[Closed] Go Karting tips

dont brake.

1.Brake before the corners.
2.Have fun.

Learn to take the best line.

watch a few dvd's :p

"dont brake."

Thats seems fairly straight forward. Best not over complicate things. Cheers.

make sure you get the best go-kart.

be as light as me for the straights and dont brake for the corners just drift round 👿

Lean OUT on the corners. Aparently it puts the power down on the outside line of the corner. That's what I was told anyway, I found it virtually impossible not to lean in.

yep don't brake the cars are so low they just stick to the line so well. if it does rain don't brake. only way really.

Don't slide around the corners it might look good but you lose a lot of time.

If you can, check the times of the previous session. Pick one of the fastest carts. I took nearly three seconds off a lap by swapping karts last time...

drive really, really fast.

When the tosser from sales tries to overtake you, gently nudge his front bumper sending him into the tyre wall.

Drive it like its a singlespeed. Its all about conservation of momentum.

if it is wet, avoid the majority of the racing line - in the wet the racing line can be worse - stay wide on some of the corners - you may find more grip off-line - you'll probably be able to see the difference - a type of 'sheen' on the surface

1. don't call it go-karting.
2. Call it karting

😉

What Goan ^^^^^ said.

Keep it smooth as possible, carry as much speed through the bend as you can.

Remember the adage 1mph faster through the bend means 5mph faster at the end of the straight.

You can drive without braking but its usually slower, depends on the course layout though.

At most public places kart choice does make a huge difference...

and if it is wet drive like on a sunday afternoon, really smooth and really gentle (but fast) on all controls, you want to maintain as much traction as possible and jerky movements don't work.

When the lights turn green get your weight as far forward as possible, give the motor chance to get going. Do the same out of very slow bends.

try to steer the kart round the corner by flicking it sideways this scrubbs just enough speed off and set you up for the bend.

If on any fast corners you feel the back step out then on the next lap try to lean and use your bodyweight to try and get more grip.

if you have to brake for hairpins do it in a straight line and power round the bends, it's all about corner speed.

get it sideways at all times. it may not be as fast but its much more fun

being a lard arse my weight was a major problem when i went karting, so my method of choice was to bugger up as many people as possiable on the start line then take it nice a easy at the pack of the pack, wave to the crowd play around in the corners and have fun, yes on every race i was well down on the top lap times, but i reckon i had the most fun.

dont brake.

Learn to brake and learn your brakes.

Practice by braking hard. Find out what it takes to lock your brakes. This is your braking limit. Knowing your brakes - you'll be able to out-brake your competitors into corners.

Brake in straight lines into corners.
Do not skid.
Lean on the outside cornering.
And when you turn - correct quickly and smoothly.
Avoiding unnecessary movement of the wheel will keep you quick and keep you smooooth.

Be really light...

Having dabbled in kart racing briefly the main thing you need not to do is crash. The time it takes to get untangled from the tyre wall, or get turned around or whatever means you have lost the race no matter how fast you are.

Try to find the balance between keeping speed up but not getting it sideways too much in the corners. Skidding, screeching, and getting the tail out feels really good, and fast, but its not.

Be fairly smooth, if its a sprint race dont be afraid to take the odd chance at overtaking.

If its a well run event punting the guy off in front of you is likely to earn you a black flag.

At the start be ready to nail it the split second the lights turn, lots of time can be made up at the start with dozy drivers not being ready.

If its an indoor event lightweight drivers have a massive advantage due to the number of hairpins.

From my limited racing (a long standing club with my old workplace) I won every time despite no previous experience, despite being about the heaviest there and not specifically picking a kart. My technique was to brake late, power all the way through the corners and use my bodyweight to alter grip as needed. Similar techniques I was taught in rally courses (barring the weight shifting). Seemed to work, good luck!

[i]if its a well run event punting the guy off in front of you is likely to earn you a black flag.[/i]

Unless he's in sales or marketing, then it's allowed.

1. don't call it go-karting.
2. Call it karting

And the thing everyone seems to have missed...

Turn in late, hit the apex and see your exit point. The error most people make when trying to move a vehicle fast is miss the apex by turning in way too early.

And to a lesser extent (due to the relatively low power of karts), but probably important on a wet circuit, don't accelerate when cornering - wait till it is straight.

And don't rush - smooth and consistent is the key.

