How to get super quick in the wet using kerbs
How to get super quick in the wet using kerbs
Using kerbs in the wet, that look like no-go areas, can be extremely fast, if you dare!
Welcome to a paid free edition of my weekly newsletter. Every week I take a deep dive into driving technique and unique perspectives on becoming a proper racing driver.
In this weeks article:
Why using kerbs is better in the wet.
Who are the first drivers to use kerbs in an extreme way.
How to use kerbs in the wet, and which corners really ask for it.
There's a war going on between drivers and circuit owners. Kart drivers take giant liberties with tracks in the wet, and the track owners are seeing their property get destroyed as the drivers start taking massive shortcuts to save time.
I wince at the sounds a kart makes when it is ground out along a kerb. The chassis and components are getting destroyed, but I admire how drivers are prepared to sacrifice anything it takes to get around the track faster.
It can be spectacular at speed, the skill on display is extremely impressive and I love seeing drivers being wild, while dumbfounded track owners wonder how the hell to keep racing drivers on the black stuff, before their circuit gets completely knackered!
Extreme kerb use in the wet - pioneer drivers forge the path
Kerb exploitation tends to increase over time - drivers didn't always go mad for kerbs.
Super wide lines where rubber-free lines can be found used to be the way to go almost always. It was effective and much kinder to the karts, and the tracks.
But today, where I go and work with drivers, those same corners are becoming kerb-tastic, to the point where the organisers are dropping barriers on the inside of the kerbs to ward off kerb-hungry drivers.
The evolution to that point is weird because it can take years. You would expect the one fast way around a corner to be obvious and used immediately. But because optimum wet lines over kerbs are extreme, they aren’t easy to:
Discover in the first place.
Get correct and verify that is indeed the quickest way.
Plus, to randomly drive over a massive kerb feels completely mad!
Often the first attempt goes wrong, so the driver doesn’t try again. Then a few more pioneers come and go, until one gets it right and finds time. This can take whole seasons of racing. But once someone goes quicker doing something - bang, everyone is at it.
Then of course the track starts to get destroyed, so they remodel the kerb. The whole discovery process has to start again.
Who are the pioneers who discover the extreme kerb routes?
I was recently shown a video of a current Rotax champion taking such a huge cut out of a chicane in the wet, that all four wheels were inside the kerb. The surface at the point is grass and mud.
The track layout is one I raced on, so has been that way for at least 35 years! But this dude found at least 3 tenths from doing something extraordinary.
I also remember Ben Cruttenden about 20 years ago actually jumping a whole corner using a kerb as a ramp. He was at least 2 feet in the air and flew for at least 10 metres. That was completely bonkers, and didn’t really find much time - but was cool nonetheless - he did it every lap and won the event - nobody copied his line 😂
In both examples, the consequences of it going wrong would be a lot of damage, and a hell of a lot of embarrassment - but these drivers are able to take the risk, and more importantly, know it won’t go wrong, somehow!
So those are the pioneers who find a way to launch the kart over ridiculous kerbs, and find time. They are:
A bit bonkers
Love the thrill of taking the risk
Highly skilled
Able to predict what will work, even when it looks insane
You might be such a pioneer, or prefer to be the driver who watches every attempt, making your own conclusions while others pay the price!
The internal drive to leap over kerbs that we all have
Drivers love short-cuts, because their organism is disturbed by having to slow down for anything. Their whole make up is about not slowing down, obviously.
When you drive in the wet, and you are relaxed and confident in your driving, you will start to notice a disregard for track limits building inside of you - its natural.
The amount of slowing down you have to do in a kart, to get it to describe a curve is VERY disturbing indeed. Its painful! Karts are awful at cornering in the wet.
You will notice the urge, instead of going through the whole rigmarole of braking, steering and jacking the stubborn kart, to instead say:
F*** it , I'm just gunna straight line this corner. It is doing my head in
Then you can just go way faster into the corner, smash a kerb, fly, and land on the other side of the corner…. maybe!
I still get the urge to cut corners on the road today, which I have to actively resist!
The discomfort of scraping off the bottom of the chassis, bending the stub axles and taking off the bottom of your seat won't be as bad as the feeling of having to drive around that corner slowly- its a relief to go berserk and just take a huge bite out of the corner instead.
It works because:
Steering a kart around a corner in the wet is slow, straightening the corner is fast.
