Drive a Kart in Wet Weather

Karting in wet weather is extremely difficult, but if you master wet weather techniques, you can easily win by miles!

Steps

  1. When you brake, hit the pedal in a short, sharp motion. This should be enough to get the rear tires to lock and bite into the track. A nice gentle push on the brake won't do it because it kills the kart. You want the kart to feel quite lively, and you need to get it working and biting so you can get a feel for the grip that is available. Also, you want to reduce the amount of time on the brakes and braking needs to be out of the way before you turn.
  2. Remember that you are taking a wet line away from the rubber. Turn into the boot very late, and when you turn the wheel, snap it into full lock hard and fast.
  3. Now the kart doesn't turn and spin. You turned the wheel so fast and it's like you shocked it into a huge under-steer. But, you are also getting maximum jacking effect from the front end and when the kart finds a bit of grip it will turn very sharply. Also, since the front end is sliding, it is slowing you down too, acting like front brakes.
  4. When you snap that steering wheel round, you will naturally need to lean forward a little because turning the wheel will extend your reach. Lean forward and toward the outside of the kart. By doing so, you are taking weight from the rear and putting it over the front, which helps the kart to lift the inside rear wheel.
  5. When you get the timing right, you will find the kart turns hard and sharp, and that's when you need to get your weight back over the rear wheels, get the steering straight as possible and accelerate away.
  6. Introduce the power gradually, and feel for traction. Always try for as much traction as possible.

Tips

  • The "Wet Line" is the fastest line around the track in the wet the same as in the dry? 99% of the time the answer is no. I can't tell you the exact wet line for every track here, but I can give you a pretty good place to start. Take a look at your circuit before you drive and you can easily see the darker racing line covered in rubber, and you can see a lighter color where there isn't so much rubber. In wet conditions, the latter is exactly where you want your kart to be! Keep those observations in mind when driving. You will find you need to experiment using the wet line, and there will be more than one way round on a wet line. You have to go out there and feel where the grip is.
  • Forget about being ultra-delicate on the brakes and turning the steering wheel tentatively, stamp on the brakes to make the tires bite into the track, and snap the steering wheel around like you want to bend the track rods!
  • Driving a kart in the wet isn't all about being super-smooth and being frightened that the kart will bite you for pushing it too hard. In fact, when driving in the wet you have to be much more physical and much more forceful to drive with flair. Wet karting gives you even more opportunity than dry karting to let yourself go!
  • Most importantly, don't hurt yourself, and have fun!
  • Try doing it don't give up!
  • Adapting a good line in the wet is extremely crucial in defining your gap between the rival racers in the wet.

Warnings

  • Stay off the rubber
  • When dry, the best grip is normally found on the normal racing line, where all the tire rubber gets laid down, giving you an even better grip. When it rains, rubber is super slippery, so you have to find a new line where there is no rubber. Normally it's around the outside of the corner.

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Sources and Citations

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