For the 2025-26 season, I focused on optimizing brake balance to stay within an ideal front bias range of 60–70%, improving performance and driver control under hard braking. The 2024 car had a brake bias of roughly 68% front using a 5/8″ front and 7/8″ rear master cylinder setup. While this avoided rear lock-up, it limited driver confidence due to low pedal travel and minimal feedback during modulation.
I used MATLAB to simulate brake torque distribution, line pressures, and pedal travel across multiple master cylinder configurations. This analysis revealed that a smaller rear master cylinder would raise the rear line pressure, shifting brake bias forward while increasing pedal travel, both critical for better driver feel.
Process & Testing
Using MATLAB simulations and autocross telemetry, I analyzed the effects of various master cylinder configurations.
| Rear Master Cylinder | Avg Front Brake Bias |
| 5/8″ | 61% |
| 7/10″ | 65% |
| 7/8″ (F25 baseline) | 67% |
Based on these results, I tested 5/8″ and 7/10″ rear master cylinders. The 5/8″ rear option provided the best compromise between pressure balance and driver feedback, producing an average brake bias of 61% front with a pedal travel of 0.713 in. This extended pedal stroke allows drivers to more accurately predict when the tires would lock and gave them more control in threshold braking scenarios.
I also defined a ±10% bias adjustment window via the balance bar to allow for tuning.
Current Status & Testing Plan
Testing is ongoing using the recommended master cylinder setup on the F25 car to validate the system in real-world autocross and endurance conditions. The goal is to finalize this configuration for the full F26 brakes package.
