Whether this is your first time racing around one of our indoor go karting tracks, or you’re simply tired of missing out on pole position and want to level up your racing skills, you might be wondering, how does weight affect go karting speed?
Weight can have a huge impact on the outcome of your race, and it’s important to know how to use it to your advantage and avoid it becoming a hindrance. This is where we come in! We have put together a guide to understanding how weight affects go karting speed and style, covering:
Got the weight of the world on your shoulders trying to work out how to beat your most fierce opponent? Let’s find out how to use that weight to take top spot on the podium!
Is there a go karting weight limit?
There is no hard and fast weight limit for go-karting - physique, height and width, and your ability to fit comfortably into a kart are all factors that play into go-karting safety.
At TeamSport we don’t have a specific weight limit for go-karting, but particularly tall, short or heavier drivers may find driving uncomfortable or may not be able to fit in the karts. If you are unsure, feel free to visit your local venue and try sitting in a kart first to ensure it will be comfortable and safe for you to drive before you book in a session.
Does weight matter in go karting?
Weight is one of the most important elements of go karting as it can have an impact on all aspects of your performance, from how fast your go kart goes to whether you spin out on corners.
The lighter the total weight of the go kart, the easier it is to accelerate but the harder it is to keep control of. The heavier the total weight of the go kart, the more traction and stability you have but the longer it takes to accelerate.
There truly is no such thing as too heavy or light when it comes to go karting as both have their advantages and disadvantages. What matters most is understanding how to leverage your weight to gain a coveted spot on the podium. If you don’t use your weight to your advantage, you’ll expend more energy than you need to trying to maintain stability, speed and power. Learn more about why go karting can be so tiring.
Does weight affect e-karting speed?
When it comes to e-karting, weight still has an impact but to a much lesser extent because all e-karts are heavier than petrol go karts as they have batteries or motors. This means they tend to gain more traction and stability so you can battle it out for pole position without worrying as much about weight differences between you and your opponents.
Find out more about the differences between petrol and e-karts.
How does weight affect go karting style?
While weight does matter, it doesn’t mean you need to be a specific weight to be able tear up the track and win your race. Go karting is a rip-roaringly fun activity that anyone can enjoy, whether you’re at a corporate event, a family day out or a stag/hen do. There are no go karting weight limits at TeamSport tracks, but your weight may impact how you approach the track, in other words, your go karting style.
If you are lighter than your opponents, use the corners to your advantage. By quickly turning corners without as much need for heavy braking, you’ll leave your competition in the dust. Equally, as you will gain less traction than heavier opponents, you may need to consider where to reduce acceleration so that you don’t compromise your stability.
If you are heavier than your opponents, make the most of the straights where you can build traction, enhance stability and race towards victory. While you will be more stable, this can make corners more challenging so you might decide to take a different racing line to lighter competitors in order to avoid losing precious time. Find out more about racing lines.
Tips for getting the optimum weight for go karting success
So, now you know how weight affects go karting speeds and why it’s so important, you might be wondering how you can ensure you have the optimum weight for go karting success.
There is absolutely no requirement to lose or gain any weight in order to beat out your competition, you simply need to understand how to distribute your weight within your go kart and use it to your advantage. That being said, nutrition is another key element of go karting success. Find out more in our recent blog post about how to prepare for go karting through nutrition.
Here are our top five tips for using weight to your advantage when racing:
- Shift weight from left to right - As you approach a corner, shift your weight to either the left or the right, depending on which side the corner is on (shift it so that you’re leaning away from the corner). We know this sounds strange but taking the weight off the inside wheels will give you more stability. Take a look at our blog on how to lean in go karting which explains this technique in full. You can also learn more about how to improve your cornering more generally.
- Shift weight backwards or forwards - Want to put the pedal to the metal on the straights? Shift your weight forwards to give you an extra boost when accelerating. Need to brake before approaching a challenging corner? Shift your weight backwards and remain cool, calm and collected as you slow down in perfect time to nail your corner.
- Be reactive - Even if you’ve gone go karting a hundred times, there’s no such thing as autopilot when it comes to racing. You never know what’s going to happen out on the track so you need to be prepared to adapt. As the chequered flag is waved, analyse your opponents’ movements and use your weight to respond to their performance. For example, if you notice someone is making cleaner corners than you, try shifting your weight further. If you’re repeatedly being overtaken, use your weight to accelerate faster on the straights. Learn more about defending your position.
- Clothing - Clothing is a simple way that you can slightly modify the total weight of your go kart. While you’ll need to wear our signature overalls, what you wear underneath is up to you (check out our blog on what to wear go karting for guidance). If you want to add weight to your go kart, wear heavier trainers and layer up your clothing. To remove weight, choose your lightest shoes and clothing such as joggers instead of jeans.
- Keep a low centre of gravity - This is less about weight and more about your body as a whole. Keeping as low a centre of gravity as possible can help keep your go kart stable and keeps you in control at all times, particularly around tricky hairpin bends.
All that’s left to do is take a look at our karting packages, book your high-octane experience and put your newfound skills to work in a battle for first place! If you have any questions, please contact us today and take a look at our FAQs to learn more information.
Find your nearest track here!