The racing line
What the line is for
The racing line is the path that lets you carry the most speed through a corner with the least steering. Using the full width of the track opens up the radius of the turn; a wider arc means the car can go faster for the same grip. That is why you hear instructors talk about going from the outside edge, to the inside, and back to the outside: those three points are the turn-in, the apex and the track-out.
The turn-in point is where you start steering, near the outside edge. The apex is where the car comes closest to the inside of the corner. The track-out point is where the car returns to the outside edge as you unwind the steering on the exit. Connect them with one smooth arc and you have the basic line.
Late apex: the safe default
With an early apex, you turn in early and reach the inside too soon. The problem appears at the exit: the car is still turning when you run out of road, so you either have to stay off the throttle and add steering, or you run wide toward the edge. Many off-track excursions start with an early apex.
A late apex turns in a little later and reaches the inside further around the corner. The first part of the turn is tighter and slower, but by the apex the car is pointing more down the exit, so you can unwind the steering and apply throttle earlier. Better still, if you have misjudged your speed, a late apex leaves road to spare at the exit instead of none. That margin is why instructors teach a late apex as the default for novices.
Simplified 90° corner. Real corners trade entry, mid-corner and exit speed differently; what follows the corner decides which matters most.
Slow in, fast out
Slow in, fast out sums it up. Arrive at the corner a little slower than you think you could, so the car is settled and your line is precise, then let the speed build from the apex onward. Being a few miles per hour too fast at turn-in costs you the whole corner: you miss the apex, fight the car mid-corner and delay the throttle. Being a little too slow costs almost nothing, and you can fix it next lap.
Throttle is part of the line. From the apex, roll on progressively as you unwind the steering, so the car uses the extra track width as it accelerates. Steering and throttle should be inversely linked on the exit: less steering, more throttle. If you need to add steering on the exit, you either turned in too early or applied throttle too soon.
Why exit speed matters most before long straights
Every extra mile per hour you carry out of a corner is carried all the way down the following straight. A small improvement at the exit of a corner leading onto a long straight pays off for hundreds of yards, while the same gain at the end of a short chute is soon given back at the next braking zone. So the corners that lead onto long straights deserve the latest apex and the most patience.
When you study a new track, rank its corners by what follows them. Prioritise exits onto the longest straights, accept a little compromise at corners that lead into another corner, and remember that the line is a starting point. Bumps, camber and surface changes all shape the real line at each track; your instructor and the corner-by-corner experience of other drivers in your group are the best guides.
The patient exit
- 1.Pick the corner that leads onto the longest straight at this track.
- 2.For three laps, turn in one car length later than your current reference and aim for a later apex.
- 3.Wait until the car is pointing down the exit before rolling onto the throttle, then unwind as you accelerate.
- 4.Note whether you use all the track at the exit or still have space to spare.
- 5.After the session, compare how fast the car felt at the end of that straight, and ask your instructor to watch the line.
On track, in an organized session, with your instructor’s OK. Never on public roads.