Apex Explained: Early, Middle and Late

The apex is the point in a corner where your kart comes closest to the inside edge. Where you place it changes the whole shape of the corner.

The three options

Early apex. You turn in early and reach the inside quickly. It feels fast and easy at first. The problem is what happens next: the kart is still pointing across the track, so you run out of room on the exit. You either lift off the throttle or run wide.

Middle apex. You touch the inside at roughly the geometric middle of the corner. This is the most balanced option and works well for corners that lead into another corner.

Late apex. You turn in later, hold the kart wide for longer, and touch the inside past the middle of the corner. Entry feels slower. But by the apex the kart is already pointing down the next straight, so you can be on the throttle earlier and harder.

Why early apexing costs you time

An early apex trades a small gain at entry for a loss that lasts the whole following straight. You feel fast at the moment you turn in and then spend the next several seconds slower than the driver who was patient.

If you find yourself lifting off the throttle after the apex, or running out of track on the exit, you almost certainly apexed too early.

How to fix it

Turn in a fraction later than feels natural. That is genuinely all it takes for most drivers. It feels wrong the first few times, because you are travelling further before you start turning. Then you feel the exit and it makes sense.

Which one to use

• •Corner onto a long straight: late apex. Exit speed is worth the most here.
• •Corner into another corner: middle or even early apex, if it sets you up better for the next one.
• •Long, constant corner: middle apex, and focus on holding a steady line rather than a single point.

The apex is a decision, not a fixed spot painted on the track. Decide it based on what comes after the corner.