[JohnKing6]

One of the important contributing factor to accidents is that some drivers are not able to adjust to changing conditions of the track. This could be due to lack of driving experience or lack of caution. In Malaysia most races are run in dry weather so many drivers have very little or no experience of driving a race in rain. They have to adjust to this condition and be able to read the situation if the track is slippery or not and also when to back off. I normally do not want drivers who have not attain the age limit to move to the next class. This is to allow them to gain more experience in a lower class albeit they can move up due to other reasons than of age.

I have noticed that drivers go for practice spending hours driving round the circuit without any aim or objective. They should have a purpose for the practice like doing setup of the chassis or gaining experience in rain driving. All this help to give the driver more confidence in himself and his machine.

James Leong

What James says (and Mikko in the next post as well) is correct - drivers need to practice in different conditions and then adjust their driving style (or speed) to suit the track. It very noticable that on a practice day, if it rains everyone just hides in the paddock until the sun comes out - apart from Mikko, me and a couple of others. We normally have at least 1 wet race (final) each year and often championships are decided by very small numbers of points. I wonder how many championships have been decided in the last few years by results from a wet race?

A wet or damp track, even with slicks, isn't impossible. I was forced (by a mistake) to use slicks for the fully wet Heat 1 of the masters on Saturday and still finished 8th, without a single spin or off-track moment. How?, because I braked earlier, turned in a bit slower and accelerated carefully. Doing this, I was only 3-4 secs off the pace! What you can't do in the wet is slam on the brakes, hurl the kart into the corner and then stomp on the accelerator - like we (sort of) do in the dry.

If you really want to try something tricky, try the DD2 on slicks on a damp track

[Jules]

What you can't do in the wet is slam on the brakes, hurl the kart into the corner and then stomp on the accelerator - like we (sort of) do in the dry.

If you really want to try something tricky, try the DD2 on slicks on a damp track

AHA! Driving tips from the grand master himself! No wonder I am so damm slow!

I was doing some thinking about how you guys can take the fast downhill section in the damp on slicks without an exursion into the weeds.......and I reckon you would take a much deeper apex. Make sense?

Seriously John - there seems to be a taboo to practise in the rain in Malaysia.....as it not only about the tyres but the damage water does to your engine. Maybe with the Max's enclosed airbox, this is far less severe. I went off in the RM1 in practise at Elite once, so I am paranoid now!

[JohnKing6]

I was doing some thinking about how you guys can take the fast downhill section in the damp on slicks without an exursion into the weeds.......and I reckon you would take a much deeper apex. Make sense?

In a word - CAREFULLY

But seriously, it is very tricky and normally you can't apex later because there's always a puddle on the inside. So, I normally turn in a bit later (and slower) and then just let the kart drift out to the outside, with just a bit of power on so that the rear end looks for a bit of grip. It was very interesting when I was on slicks and everyone else on wets - no-one passed me at that section. They'd get alongside me halfway around and once I had grip I'd rocket back past them Slicks, even on a wet track, have better acceleration traction than wets - once they start to grip - its getting them to bite in the 1st place that's difficult.

[RocK]

I love the wet. if its up to me, I want all my finals to be a wet race.

I always tell a driver with no experience with wet racing to "Attack the same way you do in the dry"
If i tell em drive "CAREFULLY" dey will just do that but too carefully and off the pace.

"Attack the same way you do in the dry" but with a wet driving concept.
Stay off the rubber, use more upper body, dont have a heavy feet, dont lock the brakes etc.
Drive just as hard, brake as late. fight as if its your last drive.

The key is really down to a proper kart setup for wet. Once the driver have that, they can attack in the wet with confident.

I think..

[JohnKing6]

What Jules asked was driving on slicks in damp conditions, particularly the very tricky sweep section at Elite. You can attack to some degree in the wet but gaining half a second a lap taking risks and then spinning because you're pushing too hard and losing 15 secs isn't going to win races.

I'd have all my races in the wet as well - actually preferable semi-wet where you have to choose between wets or slicks.

[RocK]

What Jules asked was driving on slicks in damp conditions

Ahh overlooked that.

Yep, semi-wet is interesting and another concept all together. Best compromise in setup with type combo usually wins.
Do you go dry tires with 100% wet setup? dry tires with 60% wet setup. Wet tires with dry setup. the list goes on and on.

Tire choice is critical i think. got to guess on whats will be the track like after 50% of the race and base your choice on that.

tough choice to make if your on pole or leading a championship.
no semi-wet for the finals for me.