Want to go faster? These five tips for improving your speed are simple, effective, and could shave seconds off your lap times.
1. Sitting comfortably?
A good seating position in a kart should be comfortable, and our karts allow adjustments to both the seat and pedals. You should have a slight bend in the leg and be able to reach the steering wheel without leaning forward. This allows for accurate, powerful control and will prevent the wrong bits aching at the end of your session!
Your body position is also important for good laptimes. Try not to lean into the corners. Your weight is actually better distributed in the opposite direction, as to corner effectively, your kart’s inside rear wheel needs to lift – but a good starting point is a neutral position, so try to sit as square as possible in the seat.
2. Know your lines
You might have heard of the ‘racing line’ – this is the quickest way of navigating the track. The racing line minimises the angle of the corners whilst also finding the shortest route around the circuit. If you follow the racing line you’ll be able to maximise your corner speed.
Every track is different and some corners feature quirky lines, but the general idea is to stay wide on entry, cut close to the apex, then use all of the available track on exit. Do some research before your next visit to find the ideal line and you’ll be stepping up your game in no time.
3. Slow down to go faster
Sound crazy? You might be surprised to learn that keeping your foot to the floor ‘no matter what’ is not the best strategy. Karts do not have unlimited grip, and in order to get around the tight corners as fast as possible you’ll need to kill some speed before you get there.
Knowing when & where to brake is our biggest tip for improving your times. Work out where you need to brake and by how much, and keep it simple – brake in a straight line, turn, and gently accelerate out of the corner. Brake too late or too little – you’ll feel your kart washing out as you struggle to maintain grip.
4. Look ahead
A common mistake is focusing only on the track or kart directly in front. This often results in drivers taking corners in ‘chunks’ instead of smoothly taking the bend as a whole. It also means duplicating the same mistakes as the person ahead, instead of taking your own, faster approach and overtaking.
The key is to look ahead. Look for the exit as you enter the corner instead of focusing on your feet. You will automatically find yourself doing all the right things to get your kart on the right bit of track. Plus, you’ll be able to spot the best points to overtake and improve on your opponents.
5. Relax – and enjoy!
Most importantly, just remember to enjoy yourself. Don’t beat yourself up if it’s not going so well. A tense driver is very easy to spot on the track: they’re not usually the one setting the pace or overtaking with finesse.
Keep the basics in mind, and you’ll soon find your groove. Work on improving those laptimes a small amount at a time. You’ll then relax and be able to unlock your full potential.