This kerb lines get you off the rubber on approach.
When you land, you will be off the regular rubbered line for a grippier exit.
Corners that are super inviting to kerb hoppers in the wet
Chicanes
Just about all chicanes are a nightmare for karts in the wet. The temptation to make a straight line out of chicane is huge. It is not unusual to take all three kerbs through a chicane to make it as straight as possible.
Often, the goal is to make the exit of the chicane as good as possible. So you might find that the plan is to take a massive bite out the of the first kerb, so that you land on a line that gives you a super wide entry to the second part of the chicane. That means you can get great drive on the exit.
90 degrees and below.
Any corner where the angle is around 90 degrees or less (meaning right angle or less tight)
When you look at a corner less acute than 90 degrees, your inner driver just wants to cut it. You know that the more speed you can take through and over the kerb, the less accelerating you need to do on exit. Karts hate to turn and accelerate in the wet, so you want to avoid turning and accelerating and just keep as much speed as you can.
Corners that probably yield a treasure trove of kerb advantage in the wet
Hairpins or corners too tight to straight-line (anything significantly more acute than 90 degrees).
Tight corners tend to be ones where you have no choice but to accelerate hard from on exit. They are so tight you need to slow down a lot, and the whole emphasis of the corner in the wet is having a very stable rear end, that allows you to accelerate away as clean as possible.
Doing that is very hard if the kart is bouncing around after landing post-kerb.
The best line might be an extreme cut-back line, or around the outside. Sometimes strange tight lines work too, but its super rare for significant kerb action to give an advantage.
The Essentials of getting a kerb strike right so you can find lap time
Commitment and Angle of Approach: When striking kerbs, it's essential to angle your approach line so that you get a clean hit, rather than a glancing blow that throws you off your desired line. The approach needs to be done with full commitment.
You want a stable equilibrium in the kart: Not accelerating too hard, not braking hard... a kind of coast at the moment of impact.
Timing getting back on the gas is critical. If the kart hasn't settled after you land from your kerb strike, and you get on the power you will lose the rear....
Bracing for Impact: To effectively use kerbs, brace yourself and make sure the kart is ready to absorb the impact. This involves keeping the steering wheel steady and forcing the chassis flex to absorb the impact. Keep the steering as straight as you can, the impact will try to turn the wheels, don't let it!
Handling Low Speed Kerbs: Some kerbs, especially at low speeds, won't launch the kart into the air but can still offer time advantages over the regular line. Be prepared for the kart to drag over the kerbs and for potential chassis damage.
Quick take-away summary of kerb usage in the wet
1. Battle of Interests: There's a constant tug-of-war between kart drivers, who push boundaries for speed, and track owners concerned about damage to their circuits.
2. Sacrifice for Speed: Drivers often sacrifice their karts' integrity, grinding along kerbs, to achieve faster lap times. This determination, though costly, is admirable.
3. Skill and Spectacle: The skill displayed by drivers in wet conditions is impressive. They often leave track owners baffled as they struggle to maintain the track's integrity.
4. Evolving Tactics: Over time, drivers have shifted from traditional lines to aggressive kerb exploitation, prompting track modifications.
5. Discovery and Risk: Pioneering drivers take years to discover and perfect extreme kerb routes, often with high risks of damage and embarrassment.
6. Types of Pioneers: These trailblazers are known for their daring nature, exceptional skill, and ability to foresee successful yet unconventional routes.
7. Internal Drive: Most drivers feel an innate urge to shortcut in the wet, driven by a dislike for slowing down and the challenging nature of wet cornering.
8. Corner-Cutting Logic: Straightening corners by jumping kerbs can be faster than traditional cornering, especially in wet conditions.
9. Chicane Strategy: Chicanes are prime targets for kerb hopping, with drivers seeking the most efficient line through these complex turns.
10. 90-Degree Corners: Less acute corners are tempting for drivers to cut for maintaining speed and minimizing acceleration in the wet.
11. Hairpins and Tight Corners: These usually don't offer significant advantages for extreme kerb use, requiring a more traditional approach.
12. Executing Kerb Strikes: Successful kerb strikes involve a combination of proper approach angle, timing, and bracing for impact. The goal is to utilize the kerb without losing control or causing excessive damage to the kart.
Thanks for reading
Terence