Late apex
A late apex clips the inside of a corner after its geometric middle, trading a little entry speed for an earlier, straighter exit.
Also called: late clipping point
With a late apex, you turn in a bit later and a bit slower than the geometric line, rotate the car more in the first half of the corner, and touch the inside past the midpoint. The second half of the corner then becomes a wider, more open arc, so you can unwind the steering and go to throttle sooner.
That is the trade: a slightly slower entry for a faster exit. Because exit speed carries all the way down the next straight, the trade usually wins, particularly for corners that lead onto long straights. It is also more forgiving: if you misjudge entry, you have track to spare on the exit.
Too late is possible too. If you are waiting, coasting toward an apex with the car already rotated, you have given away entry speed for nothing. The right amount of late depends on the corner, the car's power and what comes next.
Late apexes improve exit speed onto straights and leave room for error, which is why instructors teach them first.
Simplified 90° corner. Real corners trade entry, mid-corner and exit speed differently; what follows the corner decides which matters most.