.Karting and motorsports talk at the track in general always seems to focus on setup; what tyre pressures are you using, what gearing, what main jet etc.
Far too rarely does the talk center on driving technique.
What usually happens is that drivers become too focused on changing things around on the kart making them spend less time on the track, and more time worrying about making the kart go faster rather than fixing the easiest and most beneficial aspect - the driver.
In a similar way far too much money is spent on parts that are bought with the hope that they will make you go faster such as a new carburetor, an engine rebuild, or even a new kart. What usually happens is the new driver realizes that the purchases didn't make them go any faster at all.
In my opinion new drivers shouldn't so much as touch the kart setup until they are within 0.5 seconds a lap of the fastest drivers in their category and they are able to consistently lap within 0.2 seconds (5 to 10 laps all within 2 tenths of eachother). The consistency is the more important factor, simply because you won't be able to see the difference a setup change makes if you can't drive consistently. Before you get to that level you will almost certainly benefit more by focusing on your driving and forgetting about setup.
If you have a decent mechanic he will know an ok baseline setup - which is all you need to get near the front. If you don't have an experienced mechanic you can get a basic setup from someone experienced that uses a similar engine/chassis.
Other than that the only setup a new driver should be worried about is being comfortable in the kart. Your seat has to be the right size, and your steering wheel and pedals adjusted so that you're comfortable.
Now if you really feel that your kart is just impossible to drive and that is why you are still 0.5s + slower than the fast guys the best thing you can do is to ask one of the fast guys to hop in your kart and give it a few laps (a driver roughly the same weight/size is best). I've never seen anyone decline!
It might be a humbling experience because he might set times fast enough to win a race. That's great because you then know that your equipment is up to scratch and you can again focus on your driving. If there actually is a problem with your kart then he will probably be able to tell you exactly what the problem is (engine or setup, and what to change to fix it). You can then hop in after the changes and feel the difference and remember what the changes were.
For most drivers I'd say that in your first full year of karting you should hardly touch the kart setup - it just isn't as important for new drivers as most people think. When you're new your driving can improve by seconds, but your setup will only give you a few tenths! This doesn't mean you shouldn't be learning about setup - you can always check alignment and all setup parameters to see that they are at the correct baseline settings so that you learn how to change and check them - but you shouldn't be spending a lot of time changing things until you're on the pace and consistently so.
Experienced drivers also fall into the same trap (myself included) often thinking too much about setup when there might be something they can fix with their driving.
What's the best way to improve your driving then? Pay attention to how others are driving - on the track when you're able to follow the fast guys and also spend some time trackside just looking at how they drive and see what they're doing differently. And finally the best way is to get someone experienced to coach you!
Some books are also good at getting the basics drilled in your head - but you learn a lot better actually doing it!
Listen to Raikkonen on his WRC debut:
Q:Kimi, how useful was the shakedown for tuning the car?
KR:We tried two things, but it was the first time since the Arctic Rally, so it was nice to get back in the car. The car feels okay, but I can improve my driving rather than changing the car.
