f you ask me what matters more in karting — speed or consistency — I’ll say both are important… but…
If I have to choose, I’m picking consistency every time.
Here’s the thing.
Being fast once doesn’t mean much if you can’t repeat it.
That one quick lap might look great on the dash, but if the rest of your laps are messy, inconsistent, and full of mistakes — we’ve got a problem. A big one.
Why Consistency Beats One-Lap Speed
Let’s say you’re 1 or 2 tenths faster than another driver on your best lap.
But then, the rest of your laps are half a second off.
Meanwhile, the other guy is just super consistent — hitting the same lap time over and over.
That guy will beat you in a race, every time.
Consistency is what builds race wins, builds confidence, and shows that you’re in control of your driving — not just throwing the kart around hoping for a “Lucky” lap.
So many times I cringe when I see drivers just looking at their fastest lap on the dash and being happy about it, while forgetting that their second fastest lap it’s like 3 tenths off and all the others more than that…
How can you win a race like that with such an inconsistent pace?
4 Big Reasons Consistency Wins
- Steady Laps = Strong Results: You don’t win races with one fast lap. You win by putting together good laps again and again. That’s what separates great drivers from guys who just set one quick time in practice.
- Confidence Grows When You’re Consistent: When you know you can hit your marks every lap, it builds trust in yourself. It boosts your confidence. That trust helps you stay cool when things get intense, whether it’s a race start, a battle for position, or tricky track conditions.
- You Make Fewer Mistakes: Driving on the limit often leads to overdriving — late braking, sliding, dropping a wheel off the track. But consistency forces you to focus on smoother inputs. And smoother laps = fewer mistakes = better lap times overall.
- You Adapt Faster Track gets colder? Wind picks up? Grip drops off? A consistent driver can still hit their marks and adjust. A fast-but-inconsistent driver? They’ll struggle to adapt and start dropping down the field.
How to Build Consistency in Practice
- Prioritize Smoothness Over The Ultimate Lap: Don’t chase the stopwatch every single lap. Instead, focus on driving clean and repeatable laps. Clean inputs, solid braking points, and tidy lines.
- Find a Comfortable Pace and try To Stick at It: In practice, pick a pace that you can hit lap after lap without mistakes.
- Stay Focused, Block Out Distractions: This one is huge. Most inconsistency comes from mental lapses. You zone out mid-session and suddenly mess up your line or brake too late. Stay locked in.
- Repetition is Everything The more you repeat something, the more it becomes automatic. That’s how consistency is built. Drive the same corners, the same braking points, again and again — until it becomes second nature. You’ll start to drive on autopliot.
Final Thoughts
The ultimate lap you get to see on the dash is cool. But consistency is what makes you win in the long term. It’s what builds confidence, helps you adapt, and turns you into a much more complete driver.
Don’t fall into the trap of celebrating one magical lap and ignoring the rest. Please don’t.
Instead, build the habits that let you perform at your best every lap, every session, every weekend.
If you want help reviewing your consistency or want feedback on how to improve, feel free to reach out. Always happy to take a look.
Just Senndit
– Alessio Lorandi
