Racing line

The ideal line is an imaginary line which describes on a race track the fastest possible way. This can, however, be different for different vehicles or driving styles. Various polls (Setups ) sometimes lead to different fastest lines.

Each track has several characteristic ideal lines on which the path can be bypassed depending on the conditions applicable in the highest average speed. Conditions to be considered are mainly the setup and grip as well as the route and weather conditions such as wet, dry and temperature. So there is no race track for a universal ideal line, which would apply to any vehicle and for any weather.

In simple terms, the ideal line is the line the fastest results under the given circumstances by a curve. The ideal line of a curve combination can deviate from the ideal curves of the individual curves. Similarly, there is for some types of curves even for the same conditions several possible racing lines.

The ideal line is rarely the shortest path through a curve. The strategy of the fastest line is rather to increase the curve radius and as early as possible to speed up again out of the corner. Such a curve is usually braked outside, turned in late, at the apex (apex ) is approached in and then used the width of the road to let out support the vehicle under acceleration. In the duel of the front man instead of the racing line to defend his position often chooses the line of battle.

Even in other sports exist racing lines, such as when skiing or bicycle racing and the marathon.

Cutting Curves

If the driver leaves the road when driving through a curve its own lane, one speaks of the curve cutting. The radius of curvature in the normal driving through the curve is r1. For the dependence of the maximum speed at which you can drive through a curve, and the radius of curvature r

Cutting a curve increases the radius of curvature r2; so you can go faster through the turn. Should we, however, abruptly dodge oncoming traffic, the curvature radius r3 is so small that the car is no longer controllable. The curve cutting is a violation of the right driving.