How much will Karting help me?

[kylekosir]

After doing last minute check for my racing team, It looks like I won't be running in Canadian Touring Car this season. Now I need something to keep my driving up. After seeing Schumi Back when he was going to make his come back in F1 a couple of years ago, he was doing numerous karting racing.

I'm debating wether to get back into Karting and run ICC Junior Shifter. My mechanic and I raced Eachother in Vee's.
If there is any other ways to keep my driving up let me know
kyle

[bendy]

Can I suggest Superkarts? Here in Britain we lap about 3 seconds a lap faster than BTCC so the lap times are fairly similar. Whilst they are more like single seaters than touring cars, they will certainly help keep your racecraft up, at a similar pace to touring cars, and they're also bloody good fun and not that expensive! I would certainly recommend doing 250s and not ICC, you want to be out on the big tracks doing similar laptimes to touring cars where areo comes into play.

[kylekosir]

Originally Posted by bendy

Can I suggest Superkarts? Here in Britain we lap about 3 seconds a lap faster than BTCC so the lap times are fairly similar. Whilst they are more like single seaters than touring cars, they will certainly help keep your racecraft up, at a similar pace to touring cars, and they're also bloody good fun and not that expensive! I would certainly recommend doing 250s and not ICC, you want to be out on the big tracks doing similar laptimes to touring cars where areo comes into play.

I don't think we have Superkarts in Canada. We would have to go to the States for that. Here in Canada, we wouldn't have the oppurtunity to race karts like that on race tracks, as there are only a few good ones here. I will deff do some research tho. The big one is the Florida winter tour here. Robert Wickes (WSR) and Daniel Morad (GP3) seem to race that every year.

If there is anything else let me know

[GT-Driver]

Hi Kylekosir,

Karting will in no doubt help you one big time. It's affordable, has a nice air of simplicity with a great fun factor. You can do lots of seat hours for little cost compared to cars.

However, you need to keep in mind that it is your duty to re-simulate what you learn in the kart you are training on to the car that you will actualy be racing. It sounds little technic but it is simple. Think of it. Each machine is different.

Leisure karts that I use drive (SODI Karts RX-7) very different than proper shifter karts as they are only 100% braked from the rear tyres (axels), the fronts are free rolling, thus trail braking is not possible in most of the type of corners - as the dynamics of trail braking depends on the yaw movement caused by the front end gripping - Just imagine trail braking with your car using hand brakes. It is very similar. It is possible but only in some slow-med speed open wide corners or on the other end super-tight corners.

So proper shifter karts drive more like cars / single seaters than the entry level karts. But It is all wheels, rubber and and an engine so I make a good use of it learning!!

Track days are also a great way to keep in shape, you have achance to drive the car that you will be racing. I use my road going Renault Sport Clio 182. This is one of the best handling cars I have ever driven.

One little humble tip; a car with supreme driving dynamics like the Clio, most Euro hot hatches, Caterhams, most Porsches, most Lotuses (like the Evora or the Two-Eleven) will impove your level. The machines teaches its master. Sounds like a Japanese cartoon thing but it is very true. Try it to belevie it.

I hope I did add something.

Cheers,
Hamad

[strider]

Most race drivers continue to compete or practice in karts as a means of keeping their skills sharpened, apart from those who didn't do karting on the way up (the minority).

[kart_racer]

Try something like KZ, close exciting racing... and its a shifter.

[danemsteve]

yeah try somthing like a superkart.... look at lewis hamalton for example he started from karting.

[formerf1champ]

Originally Posted by bendy

Can I suggest Superkarts? Here in Britain we lap about 3 seconds a lap faster than BTCC so the lap times are fairly similar. Whilst they are more like single seaters than touring cars, they will certainly help keep your racecraft up, at a similar pace to touring cars, and they're also bloody good fun and not that expensive! I would certainly recommend doing 250s and not ICC, you want to be out on the big tracks doing similar laptimes to touring cars where areo comes into play.

Really? What kind of Superkarts do you run over there?

[karting]

Originally Posted by danemsteve

yeah try somthing like a superkart.... look at lewis hamalton for example he started from karting.

People have got to stop throwing Lewis Hamiltons names at anything karting and do research.

He was out of karts and in cars before he was OLD ENOUGH to race a superkart

[TeamMBM]

Actually he started in a full season of formula renault when he was 17,
He raced in formula A karting (equivalent of KF2) which you need to be 16 to do the same as super karts and then did FRenault winter series age 16 and the the next year full FRenault

[TeamMBM]

If you are a quick kart driver does that mean you will be a fast single seater car driver?

[MarkG]

Yes, you're going to be brilliant in cars. Maybe a sponsor will read your posts?

[TeamMBM]

Delete please

[ghinzani]

Delete what precisely?

And the answer to your initial question is yes, as long as its a decent level of karting, not a mates stag do of course.

[karting]

Originally Posted by TeamMBM

Actually he started in a full season of formula renault when he was 17,
He raced in formula A karting (equivalent of KF2) which you need to be 16 to do the same as super karts and then did FRenault winter series age 16 and the the next year full FRenault

MSA Yearbook:

F2.0 Group Senior – Gearbox
F2.1 Class Formula 250 National

F2.8.3 Age. The class is open to any driver aged 16 or over on short circuits, or aged 17 and over
on long circuits.

And for your information Superkarts are widely know to be only for Long Circuits, not Short circuit, there usually referred to as 250 nationals.