[FUNDAMENTALS] RUSHING CORNER ENTRIES

It’s not just hurting your lap time

“Slow in, fast out.” It’s a wonderful motorsports cliché, often repeated by instructors and racers alike as the key to quick, smooth lap times. The problem? It’s wrong. So, what’s right? That’s simple: Fast in, fast out.

To be clear, there isn’t a racetrack in the world where you spend less time accelerating than decelerating. Acceleration is the priority, but that doesn’t mean you can cruise your entries and just rely on strong exits to produce a fast lap.

You need both—a strong entry and a strong exit.

The problem

Making time on corner entry almost seems like a cheat code: “I’ll just brake later into the next corner.” That sounds like a great plan, until everyone else you’re on track with brakes well, too. Then, you find out the exit is the deciding factor.

I’ve been there. Late braking turns every straight into a drag race and every braking zone into a contest of who can go for the brakes at the last possible millisecond. It’s exhausting, inconsistent, and ultimately slower. So, let’s define what it means to rush a corner entry.