12 Go-Kart Overtaking Tips Every Racer Should Know

There’s no greater thrill in racing than lining up an opponent, planning your attack, and making a clean, decisive overtake. 

Passing another driver isn’t just about raw speed; our electric karts deliver instant torque to everyone. Winning is an art form. It’s a blend of perfect timing, razor-sharp precision, and psychological warfare. Whether you’re at K1 Speed for an Arrive & Drive race with friends or battling for the championship in our Challenge GP leagues, mastering these racing techniques is what separates the weekend warrior from the podium finisher.

This is your new playbook. We’re breaking down the karting strategies to set up and execute the perfect pass, turning you from the hunted into the hunter.

A successful overtake is a planned execution. It’s a calculated move that often begins several corners before you actually make the pass.

• Study Your Opponent: Every driver has a tell. Are they braking too early for the hairpin? Do they slide wide on that tricky apex exit? Are they tapping the brakes when they should be on the throttle? Find their weakness, and boom… you’ve found your opening.

• Apply Relentless Pressure: The easiest pass is one your opponent gives you. Get on their rear bumper. Force them to think about you instead of their own apex. This pressure forces mistakes. A locked-up brake, a missed turn-in, that’s your invitation to pounce.

• Know the Track: Every K1 Speed track has prime overtaking zones. They’re almost always at the end of our longest straights (leading into a heavy braking zone) or in tight, complex chicanes. Know these spots and plan your attack around them. Want help? Ask the track operator to explain where the best overtaking opportunities are!

Once you’ve done your homework, it’s time to make your move. Add these techniques to your arsenal.

1. The Classic: Late Braking on the Inside

This is the white-knuckle, high-glory pass. The goal is simple: out-brake your opponent into the corner and take the inside line away from them.

• How it’s done: As you rocket down the straight, stay on the throttle a split-second longer than your rival. Stomp on that brake harder and later, diving your kart to the inside apex.

• Why it works: You secure the preferred, shorter line. This forces the other driver to either back off or take the long, slow “dirty” line around the outside.

• The Risk: Get it wrong, and you’ll “overshoot” the corner, sliding wide on the exit and watching your opponent (and maybe others) cruise right back past you. This move takes guts, but the reward is sweet.

2. The Cutback: “Slow In, Fast Out”

Sometimes the smartest move isn’t into the corner, but out of it. This move is all about patience and exploiting instant electric torque.

• How it’s done: Let your opponent dive into the corner too hot. While they’re sliding and scrubbing off speed, you brake slightly earlier, take a tighter apex, and get your kart pointed straight.

• Why it works: You can get back on the throttle way earlier. You’ll rocket out of the corner with massive momentum, blasting past them on the exit straight before they even know what happened.

3. The Feint: The Old Switcheroo

Racing is a mental game. Get in their head.

• How it’s done: As you approach a corner, juke your kart to the outside as if you’re going to make a pass there. Watch them react and move to block you. The second they commit to defending, you “switch back” and dive into the wide-open inside line they just abandoned.

• Why it works: You tricked them into defending a ghost, leaving the real door wide open for you. Checkmate.

A pass only counts if it’s clean. Smashing into your rivals is slow, sloppy, and will get you a black flag from our track marshals.

• Be Decisive. Commit! When you go for a move, go 100%. A hesitant, half-hearted attempt is unpredictable and dangerous.

• Control is Key. No Bumper Cars! Never, ever use the kart in front of you as your brakes. A real driver overtakes with skill, not contact.

• Own Your Line. Once your front wheels are alongside the other driver’s seat, you have a right to that space. They can’t just turn into you. By the same token, you must leave room on the outside.

• 1st Lap or Bust: Trying to win the entire race on the first lap. Settle down. Be patient, be precise, and pick your moment.

• Target Fixation: Staring at your opponent’s rear bumper instead of your apex. Always look where you want to go, not where you are.

• The Early Turn-In: Attempting an inside pass but turning in too early. This kills your exit speed and makes you a sitting duck for a re-pass.

Overtaking is a skill. It’s built on practice, confidence, and observation. Start by focusing on one technique. Learn to read the race, anticipate opportunities, and execute your moves with authority.

Now that you have the playbook, it’s time to execute. Get to K1 Speed, hit the track, and show them what you’ve learned.