Advanced Karting Techniques
Once you’ve learned the basics and you’ve been hitting the track for a while, you’re probably already getting some pretty epic finishing times. But are you wondering how to push your karting experience that little bit further?
Check out our advanced karting techniques and get those lap times down even further – these tips will take you from average to pro in no time.
What should you wear?
First of all, it’s super important to make sure you’re dressed for the occasion. We’ll provide all the safety gear you need once you get to the track, but comfort is key. You should wear some light, breathable clothing – so you can fully get into the zone!
You do need to wear shoes that fully cover your feet, though – we recommend soft-soled trainers, so you can get good control and put the pedal to the metal with ease.
Our Karting Techniques
Once you’re dressed up and ready to go, get to grips with these techniques to beat the opposition on the track.
The Racing Line
You may already have some tricks up your sleeves after reading our other guides, such as how to drive like a pro and how to overtake, but understanding the racing line will get you consistent results every time you race.
If you want to finish first every time, you need to memorise the track layout and find the racing line - from the braking point, through turn-in, apex (clipping point) and exit, the racing line is critical to lap time.
But what exactly is the racing line? It’s the fastest route through a corner on the track, depending on how sharp the corner is and how long the straight is afterwards. The goal is to get the correct speed at every point of the racing line to complete your turn as quickly and as smoothly as possible.
You can find out more about the racing line here, and once you’ve got to grips with the idea, it’ll make all other techniques much simpler to understand. Here’s a summary of how to take the racing line:
- Brake to maximum capacity at your braking point
- Move your vision to the apex point
- Turn-in your car at the turn-in point
- Make the apex of the idealracing line
- Begin to introduce the accelerator
- Open up steering to the corner’s exit point
Cornering Techniques
When approaching a corner, you should take it from the opposite side to the bend. For example, if you’re coming up to a right-hand turn, position your kart as far left as possible (and vice versa for the opposite direction).
This basically straightens your turn out as much as possible, so you’ll be able to take the corner faster and continue to accelerate through the bend, which keeps your kart more stable and powerful.
You should slow as much as you need to until you hit your turning point and the inside apex – then put all your foot down and get ahead! This is commonly known as “slow in, quick out” – the more controlled you begin your manoeuvre, the more quickly you’ll be able to complete it.
Trail Braking
As briefly mentioned above, it’s important to brake before you meet a turn. In fact, whenever you do a manoeuvre on the track that requires you to slow down and turn the wheel, you should be trail braking.
This means braking only when your kart is travelling in a straight line, and then beginning your turn when you’ve hit the appropriate speed. This keeps your kart more stable, meaning you’re able to accelerate harder throughout the actual turn, completing the whole manoeuvre much more quickly. Time to hit the track!
Ready to practice your new skills – or put what you already know to the test? Give us a call on 01252 732300 to book a day on the tracks at the UK’s no.1 for indoor go-karting for you and your mates!