Everything You Need to Know About Driving Go-Karts as A Beginner

Are you going go-karting for the first time? Here’s a guide detailing all you need to know about driving go-karts as a beginner.

Karting often serves as the launchpad for beginners looking to advance to more extreme motorsports such as Formula 3, NASCAR, or endurance racing. In fact, many professional drivers started their careers by karting. Karting leagues exist worldwide to accommodate young drivers. Children as young as six can compete in these leagues.

Karting can also be an excellent recreational activity. You can gather a group of friends and hit the circuit for a karting session. Whether you engage in some friendly competition or cruise around the track, karting can be an enjoyable hobby. However, it’s still motorsport involving high-speeds, high-revving engines, and volatile fuels. Preparation is crucial to enjoying a safe karting experience.

Things Beginners Need to Know About Karting

Beginners should know certain things about driving a go-kart. Knowledge can help beginners develop a foundation before they sit behind the wheel of a kart for the first time.

Wearing Appropriate Clothing

Wearing the appropriate karting gear is essential. It typically involves a carbon fiber helmet, auto racing shoes, and karting gloves. Competitive races also require a racing kart suit. Wearing these items can protect you if an accident occurs. Some articles like gloves are also crucial for protecting your hands from abrasions if you’re launched out of the vehicle in an accident.

Select the Right Kart

Many places have a selection of karts from which you can choose. We recommend starting with the most basic model as these are intended for beginners, as these karts are slightly slower than their counterparts. However, they’re perfect for beginners as they’ll help you adjust to maneuvering and making sharp turns around the circuit.

Get Acquainted with Your Kart

Kart’s may look uncomplicated, but they are still complex machines. Getting acquainted with your kart will save you from hassle. We recommend you take some time to understand how your kart functions and locate all the vital systems. Most karts follow a standardized system requiring drivers to accelerate with their right foot and use the brakes with their left foot. Make sure never to hit both the brakes and the accelerator simultaneously, as this can cause you to lose control of your kart. Moreover, such maneuvers also damage your kart’s brakes.

Driving Position

We urge learning the ideal way to position yourself while driving, as it can improve your experience and your performance on the track. Position your body so that you can reach both pedals with a slight bend in your knees. You should also make sure to keep both hands on the steering wheel at all times. Most trainers and experts recommend gripping the steering wheel in a nine and three position.

Navigating Around Turns and Drivers

Karting can be daunting for some beginners. The rule of thumb to having a positive experience is to keep your eyes on the road. You may be wondering about how to navigate around other drivers and turns. We advise keeping a fair distance between you and other drivers on the track. Your focus should lay solely on your driving until you’ve honed your craft significantly. Making turns can be difficult for beginners. An invaluable tip for properly making turns is slowing down your kart so that you can steer more comfortably.

Karting with The Appropriate Gear

If you’re a beginner at karting, the odds are that you don’t possess the appropriate equipment. Fast Racer is a leading online retailer that can help sort your karting gear needs. You can buy driving helmets from our store. We also have premium-quality equipment like alpinestars shoes and alpinestars gloves to ensure you look stylish while being well-protected on the track.

Visit our website to access our vast collection of karting gear and equipment.