Gear shifts

F1F1 is the pinnacle of open wheel,  single seater car racing and arguably the highest level of any motorsport globally.... There's more... cars use an eight-speed transmission and change gears through a semi-automatic sequential gear system.

The onboard computer changes gears when qued by the driverOK, so we all know what the driver is, right. I've always liked the description that F1 drivers are like... There's more.... Gear selection is made through a paddle behind its steering wheelAn F1 car steering wheel is a custom-built device that, in addition to steering the car, feeds back to the... There's more..., and the driver can select the left paddle to shift up or the right-hand paddle to shift down.

Cars have a clutchAll cars with a gearbox use a clutch to engage the engine and deliver power to the transmission. F1 cars... There's more... that the driver engages for starting, but after that, the computer manages the shifting. 

During a race, drivers can shift on average every 2 seconds or 40 – 70 times per lap. 

The driver can also select reverse if needed to maneuver back onto the track, although it can be hard to locate.