-gear state, and all the other gears are in neutral
states.
(2) Shift is commenced by the rotation of the barrel; the struts
of the current gear and the next gear are put in one-way
states simultaneously.
(3) When torque transmission shifts from the current gear
to the next gear, the strut of the current gear, which has Fig. 14 Neutral state
ceased transmitting torque, is put in a neutral state.
(4) The next gear is put in an in-gear state, and shift is
completed.

Idler bearing
Strut
Gear
Ball (big)
Slide cam Fig. 15 One-way state

Spring
100
Engage
(Up & Down)
Engage area
Slide cam stroke [%]

Disengage
Barrel (Down)
Ball (small)
Disengage
Shift bearing
(Up)
Mainshaft
Disengage area ab c
Guide tube 0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Barrel angle [%]
Oil pipe
Shift
Fig. 12 Parts configuration of in-shaft seamless shift
mechanism Fig. 16 Shift timings

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 Honda R&D Technical Review 2009 F1 Special (The Third Era Activities)

for reasons of space. In the new system, the different

timings are enabled by positioning springs between the
slide cams and the shift bearings. During up-shift, the
strut of the current gear cannot be disengaged until the
current gear has ceased transmitting torque. By means
of compressing the spring even when the barrel is
rotating, the movement of the slide cam is delayed, and
as a result the transition to a neutral state is delayed, thus
creating a range in which double engagement occurs.
During downshift, because a load is applied in the
direction of disengagement of the strut, the transition to
a neutral state can be made with no delay in the rotation
of the barrel against the movement of the slide cam, thus
enabling double engagement to be prevented.

5.2.4. Effects
The employment of the newly developed in-shaft
seamless shift mechanism has reduced the total length
of the mechanism by 19% (from 192.7 mm to 155.1
mm) and the weight of the mechanism by 12% (from
10.4 kg to 9.1 kg) against a conventional shift
mechanism.

5.3. Verification of Performance and Reliability

Shift performance figures for the in-shaft seamless
shift mechanism were identical to those for the seamless
shift mechanism, shown in Fig. 9. The new system was
being used under the four-race gearbox regulation
introduced by the FIA in 2008, making it important to
verify reliability. Bench tests were commenced on the
system, but Honda then announced its withdrawal from
Formula One racing, and the development project was
discontinued when the tests had reached the 1300 km
mark of a projected 2500 km.

6. Conclusion

A shift mechanism that has a modified shift sequence

to prevent torque loss during up-shift and selectively
uses one-way clutch mechanisms to prevent double
engagement was realized within the scope of Formula Author
One regulations. This development produced the
following outcomes:
(1) As the first shift mechanism of its kind in the Formula
One world, the new system enabled lap times to be
reduced by 0.4 sec per lap, and was used in races from
2005.
(2) The realization of up-shift with no torque loss and
minimal torque fluctuation during shifting enabled
shifting in situations of low tire grip, such as when Takashi YOSHIOKA Takeshi UCHIYAMA Katsumi KUBO
cornering or during rainy conditions.
The quest for increased compactness while
maintaining seamless shift performance by removing the
shift forks and dog rings and fitting the mechanism
inside the shaft enabled the total length to be reduced
by 19% and weight to be reduced by 12%.

Ryo MATSUI

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