There’s one phrase that gets repeated over and over: “you have to use all the track.” It’s such a common piece of advice that most drivers take it as gospel… but very few actually understand it or know how to apply it effectively.
The theory says that if you use all the track – that is, as wide as possible on entry, tight to the apex, and as wide as possible on exit – you’ll create the biggest possible arc, which allows you to turn less and carry more speed. That’s mathematically correct. But… this only works if you’re at the limit of grip.
And that’s where many fall short. You can be driving the perfect line and still be way below the car’s grip limit.
How to Know If You’re Truly on the Limit
There’s a simple but powerful test: try to steer more as you’re exiting the corner. If the car accepts more steering without protesting or drifting out, and you’re not at the edge of the track… you’re not on the limit. You can carry more speed next lap.
The true limit is when, as you apply throttle and steering with precision, the car naturally takes you to the edge of the track. It’s not something you force – it happens as a consequence of the kinetic energy you built during corner entry and mid-corner. I call this the line of consequence.
Three Things That Can Happen When You Steer More on Exit
When you try to add more steering on exit to test for grip, three things can happen:
- The car simply turns more: a clear sign that you weren’t using all the grip.
- The car understeers: this depends on your pedal inputs and weight transfer.
- The car oversteers: if you add throttle too early, you’ll have to correct, which will push you outward naturally.
That’s the key: track usage is a consequence of being on the limit, not a cause. Don’t try to use all the track because someone told you to – feel the grip, find the right speed, and the car will take you there.
What If You Discover There’s More Grip on Exit?
The easiest thing to do is: accelerate earlier. Move your throttle point back just a bit, and the extra speed will carry you outward… making you naturally use all the track.
But there’s more. Your track usage on exit doesn’t depend only on exit speed – it also depends on how you shaped your corner entry line. So you can adjust not only your throttle timing but also your entry path:
- Late apex: better for maximizing exit speed before a long straight.
- Early apex: useful when there’s another corner immediately after, so you focus more on corner entry.
The key is not to force track usage. The key is to find the car’s true limit. Once you do that, track usage becomes automatic. Not because you’re chasing a line, but because your speed and rotation demand it.
Don’t just drive the line. Drive the car.
Want to take this to an even more advanced level? I have more content coming where I explain how to stay on the limit during every phase of the corner: entry, apex, and exit. But that’s a topic for another day…
- Remember, you can join iRacing clicking here.
See you on track.
This website uses affiliate links which may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
