 | Tyres
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What you do with your tyres on race day, can mean the difference between winning and losing. Being able to read the conditions on the day, and as they change between races will separate the winners from the losers. Typical conditions to take into account include, but not limited to - driver, kart chassis, track layout, track surface, temperature, humidity and simply if it's wet or dry. First, do some testing - give yourself a good starting point with some simple testing to find the right tyre pressures that make you feel you are in control of your kart, with consistent fast lap times. This is best done on your home track on a fine day with around an average temperature. Having done this, you now have a set of normal tyre pressures for your kart. The most important thing is to have a point to return to if changes get out of hand on race day. The rule however, not only applies to your tyres, but to all parts of your kart. Here are some basic rules to follow. 1. Lowering tyre inflation will improve grip. 2. Raise rear tyre pressure to correct understeer. 3. Lower rear tyre pressure to correct oversteer. 4. Don't reduce front tyre pressure too much as they need to retain their shape with hard cornering. Below is some common conditions. Atmospheric Temperature Raise the tyre pressure slightly as the temperature falls, and lower tyre pressure as the temperature rises. This rule applies to summer and winter, as it's the relative temperature change from morning to afternoon that is important. High Humidity This is probably the most difficult condition to detect, because the surface appears to have good grip until you hit the first corner. Slightly higher tyre pressure should help. Wet Increase tyre pressure slightly with wet tyres, and increase a lot when using slicks on a wet track. Track Surface At tracks where rubber accumulates on the surface, or particularly during large and important championship meetings where the grip problem creeps up on you in later heats, you will require lower tyre pressure to reduce heat generated by the tyres. Rims The use of a slightly wider rim than normal can make the kart more controllable and easier to set up under all conditions. Tyre manufacturers recommend various variations in rim width for a given tyre. This will change the tyre profile and sidewall inclination without affecting contact area to track. One last piece of advice - always consult your rule book. Till next time................................ | 
