There is a learning process that happens when taking on something new. We’ve all done it in some form or another. Kart racing is no different. We all need to make mistakes to find out what works and what doesn’t. Through these mistakes, you can be better prepared for when you are racing to the best of your abilities. After all, there is a reason why we call this “practice”. This is the time to remember there is a long process of becoming a successful driver. Making mistakes early on and learning from them will help you become that experienced driver that racing teams would be looking for. I’m not saying that you should go out there and purposefully make mistakes just to say that you’ve experienced them. Your safety is the most important thing, so do not put yourself in a dangerous situation. Instead, try to be as perfect as you can and then push yourself. If you make a mistake, you should be able to adjust your driving to avoid making the same mistake again or at least be aware of your mistake to avoid making it again.
Common Mistakes That Beginners Make
Here is a list of common mistakes that beginners often make. There will be follow-up posts that will go over these individually and in more detail.
Sliding after the apex: When you have grip, you have speed. However, when you are sliding, you are just losing time.
Not staying on the racing line: If you are off of the racing line, you are making the track longer than what it needs to be or you’re putting yourself in an unsafe situation.
Spinning out after the apex: This occurs when you are applying too much throttle after the apex when you already are losing the grip after the apex.
Leaning into the corners: Karting is special in the sense that you should not be leaning into the corners. Karts have a solid rear axle and there is no differential to compensate for inside tire spin. Instead, you should, as a beginner, try and stay neutral in the kart. Leaning out on corners is a more advanced technique that takes practice and adds another variable for mistakes. At this stage, you should work on not leaning at all. This will help build your muscles for racing. There is also a consistency sensation that you are building and understanding. For right now, learn to be neutral.
Wondering eyes: When you are on the racing line many new drivers are not looking at the right spot. Many new drivers are looking only a couple feet in front of their kart or they are looking out for other drivers and not focusing on the racing line. New drivers feel like they shouldn’t be getting passed by other racers and lose focus on their own skills.
Too much steering input: This is only going to get better with practice. In an ideal situation, you will have your snap-in to the apex and throughout the rest of the corner, you are gradually bringing your steering wheel back to neutral or straight. However, with new drivers, there are usually all sorts of corrections. These corrections result in slower lap times.
Getting impatient: this is not a problem for just beginners. All racers experience this in all levels of their racing careers. Having the ability to recognize it, will help your development as a driver and your coachability from team management. There are many levels of being impatient. This could be from your behavior on and off the track.