Overtaking

On the track look for the places where you can take a different line to out-brake or out-accelerate slower drivers and use these to overtake. The two most usual manoeuvres are out-braking into a corner using a tighter line, or using a wider line to out-accelerate onto a straight.

Important: When trying to out-brake some one, you should be at least level with them by the time they turn into the corner. If you are not then you must back off and give them the corner. 'Do or die' dives only cause accidents and may lead to disqualification. As a general rule, make sure you feel that the driver you are overtaking has seen you, in order that they do not turn in on you as you are overtaking them.

Racing Line

The fastest line around the track is the Racing Line. This is not the shortest route but is fastest because it combines straight braking lines with the smoothest, fastest curves around each corner. The basic corner was described above, but here are a few corner combinations to watch out for. Note: the best line is not the same for everyone with some drivers good at late braking and others better at getting the power on early out of corners.

Racing

Exiting well from a corner allows you to reach higher speed on straights and therefore increase your chances of overtaking the driver in front of you. In an ideal situation the driver ahead would leave enough room for you on the inside of a corner so that you can move alongside him, brake, take the corner and accelerate out ahead. But this happens only rarely. If the driver ahead is aware you are there, the chances are the driver will move to the inside of the corner to block your entry. This gives you two options:

1. Attempt to pass around the outside.
This can be done assuming you have a good run at the other driver and that the corner is wide enough. If you can nose ahead of the other driver before the corner, try easing him towards the middle of the corner, forcing him to slow down to get around it and therefore increase your chances of passing. Passing around the outside is definitely worth trying if the following corner bends in your favor, because if you can at least stay with your rival on the outside, you will take the inside for the next bend and get through.

2. Steal a faster exit.
This is particularly effective on tight corners. Because your rival has been forced to the inside of the corner, he will have to take an earlier apex and therefore spoil his corner exit. If you can keep your kart far on the outside of the corner at entry, and cut across sharply behind the driver again to take a later apex you can be on the power earlier and have an even better chance of passing next time.

Of course, your rival will almost certainly be ready for these methods, and so many battles for position can last for several laps, often culminating in either an excellent, opportunistic passing move or (more often) a clash. If you find yourself stuck behind a slower driver but cannot pass, take a lap to study how they drive the circuit, make a note of the corners at which they are particularly slower than you, and try to use this to begin an overtaking move.

Driving

The core philosophy behind driving a good racing corner is the classic motor racing maxim ‘slow in – fast out’. That is to say, the goal at each corner is to begin accelerating away from it as early as possible. To explain this a corner must be broken down into three key parts: The entry, the apex and the exit. The entry to a corner is the point on the outside of the bend at which you begin to turn in. The apex is the point at which you reach the inside part of the corner. This does not have to be the perfect geometrical centre of the curve, simply the optimum point at which you feel the apex should be, based on your driving style. Finally the exit is reached back on the outside of the corner on the way out. The fastest way out of a corner is to begin accelerating from the apex as soon as possible, and it is this aim that dictates how you enter the corner to begin with.

Here are a few hints, which should keep you on the track:
• As you approach the corner place the kart towards the outside edge of the track.
• Brake firmly but smoothly in a straight line.
• Come off the brake and gently back onto the power as you turn into the corner.
• Aim towards the inside edge of the track using the power to keep your speed even as you approach the apex.
• As you pass the apex, gradually unwind the steering wheel using the full width of the track to smooth the corner.
• Increase the power smoothly as you straighten up and accelerate towards the next corner.

The key is smoothness. Any sudden movements on the steering, brake or throttle - or bouncing over the kerbs and other karts - can and will cause you to spin. This is easier said than done with no suspension on a bumpy track - but don't worry, it'll come with practice.

Important: If the track is wet be very, very careful. Slow and on the track is better than fast and off it!

Kart Basics

The kart centres we race with always give a full briefing on how to drive a kart and understand the racing environment, which usually includes the following points. Karts have only two pedals – brake (left) and accelerate (right) – plus a steering wheel requiring about 180 degrees of turn from full left lock to full right lock. The only rule here is simple – never, ever press both the accelerator and brake at the same time since this causes the acceleration very sluggish. Power from the engine is transmitted to the rear wheels only, though unlike road cars or any other racing cars there is no differential to smooth out the speed difference between the inside and outside rear wheels while cornering (as the inside wheel, having less far to travel than the outside wheel, does not need to spin as fast as the outside wheel). It is this that defines the particular characteristics of a kart’s handling.

Before each event drivers are given practice sessions to familiarise themselves with the track and the kart. For first time drivers it is advisable that this time is used to get a rough idea of which corners require braking, and how much. Try to use the full width of the circuit when cornering to make each bend as shallow – and therefore as fast – as possible.

It is also worth bearing in mind that the rear of the kart is slightly wider than the front, and so if you are driving with you front wheel close to the edge of the track, the rear wheel may be slightly off the track or scraping the barrier at the edge. Karting is a non-contact sport and various racing series enforce this rule in a variety of ways. Offences may cause the driver to be excluded from the event entirely with no refund.

Introduction

Karting is the most basic form of four-wheeled motorsport and is the entry level where such internationally successful racing drivers as Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton honed their skills. Karts themselves have very small engines compared to road cars but are lightweight, nimble and handle along much the same lines as full size racing cars do. They are run in both indoor and outdoor environments, including in wet weather. There are two types of karting engines which are 4-stroke and 2-stroke. The 4-stroke engines are to begin with and get promoted to the 2-strokes. In India we have two major series 1.JK Rotax Max Challenge 2. MRF MAI INKC. Rotax is a 2-stroke engine series and INKC is a 4-stroke engine series.