Here’s a question sent in by a kart racer called Paul

“Great website, your braking advice and articles on wet driving have really helped me improve my driving recently. Have you got any advice for the first laps of racing on cold tyres, im fast but i seem to lose ground early on in a race on cold tyres, be it about confidence or something in my driving or kart setup im not sure. Any help appreciated.
cheers
Paul”

Ok, I’m sure you are aware that you need to get your tyres up to temperature when you take your kart out on a rolling lap. Most drivers will weave around a little as a gesture to say “hey look, I’m trying to warm up my tyres”, but really they aren’t doing a great deal and end up starting the race without the tyre temps or feel for the road they need to be confident.

So here’s what I get my drivers to do every single time they leave the pit lane….As soon as you get out on the track drive the kart like an absolute nutter! Use loads of steering lock, cause a huge understeer, slam the throttle and catch the slide. Put as much energy through the tyres as you can. You have the time from leaving the pit until everyone gets organised into formation to go completely wild, wheelspinning and generally putting the kart through hell!

Anybody who says take it easy and gently warm up the tyres is not helping you, go out on a mission and find the limits of adhesion immediately!

The effects of this are two-fold

1. You put heat into the tyres and engine

2. You get a feel for the grip available, from that feel comes the confidence to know how hard you can push the kart into the first corner.

Actually the benefits are three-fold!

3. The other drivers will think you either have a screw loose or you are a bit special and will give you some extra respect

Now, I imagine that doing this is going to seem a bit wild, and karting officials don’t like to see weaving on rolling laps. So don’t weave, I just mean drive round that rolling lap putting the kart through extreme pain, pick it up by the scruff of the neck and blitz it round.

If you don’t take on the rolling lap like this, your guess is as good as mine as to how your kart will handle into the first corner!

I can understand trying this out on your very next kart race might seem a bit risky, and you don’t want to do a Montoya, so here’s my suggestion:-

Make a mental note that everytime you leave the pits you go hell for leather for the first half lap, and pay great attention to the kart and the feel you have for grip….
Most drivers I do this with say, ‘I can’t believe how quickly the kart came on!’

Also, pay attention to the guys winning the races, 90% of the time as soon as they leave the pits they are on it!

Hope this helps and remember, karts are even more fun to drive on cold tyres so go out and have a good time!
Cheers

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