Defending the lead- Dominating vs running scared
You can see right into a driver's mind by how they choose to defend.
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I always like to ask this question to a driver, especially if there is only a faint chance of a win:
Tell me your plan on how you will win, especially what you will do on the last lap.
They usually look at me like I’ve lost my marbles. But, there is nothing worse than seeing a driver hit the front, even if it’s pure luck, then watching them think ‘…now what do I do?!!?’
Now, the subject that immediately comes up is defending. When will you start to defend if you are in the lead? This answer will not do:
I’ll decide in the moment.
If you do that, when your opponent knows what they are going to do, you’ll lose. Pretty simple!
Here’s what a driver needs, primed and ready to go, if they want to cross the line first:
When should I start defending, if I’m leading?
How should I defend?
Which corners don’t need a defensive line.
Do I even want to defend?
Should I wait for the very last chance to attack, on the final lap?
What is my plan for leading, or if I’m in p2 or p3
Those are the very basic questions you need to answer in advance.
And it’s not like you have to re-invent the wheel here, every single race you can watch, and size up all the scenarios…
You should choose your own way to win, I’ll give you my favourite approach on defending - see how you like it!
In fact, I’d call ‘defending’ the wrong word. It’s more of an ‘aggressive domination of territory you hold’.
The most obvious time to defend with few exceptions
The time to get really good practice at defending, is lap 1 of just about every race you run in.
Every single overtaking opportunity on lap one must be covered off. By that, I mean take the overtaking line for every corner where you could be passed. Block like a beast!
It’s also true that the overtaking and defending lines are the same, so you are on both the correct line to defend your position, and to overtake. So, overtake if the gap is there.
You should know every corner where you can be passed on the opening lap, cover them. If you let someone by, it’s borderline unforgivable, because you will have needed to move over and literally invite them in.
Don’t be tempted to do the ultimate lap 1 sin.
Oh it’s ok, I’ll just take my normal line here and get a good exit. Then I’ll break away
Break away? I don’t think so, as soon as you move to that wide line - BANG! Any half-sharp driver worth their salt will be in that gap you left, followed by two others. Then your exit is likely to involve the grass. You’ve just blown it big time.
Be on the look out for other drivers giving in to that same temptation, and dive in yourself. They often leave it to the last minute to yield, take them - it’s easy pickings!
The exception to lap one defending - full on committed outside runs
Maybe you’ve had a bad day, or you just fancy rolling the dice. So long as you accept the risk (that you are very likely going to end your race with this move) you can go for a big outside line move. If you do, make it big, because you are going to lose places on the exit more often than not. You need to gain 5 spots on the brakes, to lose 2 on exit. That’s often the way it goes, if you don’t head straight to the scene of the accident that is!
If you make a lunge, cover it off to stop them coming straight back at you
At any point in a race, if you put in a mighty overtaking move, the chances are you’ll be vulnerable on the next corner.
Don’t just hope that your opponent accepts defeat gracefully; make sure they can’t come straight back by. Defend by taking the inside line or, at the very least, give them the impression that you don’t want them passing, by moving across as if you will block. Often that’s enough to put them off.
Defending for the win
The no1 major deciding factor before any technique works.
Are you going to TAKE the win, or are you going to CLING to the lead?
This is really important because when you are out on track, you’ll be running on emotion. If you feel like you need to desperately hold on to a lead, you’ll make different decisions to when you are taking the win in a dominant way.
Clinging to the lead
If you are leading the race, or any position that you really want to hold on to, and you desperately want the race to end, so you can finally bag the result; you are in a vulnerable mindset.
Clinging makes you vulnerable to defending too early - which can take you from first to last, very quickly indeed!
‘Defending too early’ is a very common problem for drivers who are really desperate for a result. As soon as they hit a position they would like to finish in, their mindset switches from catching and passing, to holding on.
That sudden change in priority makes them more concerned with being hunted down and caught, than driving perfect lines.
They start to defend, even when nobody is range to pass sometimes. Lap times increase and they inevitably get caught. Then things descend into chaos.
First the catching drivers see a driver defending early; they think:
This is an amateur, better take them early or I’ll get stuck.
This means they are prepared to take major risk to get by, including taking you out in the process.
Now, if you do successfully defend that driver, your problem got a whole lot worse. Ten more drivers caught you and they are getting desperate.
For you to even finish this race will take luck. You’ve got ten drivers going berserk behind you, and they are going to be lunging you, and each other, like crazy.
All this chaos comes from a very simple and understandable emotion - ‘I don’t want to lose this’ and it turns into an absolute disaster.
Leading is NOT that big a deal, before the closing stages - just chill
When you are leading halfway though a race, it doesn’t mean all that much. It is a strategic position and nothing more. It doesn’t mean you have the victory in your pocket, unless you are down the road (rare in karting, right?).
Very often, second or third positions are better depending on what stage of the race you are in. So first of all, being in the lead means you need strategy as much as ever in order to get a result.
You are very likely going to be passed
The slipstream in karting is so powerful, the chances are you will be passed. It’s almost inevitable. So expect it, accept it and have an answer. Someone passing you for the lead should barely register to you emotionally. In fact, it should feel weird if it doesn’t happen!
So the point here is - relax, it’s actually no big deal right now. If you decide to defend now, you actually have nothing to defend. You just need to stay cool and drive well.
If you find yourself in the lead on the last lap.
If you begin the final lap leading, and your opponents are close, you are going to have to defend like a boss. This means you’ll need a good plan and a strong mind, ready to dominate. Look forward to it!
How to think about defending first place on the last lap - be ready for battle, and relish it:
I know where I’m going to put my kart, and I know exactly how to control my speed to mess them up. I’m going to enjoy toying with these guys!
That’s the mindset you need to drastically improve your chance of being able to defend the lead. In fact, I’d call ‘defending’ the wrong word. It’s more of an ‘aggressive domination of territory you hold’.
So now you have that mindset, here are the steps you need to take to defend the last lap.
Block the obvious overtaking corners. Simply drive the line that stops the driver having any possibility to pass you on the inside.
Invite them to try the outside move. Tempt them to take the risk. Move to the inside early when approaching an overtaking corner. Your opponent will often give up on the chance of the inside, and hope for an outside line chance. If they do, have a little chuckle to yourself - ‘sucker’.
Karting isn’t as pathetic as F1. So a driver who chooses the outside line is understood to be taking a silly risk. If that driver on the outside gets run wide on the exit, then that’s their problem, unless you blatantly steer them off the track. If your line is natural, then they can’t expect you to give up that real estate. They lift or go off.
Remember: you are not on the run. You are dominating your territory. This means you can control your speed carefully to mess with your opponents. You can pull tricks.
For example, take an apex slower than usual to prevent your opponent getting the space for a cutback move.
You can also take it slightly easy through a corner leading to a straight, so they can’t time a run on you. If you aren’t all flustered trying to go flat-out, you have control, and control gives you optionsGoad them into a mistake - then bolt. If your opponent screws up with an outside move, or they run into you bumper and lose speed, be ready to light up the timing screens, and drop them for an easy run to the flag.
If you control your speed and your lines, you can’t lose.
Quick summary
Defending is about control and domination.
Think about your strategy to defend the lead before the race.
Think about playing with your prey, rather than running away; as if you are the prey.
Dominate your territory, don’t cling to it
Thanks for reading
Terence