Starting from the outside can be very tricky at times but some people really pull it off, others always struggle. It mostly comes down to previous experience and how good you’re off the line but, also, to how hard situation you’ve gotten yourself into.

When you cannot get a good start, it’s another story. But when you get away well and you’re forced to stay on the outside, you’ve got some hard decisions to make. With some good momentum there’s a chance to hang it around the outside and lose as little as possible. For example, on the picture above, I had dropped to P4 by the middle of the corner while starting P2. Hung it around the outside and came out of the corner back second, and already took the lead into T2. Use the room and the grip if there is some on the outside.

Picking a Target

Sometimes there’s not as much room or you might get shoved out. Then don’t hesitate to still be late on the brakes, bur carefully analyse your situation before turning in. A stream of karts on the inside line without any gaps can be intimidating so chose your next move carefully. Don’t be scared to give up a few positions because you will have to, anyway. When a driver puts their front wheels past you, they can force your path as they want. Let them go, don’t get stuck. Very rarely you can go against the odds from an unfavourable position, but they rather end in a crash. Choose your next target. Someone who’s not more than half a kart along side you. Choosing your target helps minimise your loss in T1. If you just keep letting the stream of karts pass, you might end up losing tons of positions. Set your eyes on your target. You can challenge them on the braking and have a chance of beating them into the corner. If they keep it pinned on the inside, your target might be the last to pass because by that time you’re so far into the corner. The next one can’t make it anymore. So the target you choose is your decision. Whether they are the last to go or the first to make a gap is up to you.

Finding a Gap

In that sense, it’s sometimes easier to start from P4 or P6, because the evident gaps on the inside will present themselves earlier. By the time P2 sees the second or third kart pass, they could already be someone from the outside row who saw a gap before them. So don’t give up but know when it’s time to let your target go.