I’m a simracer, but I want to learn more about cars and eventually be able to work on them to some extent.
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The simplest way to put it goes like this:
The different gears in a car correspond to different *gear ratios* — how many times the engine crankshaft turns for every time the drive shaft — the part connected to the wheels — turns.
Engines operate best when the engine speed — measured by the *tachometer* — is in a certain band for each given gear set.
Pushing in the clutch physically disconnects the crankshaft gear from the drive gears, and then you can move the gear selector, which causes a different drive gear to lock up against the crankshaft.
By doing this, the driver can ensure that the car is operating in the right ranges for optimal handling.
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