Incredible lap time. Notice the Alonso/Renault style of aggressive steering lock application just before the apex - is this generating more front heat and allowing you to get back on the power earlier?
Amazing lap!! I'll try learn from this video before going there again in the near future hopefully. Quick question, what are the settings you use when filming with your Gopro? I bought a hero 8 recently but not sure what settings, FPS/Quality to use??
Thank you very much! I hope this video helps with your next visit! I have a GoPro Hero 4 so it's 5 year old model now. However, I aim to use the setting which simultaneously allows me to use the highest field of view, quality, and at least 60fps. So for me, I use 1080-S-60 (1080p, Superview, 60fps). I do have 2.7k and 4k options on the camera but neither allow me to record in Superview (the highest field of view my camera records). If you bought a HERO 8 Black then you can see the options you have here: community.gopro.com/t5/en/HERO8-Black-Video-Settings-and-Resolutions/ta-p/398717 I'm not sure how wide 'Wide' is, I suspect it's not as wide as Superview but still might be viable? Really, what you're aiming for is 60fps (anything more is pointless unless you are after extreme slow mos) and the highest quality possible that allows you to record in a very high field of view! It is also extra important to have good rendering settings in your editor otherwise it throws the good quality you have from your camera in the bin... hope that helps? :)
Hi Dante, great lap! As a heavier driver (100kg), would you advise still hitting the brakes hard and aggressively whipping the wheel to slide into corners if you were me? I know sliding is bad for heavy drivers so interested to know. My best Dmax time is 49.18 which is way off yours so keen for any tips for heavier drivers!
Hi Toby! Cheers for your comments. The first thing to note is the new DMAX are around a second if not more slower than the fleet in the video ^. I say this so you don't compare to this laptime! In terms of driving style for heavier drivers, I would avoid what I do in this video. You are correct in saying sliding is bad for heavier drivers, because it takes longer to build momentum. You definitely want your inputs to be more smooth and gradual. You will want to ease the kart into corners rather than doing aggressive turn ins like me! Keeping up the revs is super important for a driver around your weight. A 49.18 is actually quite respectable for your weight in the new fleet, so well done!
They didn't let me use the kerbs like u did! I've been here once and did a 46.8 on a hot day after a light shower had just passed and dried up, I don't see where I could have got 2 more seconds tho, maybe 2 or 3 tenths 😂🤯
@@DanteDhillon I was consistently going 2 wheels on the kerbs in practise and getting no kerbing warning, so after practise I asked them what exactly is the rule and they said 2 wheels over the white line which is exactly what I was doing so just made no sense to me 🥴
Bloody hell if this isn’t the perfect lap I don’t know what is 🤣. I’m heading down to Sandown on Saturday for a Dmax open race which is my first time at the track. There better not be anyone as good as you otherwise I won’t stand a chance 😅
Great lap. Just wondering if you can explain your steering technique. You seem to make a big input very quickly at 0:16 and 0:20 which is something I have seen other karters do but have never understood myself. Can you explain why? For reference I have very little karting experience. Great lap again
Cheers mate! So making big steering inputs allows us to take the corner at the preferred angle. Rental karts don't have a lot of grip so we need to do this otherwise we can't take a corner tightly while carrying plenty of speed. Also, turning hard helps slow the kart down - so we spend less time trying to slow down and more time going fast
@@DanteDhillon Ah I think I can see what you are saying. I think to fully understand it I might have to have a go myself. Haha do you have any tips on how to get started using this technique?
@@jamesyu685 All you can really do is experiment - try to do these steering movements and see how well you can manage the balance of the kart through a corner. However it's one thing to do it and another to know whether it would actually be faster (in a particular corner) to steer like that. It's really important to minimise steering correction out of a corner - so you don't want to turn too tightly and then struggle on the way out for exit speed because you're still battling the kart.
Thanks heaps for that advice. I think there is a corner or two at my local track were this might help me straighten the kart earlier so I am definitely going to play around with it. Thanks again for your replies. Really helpful insights.
Hey Dante, I'm 14 and normally drive a SODI but I got in a DMAX the other day after race control assessed me in a SODI. I got a 47.989 in my first ever practice, is that good for a driver of 68kg? race control had a little joke with me afterwards and said I was a bit of a coward on the brakes but I didnt want to make too many mistakes on my first DMAX as I'm sure they were watching me. Any tips on braking / braking points as they're completely different to the SODIs. Kind Regards, Nic Fallon
Hi Nic, really sorry for the late reply. A 47 lap time is a very solid time in the new DMAX, you should be pleased - as they are a fair amount slower from the old DMAX (mostly due to the increased weight). I think you did the right thing by demonstrating that you could be in control of the kart and not being overly ambitious. Braking points for DMAX are different you're right. You can afford for the kart to get slightly out of shape under braking, something you wouldn't usually do in a Sodi. You can still be aggressive on the brakes on a DMAX once the kart has warmed up, but obviously this is harder to control than a Sodi. You won't be able to be this confident overnight, so you just have to edge towards being more aggressive with every try, see how far you can take it before you take it too far. The biggest challenge with DMAX compared to Sodi, is just keeping it in control. Yes the braking point is naturally earlier, and you play around with this until you find the right spot for you, but as long as you're not going too deep into the corner before turning, then you're doing the right thing. DMAX karts have brakes which are way more sensitive than Sodis, so you really just have to play it by feel, the kart will tell you if you're being too hard on the brakes or not. Hope this somewhat helps, can sometimes be difficult to explain braking tips in text. Cheers, Dante
Nah i don't use brakes to help rotate the kart, that is more for Sodis. It's more about being heavy on the brakes then coming off and turning in straight after
Hey mate, great lap! Just a couple of things I noticed which I may be doing differently to you, and perhaps going slower. Q1) I notice when you chuck the kart into a bend, you initiate a slight "slide"? i.e. a very quick snap of steering angle on corner entry, and then straighten the wheel and keep it relatively straight throughout the rest of the bend, while leaning on the outside wheels? I'm guessing this helps you go faster through the bend? Q2) Also, at any point, do you trail brake, or is it always in a straight line? Sometimes I "feel" quicker trailbraking, but maybe that's just my perception, and the reality is it's potentially slower?
