Top 5 Go Kart Pre-Race Routines

By Alessio Lorandi, 2013 CIK-FIA World Champion, KF-Junior. Updated on 18 October 2026.

Okay, so you’re getting ready for the race and you’re looking for a structured pre-race routine that can help you get more focused and warm up yourself so that you are going to have a better performance while you’re driving.

So, here are the tips that I suggest you to follow based on my experience and based on what I have tried and tested on myself.

I guarantee you that if you follow them, it’s going to at least change a little bit the way you prepare your races in terms of concentration.

Why does a pre-race routine make you faster in a kart?

Let’s be real, if you want to go fast, you’ve got to be focused. Hyper focused.

And for me, that focus starts waaay before I jump in the kart.

Because look, we’re not just talking about raw speed or talent.

Karting is a mental game. You’ve got to train your brain to switch into focus mode, on demand.

That’s what a pre-race routine does.

Honestly, I’ve seen a big improvement in my performance ever since I started working on my routine. It’s not something fixed in stone, it keeps evolving, and I’m always tweaking it, but having something consistent really helps me get in the zone.

What does my pre-race routine look like?

Here’s what I usually like to do:

• I throw on my noise-cancelling headphones with some motivational music. It helps me block everything out and lock right in.
• Then I do some light warm-up, nothing crazy, just some movement to wake the body up.
• A bit of core work like planks to warm up the core stability.
• Some reaction light drills or quick reaction games with tennis balls, they’re great for sharpening up the brain.

All of this just gets me feeling more alert and ready.

Now let me go through the five tips one by one, plus the extra.

Should you do rope jumping before a kart race?

So, let’s get started with the first step which is to do some rope jumping.

I like to do some rope jumping, because it helps me to warm up physically. And also, with my reflexes, it’s pretty good. But most importantly, gets myself into the rhythm that I will keep once I will get back into the Kart.

So, I suggest you try to do a little bit of rope jumping, and let me know how it goes.

How much water should you drink before a kart race?

So, tip number two is to drink some water.

Keeping hydrated throughout the day is really important. And it’s also important to drink a little bit before driving. Now what I like to do usually is to drink some water, not so much, of course, because you don’t want to be too heavy.

Like a couple of glasses of water and then go to the toilet, so that I can be clear and ready to go.

What stretching should you do before getting in the kart?

Now, tip number three is to do some stretching. Usually when I am in the pits getting ready for the race before putting my helmet on, I like to do a little bit of stretching just for my leg or my arm.

And that really takes 10 seconds. But it’s usually pretty good for me, you can try yourself, do it for your leg and you can do it for your back a little bit. And that surely will help you.

I also do a bit of core work like planks, to warm up the core stability.

Fitness = lap time (and stretching is part of your fitness regime).

Why should you clean your own helmet and visor?

Tip number four is to clean your helmet and visor.

I used to do this all of the times in between sessions.

Because first of all, it will help you to have a better visuality since you are going to get clear of insects and all of the waste you might have on your visor so that you can have a better view once you get back in the track.

But most importantly gets you into the rhythm. It allowed me to focus a lot and started really making a mental visualization of what I was going to do.

So, it really is like a sort of action that allows you to get more focused.

Even stuff like cleaning my kart and my helmet is part of the routine. Yep. Especially my visor. I always want it to be perfect.

It might sound silly, but I genuinely think it helps mentally. It puts me in control.

It’s kinda like saying, “I’m dialed in, I’ve got this.”

And so, I really encourage you to do that.

It also shows a lot of professionalism inside your team. When people that see you clean your stuff, they’ll be looking at you in a very bright way.

How do you prepare a mental strategy for a kart race?

Now, the tip number five is closely connected and it is to prepare a mental strategy for the race. This is really crucial. You don’t have to spend an hour doing that, it just takes a couple of minutes. And you can either do it in your head mentally or you can also write it down.

And to me this is really helpful especially when you need to do some races starting from the back of the grid or maybe you have to recover some places, or maybe the first corners are very tricky because the track is tricky or maybe it’s wet.

So, whenever you have some more complicated scenarios, I would highly encourage you to do this sort of mental strategy. But to be honest, if you can do it all the time, it’s going to become a like a routine and it’s going to get you so focused.

So perhaps you can say okay, now I’m going to warm up the tyres so much. And when the race starts, I’m going to go inside and I’m going to try to overtake one driver per lap for the next 10 laps so that I can finish top three, something like that.

Maybe I can say okay, since everybody is going outside, I’m going to try to overtake them and turn two on the inside, anything that can be. So please try to write down a mental strategy so that you can be so much better than your competitors.

Which reaction drills help before a kart race?

Before heading to the grid, I really enjoy doing some reaction time drill, either with tennis balls, reaction lights (such as Blazepod).

Quick reaction games with tennis balls are great for sharpening up the brain.

They help me a lot to get in the zone.

What should you do on the grid before the start?

Once I’m on the grid, I’ll do a bit of visualization. I picture the perfect lap. I imagine hitting every apex, nailing each brake point, smooth exits, everything. It’s not super long, maybe 30 seconds, but it works.

Then I do a few deep breaths. Just to calm myself down. To center myself.

It’s simple, but it’s powerful. That’s when I’m really switched on.

Do you need a pre-race routine for rental karting?

And by the way, just so that you know, this isn’t just for pro-level racing.

Even if you’re just doing rental karting with your friends, having a little routine helps.

It sets the tone. It tells your brain, “Okay, it’s go time.”

It doesn’t have to be fancy.

Just something that helps you block out the noise and get into the right headspace.

How do you build your own pre-race routine?

If you’re serious about progressing and becoming the fastest version of yourself, I 100% recommend creating your own pre-race routine.

Start small. Test what works. And keep adjusting it as you go.

So, having said that, these were my top five tips for you so that you can improve your pre-race routine. And I highly encourage you to try them out. And if you want to see where they fit in a whole race weekend, from the night before to the review after every session, I wrote what a professional kart driver’s race day looks like.

Because when the lights go out, and the race begins, the drivers who are mentally locked in? They’re usually the ones who end up at the front.

If you want this routine built around you, with your driving in it, that is what I teach in the 6 months transformation. And if you just want me to look at one of your sessions, send me your onboard for an onboard review.

See you soon!