Karting
7 tips on how to get the perfect karting race start
How to nail your race start on a go-kart! Follow this advice to maximise your race starts.
The start of a kart race is critical and can set you up for success or failure come the chequered flag. The start is often a great opportunity to make up multiple positions, but that comes at a risk as more crashes and incidents happen on the first lap of a race than at any other time. Following these tips will help you ace the start and not have to spend the rest of the race making up for lost time.
1. Have a plan of action
The grid: The kart racers line up ready to start
© Kin Marcin/Red Bull Content Pool
Having a clear plan of what you are going to do and where you are going to position your kart at every corner on the first lap will put you one step closer to having the perfect start. You should find out your starting position as soon as possible to give yourself time to plan and visualise the perfect first lap. Consider where you are starting, who you are starting near and what they are likely to do, this will help your planning.
2. Practice your starts before the race
The starting grid: Competitors line up for start
© Romanas Orlovas / Red Bull Content Pool
If you are doing a standing start make sure you have practiced how best to get the kart off the line, and know the precise throttle (and clutch, if you have one) position and technique you need. For rolling starts, some engines require you to pinch the fuel pipe or lean the fuel mixture screw for a clean getaway, make sure you have practiced this so you can repeat it for the race. Some engines will allow you to slam the accelerator for immediate acceleration, others require a gentler approach, get to know how best your engine responds.
3. Get your tyres up to temperature
Hard corning can help get tyres up to temperature for the race start
© Ray Tsui / Red Bull Content Pool
All racing tyres take time to warm up to their optimum grip temperature, which allows you to achieve fast lap times, therefore warming you tyres on the rolling lap to the grid is essential for a good first lap. Karting does not allow tyre warmers, so you must heat them manually by putting load and cornering energy into them. The most effective way of warming your tyres is by cornering hard and weaving from left to right on the straights to get some extra temperature in them. Excessive rear wheel-spin should be avoided because you will end up with a temperature differential between the front and rear tyres which will adversely affect handling.
4. Good reactions to the start lights
Don't jump the lights!
© Ray Tsui / Red Bull Content Pool
Almost all kart races are started by the extinguishing of red lights, and whether it’s a rolling or standing start you want to be the first to react. Make sure you can see the lights and you pay close attention to them when under starters orders. Have them in your line of sight, but don’t stare so hard that you are unaware of what’s going on around you, such as a kart ahead that might be an obstacle. If your series does not allow any tyre warming, then plan for your comparative lack of grip on the first couple of laps, braking distances will be longer and corner speeds will be slower,
5. Survival is key
Try to avoid first-lap accidents
© Alexandros Vernardis/Red Bull Content Pool
The first lap is fraught with danger; karts packed closely together all fighting for the same piece of prime tarmac. Having planned your start, you should have considered the parts of the circuit that often have incidents on lap one. Usually, you should plan to be on the safest place on the track to minimise the chances of you being involved with or causing an incident, after all you can’t win the race on lap one.
6. Execute your plan, but be ready to adapt
Learning how to drive in the wet is a real plus
© Press
Execute the perfect plan you made in point one, but be aware plans often change. Having a backup plan and being able to adapt will allow you to react better should something unexpected happen. Usually this will come about from a kart being forced out of position or into a spin, should this happen its almost always best to keep your eyes focussed on the gap you want to drive into, not the thing you are trying to avoid, your kart will follow where you look.
7. Stay calm and let the race come to you
Get the perfect start for your best chance of winning
© GPI Karting
The start is only the first stage of your race, and therefore it isn’t a disaster if it doesn’t go well. If you have a bad start, which will happen to everyone from time to time, relax and stay calm, this will help you regain control of your race. Once you are calm and your race has stabilised, you will then be in the best position to regain the places you lost and start making your way clinically through the field. You should have goals of where you want to be at different stages in the race. Just because your goal for lap one didn’t go to plan, doesn't mean the goals for half way, two laps to go, and the finish are off the cards. Never give up!
Conclusion
These are the main things you will need to know to execute the perfect race starts regularly. All the best drivers will already be doing this, and if you implement these into your driving you’ll be one step closer to the top step of the podium.