I have karted loads and usually win or thereabouts but am never anywhere near the fastest lap times - the key is that I never spin off/crash. Once you have, your race is over.
[img] [/img]
(Ignore the bit about braking - I tend to agree that you should avoid braking if you can in a kart)

[*]Don't crash
Don't get tangled with other karts.
Be aware of what's around you
The 'racing line' isn't always the best when racing against others.
Be smooth
Don't skid

And finally, if you are in the lead, do drift it past the spectators, it looks great 😉
[/*]

The 'racing line' isn't always the best when racing against others.

From my experience of karting at thruxton, when it rained half way through one of the races it became absolute carnage. Was virtually impossible to keep the thing on the road round corners. By not crashing I came third and I went very slowly......

Just dont do any harsh movements/braking or acceleration and you should be fine !

Ohh, and put EVERYTHING into qualifying to get a good grid position - and get heat into your tyres as quickly as you can. Have you ever needed to swap kart mid-race? Terrifying as you have learnt the track and suddenly you have cold tyres which really don't have any grip at all.

m_f - I disagree with the braking, unless you're on naff karts - the karts I've used mainly were pretty nippy and there was no way in hell you could take 50% of the corners without lamping on the brakes beforehand. And thats on a big outdoor course normally used for bikes.

Some great tips on here:

http://www.karting1.co.uk/braking-karting.htm

If you are heavy- dont even have any pretenstions. Just enjoy- If you are heavy lean OUT of the kart when cornering- dont lean into. It really helps with grip and avoids the need to brake ( the biggest prob with being heavier).

Although- drive geared karts and ENJOY if your heavy!

Not braking and purely scrubbing-off speed is not good/effective form.

It is the quickest line, ergo you are in the lead and you want to consolidate that by continuing to be quickest

That is the case if you are well in the lead without someone behind you taking a poorer line to slow you and force past.

Although it is good to consolidate the lead, it is still very important to do some show-boating past the spectators.

Enjoy. I love karting. I always feel bruised/aching allover for days- Love it 😀

That is the case if you are well in the lead without someone behind you taking a poorer line to slow you and force past.

Although it is good to consolidate the lead, it is still very important to do some show-boating past the spectators.

But yes - showboating is very important. Especially when it is your first time at a big business shindig and you have just beaten the current 4 times champion who everyone said couldn't be beaten. 😉

Regarding the leaning out thing, as I understand it...

Karts have no differential, so tend to resist turning in because one of the back wheels has to break traction to do so. To fix this, the steering geometry is set up with positive caster which tips the kart onto three wheels when the front wheels are turned. The point is to shift weight on turn-in so the wheel that lifts is the inside rear, not the outside front...

The other way is to break traction of [i]both[/i] rear wheels by backing into the corners and then powersliding out, which looks great but is (as everybody above said) disappointingly slower 😐

I've only karted for fun but have had some success.

First thing is that if you stamp on the brake, you will spin. Normally this happens when someone in front spins and you automatically jam on your brakes. Try to resist just stabbing the brake on.

The kart will corner faster than you will imagine at first, but tyres do take a while to heat up so for your first lap or two be aware that it may slide all over the place.

As already said, stay smooth & try not to spin/crash. You will generally do better by staying out of trouble.

Use the whole width of the track - if you use Out-In-Out on the corners & use the whole track, then you will be able to corner quicker - you always see people not using the whole track & it slows them down.

Last time I went karting it rained for the last 15mins. It was the first time I had karted in the wet. I found the fasted way was to approach a corner and turn in, jab the brake to break traction, the kart will begin to spin. Apply opposite lock quickly and get back gently on the power to slide round the corners. I was about 5s per lap faster than the nearest driver doing this....

And have fun!!

Take your own gloves - use your mountain bike ones if you can as they will be much more comfy than the ones they provide. And if you are a shorty like me, then ask for a seat bolster or you will struggle.

The other way is to break traction of both rear wheels by backing into the corners and then powersliding out, which looks great but is (as everybody above said) disappointingly slower

That's not what horas karting training link says, and not my experience either. But any number of motorsports like the numbered formulas refrain from breaking traction on the track. Its very odd.

Cheers for the tips, just finished. Managed to finish 4th out of 25 after 2.5 hours or racing.

Great fun. Didn't use the breaks too much except strangely when overtaking to avoid contact and dive down the inside.

Off out on the bike now after some tea and toast. Rough day.

Only 4th - did you not learn from any of the advice we gave you 😉