Karting tips for 2016

10 TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR KARTING IN 2016

4 August 2016

So you might think you are a good karter, but are you taking advantage of all of the tricks of the trade to get even better? The best karters are the ones who learn from others, try new things and constantly look to improve their driving style. If you want podium success karters then have a read of my top tips for karting success and put them into practice next time you are at the track.

1. Listen to the professionals Our team of track professionals kart all day every day and are BEYOND good. If you want to learn expert tips and the fastest racing lines then take them to one side and ask them to divulge. They respond well to bribes.

2. Heed the safety info We give you a safety briefing for a reason. If you ignore the information given you will be black-flagged and thrown off the track so it really doesn’t matter if you are the fastest karter when you are relegated to the spectator area, right? 

3. Look after your gear Our helmets, race suits and most importantly the karts, are top notch so use them, look after them and they will be in the best possible condition to give you the best possible track experience. 

4. Leave Mr Polite at home You are not going to get on the podium by being a kind human being, so once the visor is down, your only thought should be TO WIN. Aggression is not what we are looking for, but feel free to let your inner nutcase encourage you to sod everyone else and just go for it. 

5. Learn from others If there is one competitor who keeps getting ahead of you on a regular basis, watch what he does and copy his lines. Once you have nailed what he seems to be getting right, take a deep breath and overtake when he is least expecting it. Look out for a weakness, then use it against him. 

6. Use momentum There is a whole science behind the weighting of the kart and it is designed to provide maximum stability. Get to know how the kart handles and sit well back to enjoy the ride – don’t try to use your weight to lean into corners as this will upset the kart’s finely-tuned balance. Relax your body position and use the natural momentum generated by the kart as you corner. 

7. Don’t hesitate If you are planning to overtake then just do it. The second you hesitate, your intended victim will have found that extra bit of power and raced away from you. 

8. Steer smoothly The smoother the steering, the less you will waste time correcting your line. You will also be able to develop a smoother, cleaner line coming into corners. 

9. Straighten up, foot down The most important part of a corner is the exit. Get this right and you will be powering away while your competitors are still trying to find the accelerator. The key is to not touch the brake while you are cornering. Get your speed right coming in, lay off the brake and hit the accelerator as soon as you start to straighten the kart. 

10. Don’t make mistakes If you find that you are similarly pitched to one or more drivers then you are going to have to wait until they make a mistake so that you can take advantage. Therefore don’t be the one who makes the mistake! A common one is trying to overtake without understanding how much room you need to get past. Remember, the back of your kart is wider than the front so leave as much room as you can to avoid clipping a wheel. 

11. Ok I know I said 10 tips but I just had to add another one. This one is to enjoy it - I swear I kart better when I have got a grin on my face. If you enjoy what you do then you are more likely to put everything you have into it, so don your helmet, widen your grin and get cracking.

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