Friday 26 November 2010

Winter Karting - Part 2

Kart racing tips from our senior Race Director, Ian Seager


Cold-Weather Racing Tips


Something people often overlook is that the way a kart works in the cold winter months is quite different to a hot summer day. A skilful driver will adapt to the reduced grip by being more sympathetic to the tyres, keeping them within their grip limits and allowing them to warm up during the race. Being smoother will allow the tyre to load up and flex, increasing the rate it which it warms. Sliding a kart wildly across the track does not heat the tyres as well. You will pass that guy later in the race when your tyres are working better and his are not!


You would think that the reduced grip in cold weather would mean that you need not use the brake since the speeds are slower. Very wrong! You need to be much more precise with corner entry speeds since you don't have the grip reserves to help you out. Many corners that would be easily flat out in warm weather become corners that need a dab of brake or a lift of the throttle to negotiate at the limit when it's colder. The guy in front who didn't do this is already wrestling with the wheel, sliding through the exit and giving up speed. Use your better corner exit speed to overtake him before the next corner!





Teamworks Karting Ltd
Birmingham | Reading | Letchworth
Tel: 0845 180 3020

No comments:

Post a Comment