Why this Karting Coach Doesn't Know Anything

As a karting coach I should display basic competence, right? So if you ask me what is the right line for a particular corner, you would expect me to immediately tell you with certainty.

If I’ve been watching the particular corner in question that day, maybe I will be able to give you a few options. But almost always I’ll shrug and say ‘I don’t know, let’s go and have a look!’

I forget almost everything - gearing, tyre pressures, braking points… Everything important does not stay in my brain. I don’t care any more.

There are a few very good reasons for this:

1. None of those questions have a right answer

2. If you want an answer, it means you don’t know how to find out for yourself, which then becomes an urgent priority.

3. If we want to get an idea, we can watch a race and find out what the quick drivers are doing and copy them!

This isn’t a deliberate policy of mine to forget all these things - it’s what I’ve learnt to prioritise as totally unimportant. The only thing that really matters for a proper driver is that they have a way to learn fast for themselves, not what someone else thinks is right.

How I Annoy Drivers with Totally Correct Non-answers

Here’s an example of a correct non-answer to the most common question:

Driver - “Where should I brake for the hairpin? I think I’m too early…”