The 7 Technical Corner Types in Racing

In racing, there is often debate on what corner types there are and how to categorise.

A confusing categorisation is one that considers the corner AFTER, which doesn’t speak to the corner you’re actually in!

The truth of the matter is that there are 7 technical corner types.

It’s extremely important that as a racing driver, you know the different corner types and are able to recognise them when you come across them.

With this framework, you can then focus on the driving and car setup for these corners to get the most out of them.

These corners are opportunities to destroy your competition, because they offer a unique challenge and will challenge a particular skillset of you as the driver, and your car.

For example, if you or the car are deficient in a particular area (e.g. direction change, braking, traction, rotation, etc) then these are the corners where you’re going to pay and be exposed on your weakness.

Conversely, you can set up the car to take advantage of this characteristic and make that a strength of your car in order to excel in technical corners.

If you were a tennis player, you would need to know how hit different shots, such as

• forehand,
• backhand,
• overhead,
• slice, volley,
• serve,
• overhead.
• … and so on.

It’s the same for racing drivers – you are going to need to know how to take corners including:

• hairpin,
• chicane,
• double apex corner,
• esses,
• constant radius,
• decreasing radius, and
• increasing radius

You will come across these types of technical corners and you’re going to need the knowledge and information on how to deal with them!

The 7 technical corners are below.

 Discovery Areas: 7 Technical Corners

1. Esses – Spectacular and iconic, high speed left and right direction change! You can find these in Suzuka, Austin, and Silverstone. It’s very easy to mess up esses, and if one is wrong, all are wrong.

2. Hairpins – Extremely tight, with heavy braking, and are the only corner where downforce is least important. Hairpins are a make-or-break corner. You can gain or lose a lot of lap time in hairpins.

3. Chicanes – A short left-right / right-left, characterised by kerbs. Most people spend too much time navigating chicanes. There is a special technique that you can use here to get through quickly by taking advantage of what’s happening with the dynamic weight of the car.

4. Double-Apex Corners – A highly loaded type of corner where carrying speed is critical. Aerodynamics work hardest in these corners and the outside tyres are stressed a lot.

5. Long Corners of Constant Radius – An absolute front tyre killer corner. You can find these in Hungary and Silverstone. The shape of the corner looks like a rainbow. These are like a hairpin just longer, and put more stress on the front tyres.

6. Long Corners of Decreasing Radius – This corner tightens up as you go through it. Think Bahrain Turns 9 / 10, and after the first sector in Miami. These are also all through Malaysia and Paul Ricard. They are a very popular type of corner for track designers, so it’s important you have these corners sorted out.

7. Long Corners of Increasing Radius – This type of corner continues on the exit while you’re still turning. They are often found in motorbike tracks or shared tracks, like Portimão, Qatar, Bahrain and Spain. They can be a frustrating corner, but with the right technique, you will learn to love these corners.

The corners program offered by Martin from lowerlaptime focuses on the 7 technical corners and provides you with the right technique, as well as a key focus area for each. The corners program is included as part of the lowerlaptime leap program for both intermediates and professionals.

The lowerlaptime leap program is trusted and well-known as the fastest way to accelerate your driving development.

If you’re wondering how best to prepare for your upcoming races or championships, get in touch with Martin to begin working together, and significantly improve your results on-track. You can find more details on the program here.