When
to Brake
Acceleration
is the key to winning any kart race but how a driver brakes is equally
important.
Karting drivers
use a term called “trail braking,” a maneuver that prevents
a loss of exit speed coming around a corner. Trail braking is applying
the brakes late and deep into a corner. That allows the rear of
the kart to slide into the corner, making for a straight shot out
the exit on to the straightaway.
The key to trail
braking in karting is to understand your tires and visualize the
turn before it happens. Do not be concerned about spinning out while
turning as you brake because your tire’s grip is not always
used to the full extent.
Come off the
brakes slightly and turn in when you reach a tight corner. The cornering
grip of the tire is not at its maximum because you are not turning
very sharply at the early part of the corner. A percentage of the
tire’s grip is utilized while the other percentage is used
for braking.
Gradually ease off the braking as you turn the kart more sharply.
You will match your braking in the turn with your throttle as you
exit the corner. Visualize how you will come out of the corner before
you enter.
If you want
to master braking, try to weather the rain conditions on the track.
The more experience you have on a wet track, the better you will
be in terms of braking and discovering your true driving skills.
As a kart driver,
you will encounter low-speed corners and high-speed corners. The
key to braking in wet track conditions is as follows:
Low-speed
corners
Learn the latest
breaking point as you would on a dry karting track. The key to braking
on a wet track is to get the tire to grip without locking. You must
be sensitive and be quick to release braking pressure if you feel
the tires are about to lock.
Plan to run
wide and deep into the corner to get your inside rear tire off the
ground, or else you will run straight into the corner. Normally
to encourage the kart to turn you can lean forward to the outside
front wheel. When you are deep into the corner, your tires are on
the less-utilized part of the track that has better traction to
accelerate away
High-speed
corners
Do not steer
drastically on wet conditions at a high-speed corner. Just keep
the motion nice and smooth. Utilize all your engine power and avoid
wheel-spin. The line should not be much different than a dry course
because you can hit the corner at a high speed.
The bottom line
is mastering the combination of braking with turning out of the
corner in to the straightaway. The only way to achieve this is through
practice under wet and dry conditions. If you can hit any corner
without fear and with total command on a wet track, you have the
utmost driving skills in kart racing.