Hi mate, good questions you have there. For question 1, this is very much my style. I personally find this style helps me to carry more momentum through the corner. The last thing you want to do is take multiple stabs at turning the steering wheel during a corner. Depends on the kart, some karts allow it better than others. Usually you wouldn't because you want to be quite snappy with the kart controls. I think the only corner here suitable for trailbraking is Turn 4 because there's two parts to it. So with that, this would be the only place I trailbrake.
Amazing lap man well done 👍🏽 I’ve been doing go karting a lot recently and I want to go the Daytona next are you able just to go straight on to the DMAX karts or do you need to ride the SODI karts before those
Cheers pal! As of writing this comment, as long as you are an experienced kart racer, you can drive the DMAX karts without having to do the Sodi karts first.
This kart was good but on that day all karts were getting at least low 45s. Times achieved last week were mid-45s so still very fast, and will be getting faster! Weight comes into it aswell as track conditions etc, but I've still gotten lowish 45s at 70-80kg. This track is my local and where I started karting so I know it very well ;)
How come such vigorous steering inputs work so well for you? I’ve always just been told nice and steady, smooth inputs = speed? Awesome lap dude! Congrats!
I had thought it was so you Could input the throttle straight after turning in, which obviously works well! I tried to recreate this style at Daytona after watching but got no where near you 😂 I think because I’m heavy maybe the kart just won’t grip as much. Was also a bit damp.
@@mgr6012 The new karts are a bit slower than the old ones. Although I'm unsure whether they are unrestricted now like the MK ones? I wouldn't read too much into the laptimes in the dry in comparison to me, they will always be different due to your weight being higher. As long as you feel you are getting the technique right, then that's good! Heavier drivers will suit smoother steering inputs moreso than lighter drivers as keeping up momentum becomes more important as you don't have the acceleration to power you through.
@@DanteDhillon awesome tip, thanks mate! I’m hopefully starting club 100 this season in a novice class! Think you race in that don’t you in the more experienced categories? So hopefully see you around the paddocks!
Totally depends on the kart. If it's bound-up (kart wants to go straight when you turn), you have to "pop" the steering like this to get it to dig and set. If the kart is free (kart turns free but doesn't want to stop turning), the faster steering method is to "roll-in". Sometimes rental karts are bound one way and free the other so you have to "pop" one direction, and "roll-in" the other. Great lap Dante! I'm from Calspeed in California and have to be in London for work for the next month or so. I found Daytona online and am planning to do a DMAX event or two while I'm out there. Cheers!
Hey Dante, recently came across your channel and was so relieved to finally find a really good channel and vid to learn from. I’m pretty new to Sandown and DMAX, and I was wondering if you could critique my driving on my channel if you had the time. I always seem to never be able to achieve smooth input on the wheel, I always find that I have to correct an oversteer etc. Keep up the sick content!
Hi mate, I have replied to your comment on the other video with tips, what I will say is the kart I used in this video had to be driven in a way where I had to be more smooth on the steering compared to usual, hence the effortless look to it. I drove some karts recently and I was tonnes more aggressive then what you see in this video, because that was the fastest way to drive it :)
Out of interest have ever done a lap at Teamsport Edmunton? Reason I ask is a staff member said he did a 33 second lap there and I dont believe that is physically possible. I did an elite race there and the winner got best lap of 38.7. Very interested to know your time seeing as you've raced on most tracks.
Hi mate, I have not yet been to TeamSport Edmunton but I hope to race at pretty much all TeamSport tracks by the end of October as I have a fat voucher to use up (i've only been to like 5) What I will add (I haven't seen Edmunton track yet) that indoor conditions can vary up to multiple seconds. I went to TS Stoke for the first time last year and did a 37.8, and then come Kartchamps I did a 34.8, so it can vary! Although 5 seconds sounds a lot
@@DanteDhillon Thanks for the reply! Wow I had no idea that the track conditions could vary by that much! Be intresting to see your lap times when you've done them. I like to get within 4 seconds of your times lol
@@henrywalter4750 Hahah yes I'm looking forward to trying them all, trying to keep tabs of which ones I need to turn up on certain days to use the full track 😂 Do you know if GoPros are still allowed? I've been hearing you can only use Teamsport's cameras now?
@@DanteDhillon I'm not sure tbh mate. I've only seen people use Teamsports cameras. Yeah it's always a mission finding sessions which arnt overcrowded etc. Edmunton is good as is Bermondsey (still shut due to covid.). If your ever up Birmingham way their track is best one I've done by far!
@@henrywalter4750 Ahh dear it will be absolutely ridiculous if that's the route they've gone down :/ Okay awesome I will keep that in mind! I will be up North a lot for the next year as I'll be in 2nd year uni so keen to try others out
Haha, brake in a straight line, never while turning. Prioritise your exit speed, especially onto longer straights. While cornering you shouldn't be readjusting your steering wheel too much. Use all the the track available to you to maximise cornering speeds!!
