RACING LINE

In motorsport, the 'racing line' is the fastest path a vehicle can take through a specific corner, series of corners, or track. It is an accepted fact that the shortest difference between two points is a straight line. The racing line therefore, is generally characterized by being the largest turn radius possible within the confines of the track and hence would create the most direct route possible. A simple example would be a 90 degree left turn. In most cases (where other factors such as bumps or variations in banking or traction at different places in the turn are negligible), the ideal line would start on the very right hand side of the track upon entering the corner and end at the furthest right point of the track at the corner's exit. These two points of entrance and exit are then connected by an arc which runs smoothly from start to finish with the largest available radius (to maximise cornering speed). This, in nearly all cases involves the arc smoothly intersecting the apex of the corner but not always. ^[1]
For multiple corners and/or straights, the analysis is somewhat complicated. Because the net goal is to minimize the ''time'' spent traversing the course, the driver must sometimes deviate from the typical racing line to set up properly for the next corner or straight. Exit speed onto a straight is one of the most important parts of racing, because an exit speed only slightly lower corresponds to a substantially larger time traversing the straight (the speed reduction is "integrated" across the straight).

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References

See also

References

1. The Physics of Racing,
Part 5: Introduction to the Racing Line Beckman, Brian

See also

★ Line (racing)